Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom Closing, Fans Hysterical [Virtual Worlds]

[GamePoster]

Once upon a time, Disney had this virtual world called (creatively enough) Virtual Magic Kingdom:

As with Habbo Hotel, Virtual Magic Kingdom was developed by Finnish studio Sulake and shared many similarities with the social networking site. Players with registered accounts are able to decorate their personal rooms, earn and spend in-game credits, and participate in a variety of online events and activities with their customized avatars, all in a "safe, non-threatening environment."

The interesting thing here is that Disney announced they'd be shuttering this particular virtual world and people freaked out. When I first read the comments on the Worlds In Motion post, I was sure the posts were made in jest — such a visceral outpouring of emotion for one Disney virtual world out of a whole stable? Raph Koster's blog picked up on it, and Steve at PlayNoEvil speculates that it's an end-of-contract thing (and reminds us that developers and operators need to think carefully about their exit strategies). Legions of fans have mobilized and trotted out gut-wrenching stories of how much the game means to them (and started a petition to stave off the inevitable). People have a tendency to brush off these sorts of virtual worlds, so it's fascinating to see how fired up fans are regarding its fate.
Disney Closes Gates To Virtual Magic Kingdom [Worlds In Motion]

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