Back in 2005, we launched Webkinz as one of the first fully featured Flash web sites. Flash wasn’t just an animated element, or a game embedded in the page, it WAS the game. We had created a virtual world for you and your pet to immerse into… in a browser.
For 15 years players went daily to webkinz.com to hit that big “Log In” button to join their pets in having hours of fun.
With the discontinuing of Flash at the end of 2020, Webkinz World’s days as a browser destination also came to an end. Our developers were able to keep Webkinz World alive with the fully featured Webkinz application on PC and Mac, and the mobile versions on iOS and Android, but internally we always had the idea that one day we could return to browsers like Chrome and Safari and have our game playable anywhere, on any device.
Today, on the 20th Anniversary of our launch, we are proud to announce that Webkinz Classic will be returning to browsers later this year.
We have had one goal with this project – get everything working, particularly those features that mobile players currently don’t have access to, like challenges, the Curio Shop, trading, and the Employment Office. And of course, we had to get all the games running – from our earliest games like Pumpkin Patch Protector, to favorites like Cash Cow and Jumbleberry Fields.
And like the downloadable app and the mobile app, all this works with your existing data. Playing in a browser will just be another way to play!
Here is your first look at the game in action (the URL has been intentionally hidden):
Employment Office – PC, Chrome
Arcade – PC, Chrome
Curio Shop – iPad, Safari (we will be addressing the scaling issues)
Now while we’ve come a very long way, we still have a lot of work to do. We are still working on features and once those are complete, we will have a long bug testing and fixing phase. We are aiming for an early Q4 release for everyone to enjoy.
We are also discussing beta events where players will be able to try out what we have (knowing that there will be bugs). We will provide more details on these in the coming months.
Finally, and I’m sure that this will be music to many players ears, our overall goal is to get Webkinz Classic to a point where we can begin developing all new features and finally fix features that have been missing for too long.
We appreciate every fan who has enjoyed our plush and our virtual world over the past 20 years and this project is just one of the many steps that we will be taking to ensure that the next 20 years provides even more joy and fun to all our players, new and old alike.
- Your furry friends in Webkinz World
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OMG!! This is AMAZING!!! As a long-time player, this news brings me to happy tears! Webkinz realizes Webkinz Classic DOES have the potential to keep expanding and growing. This is truly amazing!! Especially since they’re keeping the old elements and UPGRADING it instead of giving up on it or tearing it down as it’s a pure master piece. I’d love to see them bring back the social media profiles we used to have, Mazin’ Hamsters, new games in the arcade, party boxes, inviting friends to your house to visit, etc that they removed due to bugs before. Also, I’m SO excited about the beta! How do I sign up? This is the best Webkinz news up to date!! Happy Webkinz Day!!
What wonderful news!!! I am so happy to hear that you have decided to keep improving this amazing ‘game’ and that we as players will get to enjoy it even more. Happy 20th, Webkinz!!!!
Thank you so much!! This has been missed so much, I can’t wait for this to be working again! I can already think of so many things and features that I hope will be added and fixed once it’s all in place again!
PLEASE TELL ME DICEKINZ IS RETURNING AND THE GOLF GAME
Yes, and Bamboo Break please!
I sure hope so , loved dicekinz and golf!
This is truly a momentous day, 20 years AND getting the game back as a browser. A massive thank you to everyone at Ganz who kept the game up, the creative team for delivering great new items, and everyone in general at Webkinz who made this possible. We are so grateful for you <3
This is sooooo exciting. I am so thrilled that Classic will be truly back. Thanks Ganz for sticking with it.
This makes me so incredibly happy! Thank you for dedicating so much time and passion into something that means so much to us users!!!!
Fingers crossed that animated wallpapers and broken POTM prizes get fixed!! Party boxes would be great too. Can’t wait for this, thanks!
Yes, and hopefully my Webkinz Aviary wallpaper will sing again!
OOO and the Train Station!! I has animated walls; trains arriving and departing ! The Carousel Wallpaper from the eStore also has animated walls, Oh would that be AWESOME!!!
Whoa thank you so much!!! NEW features to classic that’s going to be so cool. I really hope one of those are letting friends come to your house. The only way i ever got to do that was the party packs. Please could you try to bring the invite a friend if you are able to.
This is so Exciting!!!! *Happy Tears!!!!* Here to 20 amazing years and I can not WAIT to start playing the Full Webkinz on my iPad safari browser! :D