Technology

Makers of ‘kid’s first virtual world’ Animal Jam targets Gen Z teens with Fer. al debut

Makers of ‘kid’s first virtual world’ Animal Jam targets Gen Z teens with Fer. al debut

Today, the company behind this popular title, Wild Works, is re-launching a new game, which General Z builds on the legacy of Animal Jam while meeting a somewhat older crowd of teenagers.

Kids often start online social gaming with a game like Animal Jam before they graduate into the vast virtual world of games like Roblox, Minecraft and Fortnite. Here, kids learn to personalize their avatars, explore a world, chat with other players, and trade items in a safe environment with parental control. “When we started talking about Fer.al, we had an idea of ​​where the kids were going from outside the animal jam,” explained Clark Stacey, co-founder and CEO of Wild Works. “Since Animal Jam and those Instagram and adult social networks and games do not have the same protection, there is no transfer space between the fully walled gardens.”

Stacey added, “We knew we wanted to provide a place for these older kids to go down the walls a bit.” The new game meant to be fed to older children – meaning young people between the ages of 13 and 18 – who are now choosing their own games, have their own email address and do not need parental permission to play. Chat protections will also not be as much as Fer.al Animal Jam and will focus more on preventing bullying and abuse than blocking words. Players will be able to connect their online social accounts to their game accounts in the future.

With Fer.al, Wild Works is introducing another animal-centric title, but this time it is in the realm of fantasy. Players rely on fiction, including some other Kitsune, Senri, Dragon, Jackelope, Werewolf, Kirin or a Shinigami, among a selection of bipedal humanoid creatures based on folklore. Stacey says the characters’ style inspired by Animal Jam Fan Art, where kids created avatars of animals that blended into manga, Animal Jam style and other, old animation styles.

Like its predecessor, Ferrell players will be able to design their personal space (now “Dan,” instead of a “sanctuary”) to personalize their character and change their appearance), discovering a world where they can interact with other players, items and Trade collection and exploration initiatives.

However, the storyline has also evolved to reflect the interests of teenagers, including their growing understanding of social media and the desire to grow an online fan base. The larger story involves a reality show where two warring queens, Aradia and Delilah – each with their own Instagram accounts, naturally angled for control.

The company does not provide much detail on how this will work in the end, but it will include weekly and monthly contests as game ramps, in addition to the daily missions and quests to acquire elements to create new clothing or a new “glamour “(a rendering). Effects go around your character).