Proposal for Customizable Virtual Pet Kingdom Application Service Provider: This business will provide a platform for parents and children to create their own versions of Virtual Pet communities as an alternative to the highly popular yet commercialized Neopets, Webkinz and Pokemon. Children will be able to use their own creativity to create their own creatures to populate a world designed by them, which they can share with siblings, cousins and friends online.
The current year has seen an explosion of interest in virtual pet sites such as Neopets, Webkinz, Bratz and Pokemon. Each of these sites has tie-ins with extensive merchandising, in addition to providing advertisers insidious ways of targeting young children. While ostensibly targeting teenagers, children as young as 6 are participating in these sites. While each of these claim to provide a safe and secure online community, they are nonetheless primarily a merchandising opportunity.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if the excitement children have for such potentially rich experiences, instead of being exploited for commercial purposes, steered toward opportunities to exercise their own individual creativity? Furthermore, wouldn't it be great if parents could play a greater role in this experience for their children?
Drake Hatchery is aiming to provide such a platform. With it, parents can work with their children to create their own bestiary of imaginary creatures, whether they be invented animals, faeries, or other characters. While the commercial alternatives out their provide as their main activity for members the opportunity to "go shopping for accessories" for the owned pets, we will let our users custom design their own experiences. Whether it be teaching your pet new words or exploring nature, parents will be delighted to see their child captivated by activities that encourage their imagination, exploration and learning.