Neopets brings noughties nostalgia to web3 with metaverse launch

Quick Take

  • Neopets Meta will launch the alpha version of its metaverse on Friday.
  • Several classic mini-games from the original platform are getting the web3 treatment, including Turmac Roll, Meera Chase and Ultimate Bullseye.
  • But Neopets Meta says the project isn’t intended to replace the original web2 platform.

Neopets Meta, the web3 spin-off of the classic early noughties virtual pets online game, will launch the alpha version of its metaverse on Friday.

Those holding non-fungible tokens (NFTs) from the Neopets Metaverse, Pizzaroo's Unique Pizza and Masterpiece NFT collections will be able to sign up and access the platform. Throughout September the team will release features allowing interactions with Neopets, decorating Neohomes and battling other players.

Several classic mini-games from the original platform are also getting the web3 treatment, including Turmac Roll, Meera Chase and Ultimate Bullseye.

Originally launched in 1999, 150 million users have played Neopets over its more than two decades in existence. Outliving competitors such as Club Penguin, it has retained a loyal following but struggled to return to the levels of popularity it experienced at its peak. That's despite a surge in interest prompted by "nineties kid nostalgia."

It also has had to contend with the retirement of Adobe Flash last year, which rendered most of its games unplayable, as well as a major hack last month.

THE SCOOP

Keep up with the latest news, trends, charts and views on crypto and DeFi with a new biweekly newsletter from The Block's Frank Chaparro

By signing-up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
By signing-up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

The pivot to web3 has attracted its share of criticism since the company announced the move last year. Although the Neopets Meta team said it operates independently of the OG team and that it's not intended to replace the original platform, long-time fans remain sceptical of the project and, particularly, its use of NFTs.

The largest community forum for Neopets, Jellyneo, quickly came out against the project upon launch with a #noneonfts campaign on social media, although much of its campaigning appears to have died down. Nevertheless Neopets Meta is hoping to get more community input, including through creating a DAO following the public game launch, which is expected in Q1 2023. 

“Similar to all major technological advancement in the past, it normally takes a few years for the mass adoption to take place. At this stage, we understand that NFTs are not for everyone, but there’s hope that Neopets Metaverse can be a propelling force to help the public to cross the chasm,” chief metaverse officer Dominic Law told The Block via email.


© 2023 The Block. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

About Author

Callan Quinn is an NFT, gaming and metaverse reporter. She started her career working for the expat magazine City Weekend in Guangzhou, China. She also has worked as a business journalist in the UK, Somaliland and the republic of Georgia. Before joining The Block, she was a freelance journalist covering the Chinese tech industry. She speaks Mandarin, French and German. Get in touch via Twitter @quinnishvili or email [email protected].