| dbo:abstract |
Club Penguin Rewritten was a 2017 fangame based on the massively multiplayer online game Club Penguin. It was created by four indie developers as an alternative to the original game, which had been shut down by Disney on March 29, 2017. As a voluntary project, Rewritten had in-game items once limited to members in Club Penguin available to everyone in the game. After Club Penguin ceased operations, development for Rewritten began to expand as the team expanded. The game was built on pre-existing Flash files and simulated older versions of the original game, but was distinct through its absence of monetization and in-game purchases. The Club Penguin Rewritten site was launched in February 2017. The game accumulated a large online community in relation to the consequences and restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic. Teens and young adults who played the original game used it to host in-game events during the pandemic. As it provided escapism, Rewitten was subject to speedruns and a virtual concert for Soccer Mommy's album Color Theory. During this time, a staff member reported that the game averaged 30,000 new registered users daily. Rewritten was praised for its nostalgic environment, as well as its focus on the community and player freedom. The remake was recognized by Lance Priebe, one of the developers of Club Penguin, in which he respected the social impact the game brought during the pandemic. The Rewritten site was shut down on April 13, 2022, by the City of London Police in compliance with a copyright investigation request from Disney, where three suspects were arrested. Prior to its shutdown, the game had accumulated over 10 million registered users. (en) |
