Disney has quietly taken its Fairies-themed virtual world, Pixie Hollow, into public beta sometime in the last few days. (I'm guessing September 25th based on the on-site news blog.) So far users can play games, decorate their homes, chat, and fly around, but there are shops around the world labeled "coming soon." That seems to be enough to draw an early crowd. The virtual world may be in beta, but the associated Clickables toy line from Techno Source is launching in full swing. They're available for preorder at Amazon, but began heading to shelves on October 1 and will continue to roll out physically and online over the next few weeks at Wal-Mart, Target, and Toys "R" Us.
I've talked before about Clickables. I really like the idea: Most virtual worlds-related toys are used to unlock content online, but Clickables work in both directions. Girls can wear the charms or bracelets, and when they meet another girl in the real world that uses Pixie Hollow, they can click their bracelets together and swap virtual goods, share points, and make connections.
At younger ages, kids seem to play online with their real-world friends, and it's a great play on those patterns. I particularly like it, though, because Disney seems to be encouraging users who purchase the more expensive add-ons to share the benefits with their friends. For example, if one girl buys the LCD game, she can earn an unlimited number of Tink Points. She can then share them with a friend via the bracelets, and her friend can then unlock the more exclusive items online.
“Through the Clickables Fairy Friendship Bracelet, girls can make friendships and bring them online,” Ginny McCormick, interactive director, Techno Source, said in a statement. “Now their friends that they are communicating with in Disney Fairies Pixie Hollow virtual world are their classmates, teammates and cousins—girls they play with in the real world.”
While Pixie Hollow is a Flash-based game, though, Clickables is an installed application. The system requirements are pretty low, but it's currently only available for Windows.
Product Listing From the Announcement:
Clickables™ Fairy Charms Starter Set includes a magical jewelry box, a charm necklace and three special charms powered by Clickables technology. When a girl touches a charm to the Clickables center of her jewelry box, pixie dust sparkles and music plays as the jewelry box comes alive. Each charm unlocks a unique Fairy gift in the Disney Fairies Pixie Hollow virtual world (PixieHollow.com), including special clothing, accessories and décor. Then they simply connect the Clickables Jewelry box to the computer using the enclosed USB cord to transfer stored charms or Tink Points to their online Fairy world. Clickables jewelry can also be stored in this working box where it will be protected by the magic of Disney Fairies. Ages 7+; Suggested retail price: $29.99; Available October 1, 2008.
Clickables™ Fairy Friendship Bracelet brings girls and Disney Fairies together with the mere touch of a bracelet. A girl can select her Fairy avatar, a special message and a gift, and then save it onto her Clickables Fairy Friendship Bracelet to share offline with friends. When a girl touches her bracelet to her friend’s, her band will glow to confirm that a Fairy Friendship has been made – no cords, no computer, just a touch of pixie dust! Just like the girls, their online Fairies can be friends too. The next time they connect their bracelets to the computer using the enclosed USB cord, they will be able to confirm their friendship and easily find each other in the Disney Fairies Pixie Hollow virtual world (PixieHollow.com). Girls can also unlock Clickables Fairy Charms by touching a charm to the Clickables Fairy Friendship Bracelet or share Tink Points by touching the Clickables Fairy Game to the Clickables Fairy Friendship Bracelet. Ages 7+; Suggested retail price: $19.99; Available October 1, 2008.
Clickables™ Fairy Game is a handheld electronic LCD game with five action-packed games. Girls can play as their favorite Disney Fairies characters Tinker Bell, Fawn, Iridessa, Silvermist or Rosetta any time, anywhere. Points earned during the offline games are turned into special Tink Points online. Girls can redeem Tink Points for special butterfly friends that fly with their Fairy online in Pixie Hollow. Girls can also print out and display their individual Disney Fairy in the portrait cover of the LCD as often as they change her appearance using the “Print Fairy Picture” feature. Ages 7+; Suggested retail price: $19.99; Available October 1, 2008.
Clickables™ Fairy Charm Bracelet features a customizable charm bracelet and three themed charms for girls to create their own Fairy style. Powered by Clickables technology, each charm unlocks a new, special item in the Disney Fairies Pixie Hollow virtual world (PixieHollow.com). Girls can share these items with each other by simply touching a charm to a friend’s Click ables Fairy Jewelry Box or Clickables Fairy Friendship Bracelet. Then both girls can have the charm’s gift in Pixie Hollow and receive special online rewards by collecting them all. Ages 7+; Suggested retail price: $9.99; Available October 1, 2008.
Clickables™ Fairy Charms are also sold separately in accessory packs. Each pack contains three charms themed around a Disney Fairy character. To unlock special clothing, accessories or décor online in Disney Fairies Pixie Hollow virtual world (PixieHollow.com), girls touch the charm to the Clickables Fairy Jewelry Box or Clickables Fairy Friendship Bracelet. When a girl purchases or collects from friends all 31 Clickables Fairy Charms, her Fairy will receive a special reward online. Ages 7+; Suggested retail price: $5.99; Available October 1, 2008.
wyh isn't the game out in amarica yet?
Posted by: alexis | January 30, 2009 at 07:32 AM
hi this is alexis and i want to play the game so how do I get to play the game?
Posted by: alexis | January 30, 2009 at 07:34 AM
hi this is natalie alexis if you want to play the game go to disney.com then from there you get to play but you have to install flash something you use to not have to do that it was much easier before cuz my computer keeps saying i cant but bla bla
Posted by: natalie | July 28, 2009 at 11:24 PM