Jeff Sandquist is seeing something I’ve seen in my house for over a year now:
I’ve seen the question of, "What’s the next network to go big after Facebook?"
Webkinz of course.
Mark my words, Webkinz will be one of the top toys this holiday seasons for kids ages 6 - 13+. Source: Jeff Sandquist - Microsoft Evangelist - Is Webkinz the next Facebook?
Toronto-based Ganz’s Webkinz are everywhere (no shortages where I live) around here. My kids have them and the Webkinz site is on screen so much, I worry about burn in on the monitor.
Seriously these kids are into these furry buggers. Now, the question will be if Facebook will be boring for the Webkinz generation used to making their own houses for their Webkinz and playing games to get more stuff? Sure, as they get older their interests will change, but I think Webkinz kids are going to expect a more immersive experience than Facebook provides. Even Club Penguin is more visually interesting than flat Facebook.
I’m not saying a return to MySpace and that HTML-driven nightmare of garish backgrounds and auto-play music, but something more personal. On Webkinz kids have a house with yards, and rooms. You make a place for the Webkinz to live. Now, don’t you think they are going to want the same thing when they are 15?
You bet. And Second Life, that I think is too intense an extreme. We’re talking simple, but cool. With the ability to add things to your room by playing games? Genius.
Let’s see if Ganz can adapt or spawn the "next Facebook".
October 11th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
I can definitely agree that the ability to customize your own Facebook profile be nice. Something along the lines of Virb and Pownce profiles perhaps?
October 12th, 2007 at 2:19 am
As the father of a tween I can attest to the popularity of Webkinz. There have been many a Saturday morning when we are waiting outside the Mastermind in the Beach waiting for the doors to open so my daughter can race in and buy the latest Webkin either for herself or as a present for the guest of honour at one of the biweekly birthday parties she seems to attend.
My daughter has 8 of those “furry buggers” and her class mates (both the boys and the girls) have an average of 5 each. As my daughter puts it, “Webkinz have exploded in the past year”.
Ganz has a huge user base now with these toys, their key to future success will be to leverage this base, posibly with older generation toys and eventually just virtual items- such as you mention in the next generation “Facebook”.
October 16th, 2007 at 10:04 am
[…] spingerei davanti a questo gioco però farei leggere subito ed attentamente le Faq ai genitori: una Generazione Webkinz (quelli che ora hanno dagli 8 anni in su) a me non esalterebbe più di tanto. Già la Facebook […]
October 16th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
I’m also interested to see what the Webkinz generation leads to in terms of future online communications. Have you heard of TyGirlz? These dolls have an interactive web community of their own, except this one is just for girls. Working with Ty Inc. allowed me to present my little girl with a doll - and she’s all about it! If you’re into the webkinz, take a look at www.tygirlz.com.
November 2nd, 2007 at 10:06 pm
[…] Read the rest of this great post here […]
November 30th, 2007 at 10:35 pm
[…] Now, the question will be if Facebook will be boring for the Webkinz generation used to making their own houses for their Webkinz and playing games to get more stuff? Sure, as they get older their interests will change, …Find out more about this great item here […]
March 8th, 2008 at 12:05 am
HI
May 21st, 2008 at 4:06 am
hi