Neopets CEO Dominic Law recently spoke at the gamescom Asia event in Singapore. Following the $4 million takeover of Neopets in July, Law and his team have been focused on a “reactivation campaign” to bring players back to the game.
Law, who moved from Canada to Hong Kong at the age of 9 in 1996, shared in an interview with CNBC how Neopets played a significant role in reconnecting him with friends. He expressed his excitement about the platform’s ability to transcend geographical boundaries and connect people, especially during his childhood.
Law, now the CEO of World of Neopia, the company that acquired Neopets, highlighted the game’s popularity during its peak in 2005, with 35 million monthly active users and a total of 150 million registered users. Despite experiencing poor management and a lack of evolution over the past decade, Neopets still has over a million active users.
Law’s team is currently working on restoring and modernizing the game’s mini-games, which were affected by the discontinuation of Adobe Flash software on web browsers. While some mini-games are still unavailable due to Flash being unsupported, most of the site is still functional.
Law acknowledged that Neopets faces challenges in today’s gaming industry, where players have a plethora of options. However, he emphasized the game’s unique selling point of preserving the early internet gaming culture and providing players with freedom and entertainment.
Rather than directly competing with AAA mobile games or PC and console heavyweights, Neopets aims to capitalize on players’ nostalgia and offer a different gaming experience. Law described Neopets as a “living relic” and a museum where players can revisit the past.
Law’s team has been actively engaging in a reactivation campaign to bring back former players. They have appeared at gaming events and enlisted prominent figures like singer John Legend as brand ambassadors. Neopets’ existing brand awareness helps reduce the cost of acquiring new players.
To ensure long-term financial stability, Law plans to license the Neopets intellectual property for merchandise sales and develop new games. Partnerships with Monopoly and Upper Deck are planned for 2024. Law also mentioned the potential for “phygital” products, where physical items come with digital bonuses in the game.
In 2024, Law’s team plans to launch World of Neopets, a 3D simulator game that will modernize the Neopets world while staying true to its core elements. The game will provide a sociable experience with multiplayer elements.
Overall, Law aims to bring back former players and attract new users by expanding the Neopets brand through merchandise, new games, and the original site.
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