Sony In Advanced Talks To Buy Kids Social Gaming Service ClubPenguin
Sony is in advanced talks to buy the two-year-old kids focused social gaming ( ClubPenguin, paidContent.org has learned. We have confirmed the talks from senior insiders, but have not been able to confirm the potential price. The talks are exclusive, but still ongoing and could break down, and I’m sure they could have other competitive bid from others.
ClubPenguin is a massive multiplayer online game for children developed by New Horizon Interactive, a software firm based in Kelowna, BC in Canada. It was launched in Oct 2005, and has grown to about 4.5 million visitors in March. Using cartoon penguin avatars, players can converse, play minigames, and participate in other activities with one another in a snow-covered virtual world. The service is subscription-based (about $6 a month), and also has additional e-commerce/shop revenues. A detailed description of the company is here on Wikipedia.
From what we know, the site/service does not have any investment money in it yet. As to what fit it has with Sony, could be a good distribution vehicle for some of Sony Pictures’ kids-focused shows. Or, it might be that it becomes a part of Sony Computer Entertainment America, the gaming unit, which runs the Playstation franchise, or more likely, the Sony Online Entertainment division, which runs Everquest and others. Both Disney and Viacom (though Nickelodeon) have plays n this kids gaming/avatar space: Disney recently relaunched an existing virtual-reality site under a new name: Disney Xtreme Digital (DXD), and Nickelodeon launched its entry, Nicktropolis.com, at the end of January. Nick also bought Neopets in 2005 for about $160 million.
Staci adds: Rafat held back on the numbers when he broke this earlier today but we have some additional information that puts the price in the $450 million range. Some people were intent on floating a $500 million number but our sources peg the price at around $450 million, which would be a 7.5 multiple based on this year’s projected revenue of about $60 million. The self-funded company is already profitable and, according to our information, is operating at about 50 percent margin—ie $30 million in profit this year.
So what could hold the deal back at this point? According to one source, Sony is trying to get a handle on churn. We’ve also been told the founders are interested in committing some profits to charity and Sony wants to be sure its margins are protected. Why Sony? The subscription base is appealing as are the prospects of fitting it in with Playstation and possibly PSP. No obvious ad potential.
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Comments (34)
May 16, 2007 7:02 PM
Definetely a company that deserves the money.
May 17, 2007 11:39 AM
I’m just a little dubious about a site that is focused on two-year-old kids - a difficult market to monetise… :-)
“Sony is in advanced talks to buy the two-year-old kids focused social gaming…”
May 20, 2007 10:19 AM
I"M ONLY 9 AND WHY ARE THEY TRYING TO BUY IT???????????? :-(
May 21, 2007 6:36 PM
hey. I am a Club Penguin player, and I don’t care if sony buys it, as long as they don’t make any huge changes to it. I have a Club Penguin tip/rumor/secret revealing site of my own (http://www.yayp.wordpress.com) and i don’t want to have to re-do the whole site because sony makes too many changes to CP.
I enjoy playing Club Penguin, but I do see some room for improvement, and if Sony can make those changes, then i’m all for it. Sony is great at game-making, so i don’t see how they can mess up, unless they try to change it too much, too quickly.
May 23, 2007 10:04 PM
Howdy!
I am also a member of club penguin, named Cppd Officer.
Well, I emailed CP support and they said
they had no itention of selling their small-town big-money business.
If they ever did sell it, SONY would have to sign a contract stating that
they would give a large portion of the profits to charity.
Thats what ClubPenguin is. A site that gives to charity, and fun to all
kids of all race, color, sex, age, etc. But seriously, SONY wouldn’t
but it just because they have a lot of money. I know nintendo wouldn’t
buy it after all the money they spent advertising the Wii and Gameboy Micro.
Oh well. We’ll just have to wait ‘n’ see. :)
~~Lil’ Alex (Cppd Officer)
Visit http://cppd.wordpress.com today!
May 27, 2007 12:31 PM
i am a paid member i will never quit club penguin.the only way your going to get me to like sony is if member prices go down.
ps.NINTENDO IS WAY BETTER THAN YOU SONY!!!!!!!
May 27, 2007 12:32 PM
hey i have a wii too
May 27, 2007 6:44 PM
Hello. I have a site just like Yaypuffles. I really do care if they buy it because I have a PSP and I’m hoping once they but it that they will connect it to the PSP so I can play it everywhere. I am really hoping they buy it, and make some big changes because CP (Club Penguin) has been a little boring sometimes.
May 27, 2007 6:46 PM
O, and SONY IS WAY BETTER THAN NINTENDO! Nintendo has lower tech and lower prices, while Sony has technology from 2012 and higher prices.
May 28, 2007 4:29 PM
Oh s***, those mother f-s! Why is SONY after (mmorpg)???? This is fu***** bad!
Well I hate SONY now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I swear to god!!!!!
May 29, 2007 9:01 PM
Ok, My name is mike, and i have a club penguin account. Why is Sony trying to buy everything that we like, as kids! Sony has enough money to waste so why should they get mor?
But there is a good thing!, If Club Penguin staff sells it for like 500,000 dollars, then Club Penguin staff can make an even better game with the more money tat the receive from sony! So Club penguin staff is setting sony up with a plan! CLUB PENGUIN WILL WINN! ! ! ! !
Contact me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
My site: mikeambrose3.wordpress.com
Thanks, Mikeambrose3
May 29, 2007 9:02 PM
THANKS !!!
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
http://mikeambrose3.wordpress.com
SONY SUCK BIG BUTT @@@!!!!!!
Jun 2, 2007 5:54 PM
I hope that if sony buys it that they will make club penguin a whole lot better. Otherwise I am never useing club penguin again!
Ya hear the ya no good sony people? Didn’t ur mama ever teach ya not to take something that isn’t yours?
