Club Penguin and Disney Looking at Offline Integration?
In an interview wrapping up GameIndustry.biz's MMO Week, Club Penguin Co-Founder and General Manager Lane Merrifield talked about whether the kids' virtual world would integrate with other Disney properties since it was acquired last summer. The virtual world itself will stay "pure," but the two are looking at offline potential, including a play in the parks. "In terms of taking the brand offline, it's something that we've been listening to our fans about for a long time, and they've obviously been wanting to experience it in other ways - and we're still in the initial stages of talking about that," Merrifield said.
"There are conversations happening with the parks, but we're trying to tread very slowly and make sure we're simply being responsive to the audience, and that we're never pushing anything on them," Merrifield continued. "It's a delicate line - you don't want to ignore them on the one hand, but at the same time Disney is not treating this like a movie, they're not going to through a million products at this."
In Disney's Q1 2008 earnings call, though, President and CEO Robert A. Iger discussed his view of virtual worlds: they're natural venues to extend major movie franchises, just like the theme parks themselves.
"Online virtual worlds are another example," Iger said of franchise plays. "Think 'Cars.' You have to think not just of them as parks and movies and videos, but you have to think of an online virtual world as well as the other typical businesses like video games and other merchandise."
So while there might not be as many Club Penguin toys lining the shelves as there are for "Cars," it seems like we can expect at least a few. If the penguin-craze hadn't already swept through Hollywood, I'd even bet on a movie. Maybe there still could be. I'd go see Pixar's "Club Penguin."
Comments