After five years of independent operation,Club Penguin Rewrittenhas been shut down following a request fromDisney. The fan remake of the once popular children’s MMO is now under investigation by the City of London Police.
The originalClub Penguinwas a massively multiplayer online game developed by Disney Canada in 2005. For many fans of MMOs likeWorld of Warcraft,Club Penguinwas their introduction to online gaming, bringing young players to a happy-go-lucky and wholesome role-playing world. The game enjoyed continued success for over a decade before Disney ceased operations in March 2017, eventually replacing the MMO with a mobile version titledClub Penguin Island. After only a year of operation,Club Penguin Islandwould also be discontinued by Disney in September 2018.
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Club Penguin Rewrittenwas afan remakeof the originalClub Penguingame and launched in 2017. Since its release, the game has continued to receive new content and development until today’s announcement. Announced viaClub Penguin Rewritten’s official Discord server, now titled “Rewritten,” server administrator, Thorn, stated that CPRwritten would be shutting down effective immediately. The shutdown comes due to a full request by Disney, with the game’s official website has been handed over to the authorities in the wake of this announcement. Attempts to access the website are met with a notice by the City of London Police. The domain is currently under investigation by the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit.
Fans around the internet are expressing disappointment and sadness around the closure ofClub Penguin Rewritten. With over 10 million accounts created, today’s announcement will surely be a sore spot for many fans.Club Penguin Rewrittenin many ways expanded and continued the development ofClub Penguinin Disney’s absence.The fan remake was even host to a virtual concert for singer/songwriter Soccer Mommy in promotion of her album,Color Theoryin 2020. However,Club Penguinclonesare no stranger to Disney takedowns. Perhaps it was only a matter of time before Disney came knocking.
OfficialClub Penguinservers have been offline for over five years, and the franchise has been effectively dead sinceClub Penguin Islandclosed its doors in 2018. With so many clones frequently popping up and garnering the support of many fans, it does beg the question of whether or notClub Penguinwill ever return. The market for MMOs has never been better, games likeFinal Fantasy 14are reaching new peaks in player counts, and the gaming landscape still seesClub Penguinin a warm and nostalgic light. IfClub Penguinever made an official return, perhaps it could find some success, but that is up to Disney to decide.
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