With no regards,
Rose101365
Jul 5, 2007 4:49 AM
Everyone! Do you understand what they mean buy “buying clubpenguin” they mean they are gonna buy clubpenguin and
delete it! they just want the rights to take the site and delete it!
Give me my money now and dont say another word to me sony cuz im on the virge of swearing.! give me my 60 dollars back jerks!
Jul 5, 2007 5:51 AM
It means CP will have ads for sony everywhere but they will still charge membership because Sony want money money money. They don’t even want to donate a small portion to charity the way CP does now, yet they will pay half a billion dollars to own it. They would make so much money if they used the idea for games etc. They are greedy and have no morals. I know i won’t be playing CP anymore if it is sold, it just won’t be the same.
Jul 5, 2007 1:04 PM
they wanna buy it for the money $$$$$$$ just like nick bought neopets cause theyll make $$$ off of it!
Jul 5, 2007 3:17 PM
http://mikeambrose3.wordpress.com
Jul 8, 2007 8:05 PM
I play cp and i hope sony doesnt change it alot. I THINK SONY WILL DeSTROY CP AND MAKE A DIFFERENT GAME!!!! i HOPE HE DOESNT
Jul 9, 2007 10:31 AM
I Hate SONY Club Penguin Rulez!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jul 19, 2007 1:09 AM
Howdy!
As it turns out, SONY isn’t buying Club Penguin.
Waddle World was a fan game, so its not like their
switching to it. Club Penguin lives on!!!
P.S. Nintendo is way better than SONY. I just want a portable gaming
device for a decent price. Not some 500$ suped up ultra slim
internet connected video playing cd burner that plays games that are also 45$.
Although I was pretty happy with sega genisis when I was 6….
~~Lil’ Alex (Cppd Officer)
Visit http://cppd.wordpress.com today!
Jul 19, 2007 1:13 AM
Howdy!
And FYI if SONY did buy it
THEY WERE GONNA TURN IT INTO AN ADULT
CHATTING GAME FOR THE PS3 not make CP better!
But SONY aint buyin s#%@ from New Horizon Interactive.
So ha! Suck it SONY.
~~Lil’ Alex (Cppd Officer)
Visit http://cppd.wordpress.com today!
Jul 28, 2007 4:23 PM
HI. I am a Normal penguin named Pop Lol (yes strange name but i dont care)I vist club penguin EVERY morning and Sometimes late at night. I am 11 years old an i have a BLAST on it!
My freind told me that club sony will be all ULTAMINT SAFE CHAT!
i was mortified when i heard this. the best thing about club penguin it that u can say what u want! (not like cusing and stuff) If sony was to make is SAFE CHAT ...... I will never go on computer EVER EVER EVER AGAIN!
Aug 2, 2007 3:23 AM
I wonder how Disney aced them out on this deal? Anyway I think it is great that a few DAD entrepreneurs have cashed in big! Becasue I hope to be the next one!
Aug 7, 2007 11:30 PM
Howdy!
Forget Sonyl Disney partnered with
Club Penguin!
WOOOHOOO PARTY!!!
~~Lil’ Alex (Cppd Officer)
Visit http://cppd.wordpress.com today!
Oct 26, 2007 4:36 PM
they CANT sell clubpenguin! IT TOTTALY RULES! IM ONLY 9 AND I STARTED cp in june and theyre alreadybuying it????????????????? :-( :cry:
Nov 4, 2007 2:41 PM
sony CANT BUY CLUB PENGUIN!!! IM SO ATTACHED TO CLUB PENGUIN IM EMAILING LANE MERRIFIELD! SONY CANT BUY CLUB PENGUIN!!!!! im so sad! tears tears i use to love sony but now, I HATE IT! im emailing sony and sayinf swear words! (im overreacting) but still im gonna email them!
Dec 15, 2007 12:15 AM
Well this sucks.. BECAUSE STUPID SONY IS BUYING CLUBPENGUIN!!
they only way i would change my mind is if they put the hearts and skulls back!
well… Atleast i have a youtube!
Dec 31, 2007 11:24 AM
I don’t mind much who owns it, as long as it’s pretty much the same Club Penguin. All they want to do is buy it to make money (members). They wouldn’t make it different, because penguins might not like it and then there would be less members, which is less money. Who knows, it might even get better ; )
Why should we be annoyed at Sony for buying, if they could even make it cooler and funner with their cool ideas? If Sony buys Club Penguin, are you going to quit just because they did buy it? Because thats a little rediculous…
Ps. Sony is better all the way!!! ^_^
Dec 31, 2007 11:33 AM
Sorry for double posting but after reading other posts i thought i should mention this…..
Some people are saying Sony just wants lots of money and all that… Well, it’s not like it’s any different then the Club Penguin now! They want money too… Except, they try to make it as fun as possible for more members. If Sony buys it, then they will do the same making it as fun as possible.
Jun 21, 2008 9:54 AM
noobs just bu y runescape
Nov 21, 2008 10:21 PM
Disney is taking Club Penguin to new heights. Check out the google trends for “club penguin” and it has been steadily rising. The once popular “Webkinz” seems to be declining.
Apr 4, 2009 3:27 AM
Y didn’t yas buy it and it is realy old now and fun CP ROCKS
Apr 8, 2009 2:17 PM
hey im also a member on cp i love it im on everyday but think about it you know all those games sony has came out with like kilzone1,2,3 they are like slaughter mania i bet they are going to give ninjas swords and chop peoples heads off like in affro ninja or like grand theft auto im not sayin sony is bad but do you know what age those kids are playing it the parents wil probobly sue the creators because they sold it and sony made it that way.say my cp name if you agree. its ben479.
Apr 22, 2009 9:52 AM
Yeah i think that CP rocks too