Webkinz Craze Heats Up with New Webkinz Cheats, Players and Toys; Are You In?

It's a Plush Toy, it a Computer Game, No Wait -- It's Webkinz!

Sylvia Cochran
Webkinz - What are they?

They're cute, they're cuddly, and they're plush toys. However, they are not ordinary plush toys! Instead, the Webkinz toys are outfitted with a unique code that allows the recipient the opportunity for interconnectivity on the Internet. Using the code, Webkinz aficionados can play a virtual representation of their beloved plush toy on www.webkinz.com.

Webkinz World - Why do you need Webkinz cheats?

On the Internet there is Webkinz World, the place where virtual Webkinz plush toys interact and play. Openly geared toward the kids, the site allows them to earn Kinzcash (to outfit their virtual plush pet with virtual clothes and food), receive Webkinz Newz, engage in Kinzchat, and receive further marketing messages from Ganz, the parent company making Webkinz.

What differentiates Webkinz World from so many other sites geared toward kids is what worries some parents: they call it addictive. Last year ABC News reported that parents are keeping a critical eye on preschoolers who were spending hours of time online playing games and outfitting their virtual pets.

Underscoring some of the criticism's validity is the fact that numerous websites have sprung up suggesting ways to cheat in Webkinz World and offering new Webkinz cheats and even rating older Webkinz cheat codes. These codes do little more than help the player amass more and more Kinzcash.

This begs the question if it is the preschoolers that are becoming so savvy that cheats are needed, or if it is adults playing the game, and also interacting with the kids via Kinzchat.

Webkinz Insider - Seems some insiders really don't like Webkinz

The Webkinz Insider Forum has a huge membership, and this is the place to go to learn about problems, such as the Webkinz World Glitch at the Wheel of WOW, and also to find out who to stay away from in Webkinz World since there appear to be some bad traders and scams happening.

More poignant, a particular thread implores consumers to be nice to Webkinz personnel when calling customer support with issues and problems. It appears that some callers have gotten quite abusive in their demands and requests for products and Webkinz World fixes.

Webkinz World Goes Global - Oh My!

A Market Wire press release in September of this year informed all those addicted to Webkinz that the site was going global. Thus far restricted to North America, it will now make an international splash.

On the other side of the equation are the numerous website problems reported. The Ian Lamont Blog denotes Webkinz problems that seem to spike. On a different blog post he suggests that the lack of server capacity may be to blame.

This does not bode well for Ganz' plans of going global in sales, marketing, and also Webkinz World memberships; after all, if the problems are already arising when just North America is in the game, how will it bode when the rest of civilization with discretionary income gets in on the game?

Sources:
http://www.webkinz.com/us_en/
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3033380
http://www.webkinzinsider.com/forum/
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Webkinz-900504.html
http://ilamont.blogspot.com/2008/10/webkinz-problems-doesnt-surprise-me.html
http://ilamont.blogspot.com/2007/12/webkinz-world-room-problem-continues.html

Published by Sylvia Cochran - Featured Contributor in Automotive, Politics, Travel and Lifestyle

Sylvia Cochran works out of sunny Southern California and has been freelance writing -- full-time -- since 2005. SEO-optimized Internet copy includes news analysis, political Op/Ed and parenting as well as a...   View profile

11 Comments

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  • lalagirlandayumigirl 10/2/2009

    I have a my coke awards code it is 5MBXFJOR60JW this is a real code try it if you have a an account and you get points here is the website http://www.mycokerewards.com/home.do
    that is what i know what the code is bye bye hope it works.

  • sara bananas 8/31/2009

    i love webkinz world i play it every day.i have been playing seance august 2006. there are so many kool things in webkinz world.like earning rare items , learning the value of a dollare , and taking care of pets like there your own children. i will always be a webkinz fan club member.

  • cutie 5 6/16/2009

    were are the cheat codes

  • anna bannanna 2/9/2009

    i love webkinz

  • Jilly from NJ USA 11/5/2008

    Greetings, my name is Jill. I am currently 27 and I love webkinz. I found out about these guys few months ago THIS YEAR, I never heard of them, now my local malls, have Webkinz plush EVERYWHERE! Limited Too, FYE, KBYTOYS, WALDENBOOKS, HALLMARK, and many more....

    I just got into Webkinz a few months ago, after I purchased about 1-2 webkinz. Most news have the earlier prices, but the real price for a webkinz is $14.99 in USDollar for LilKinz they are close to $11.99 Right now I have A TOTAL OF 9 WEBKINZ.

    My username is jillyswebkinz in webkinz world if anyone wishes to add me.

    I must say the website is very fun and interactive. Most games are VideoGamish like there are a few that look like the classic "pac-man" and others. One of my favs is the Smoothies, and the Typing one. They are fast yet challenging. I also enjoy this Lab game where you have to match up the round balls like checkers, and yes they have other cool games. I enjoy bowling, poll, etc. But yeah they tea

  • Brian Daniel Stankich 10/16/2008

    Sylvia, thanks for the timely info. My 9 year old just asked to join. Brian

  • Kay Whittenhauer 10/16/2008

    My neighbor's kids are really into Webkinz!

  • Khara House 10/15/2008

    So apparently there's this new thing happening where you can buy a Webkinz t-shirt for yourself, and then get a code to get the same shirt for your Webkinz pet online. It's borderline ... no, it is just plain old ridiculous! Haha, I work at a store that features a LARGE variety of Webkinz, including the retired ones, and I consider them a pain (though I might cause my job a little trouble by saying so). I manage the website, and we're so behind on our current Webkinz stock (because we keep getting new ones, and someone waited until we had over 80 updates to give me the list of them) that before I can even consider adding any new ones I have to update the price on the old ones! It's ... really absurd.

  • Sandra Essary 10/15/2008

    Preschoolers spending hours on the computer? Impressive. Didn't know they had such well-developed computer skills at age 3 or 4, but hey, rock on! Future AC content producers in the making!

  • jcorn 10/13/2008

    Kids can definitely get addicted to stuff like this. I can barely stand to hear the word "Pokemon" now, having watched a former child's passion for those. I have no idea if they are even popular now. Very interesting writing!

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