The early-internet time capsule that isNeopetscontinues to bring back lapsed players ahead of its 25th anniversary. The now-independent developers have revealed a key feature that lays the groundwork for the fantasy game’s revitalization: the new login system NeoPass.
NeoPass replaces the existing, and admittedly rather archaic, login system used by the variousNeopetsgamesand services with a single login portal. This not only lets a single login work across the entireNeopetsecosystem but brings advanced security and features to the login portal that are more in line with what modernweb-based gamesprovide users.
How NeoPass Helps Revitalize Neopets
A new login system may seem like the kind of nuts and bolts update that gets met with little fanfare, but NeoPass is an important part of theNeopetsrenaissance. It serves as an essential foundation for the other things the company has in the works to celebrate the game’s anniversary this year. Ahead of NeoPass’ announcement, NeopetsCEO Dominic Law spoke with Game Rant about the features being added to the login portal and the future 25th-anniversary projects that will build on that foundation.
As you know,Neopetsis a 25 year-oldgame. There’s a lot of obsolete codebase and stuff that we’re trying to upgrade…NeoPass ties Neopets.com and the original classic game with the new game experiences that we’re introducing, including two new mobile games, and having a one login experience would make it easier for users to switch between theNeopetsgame experiences.
Those two mobile games are a retooled version ofNeopets’classic match-three gameFairy’s Hopeand the upcomingTales of Discardia,which is related to the classicIsland Buildersgame. Both those titles are currently in testing and expected to grace mobile devices at some point in 2024, before the November 15 anniversary. Logging in to NeoPass not only logs into the classicNeopetssite, but it will connect to and track progress in those games too.
Neopetsis also working with Upper Deck–theoriginal localizer ofYu-Gi-Oh’s trading card game–on a new TCG set to debut in late 2024 in what’s described as “one of the biggest launches in recentNeopetshistory,” though it’s unclear how this will be integrated into NeoPass, if at all.
But NeoPass is more than just a login system. In addition to progress tracking, parental control features, and access to the game’s rewards system, NeoPass will feature community-driven content like Dress to Impress.
These are fan-run projects that’ve been around for decades. I believe we are the first game studio to open up such APIs and really deeply integrate with community-run projects to really improve the overall Neopets experience and really living our very community-centric culture to revive this brand IP alongside the community … Over the years, what kept us afloat has been this Discord community who stuck with us throughout the years, even whenit’s been a decaying game.
For Law, that integration with the community is an essential part of whatNeopetsis and has been the fuel behind the wind in the sails of the game’s revitalization effort, so offering that kind of access to the NeoPass API to community groups was a major priority behind the new login portal.
‘Sticky’ Fans Drive Neopets’ Longevity
Decades before he was CEO and leading a renaissance for the brand, Law was aNeopetsfan. He describes his relationship with the game as life-changing and knows it has had that impact on countless players whose work, love, and dedication saw the IP through some very troubled years. A lot of players left, but some remained. That, he says, is why the game still exists today.
The community is so sticky. You’re still with us over 25 years. I think a big part of it is becauseNeopetsis a game that has actually changed a lot of people’s lives and inspired a generation of kids who played it. If you think about it,Neopetswasas popular asRobloxandMinecraftare today, or even more so because we were the first digital-native virtual pets game and the first browser-based MMORPG. The kids that played it back then, it opened the door of the internet to them.
Law said it was that “sticky” nature that kept the love of the game alive during its darkest hours, particularly in the 2010s when massive layoffs rocked the game’s development team and the then-looming end of Adobe’s Flash–a key element of the early internet culture thatNeopets represents–was a major concern. The end of Flash was particularly destructive forNeopets,breaking most of the site overnight and leaving Law’s team today with a massive restoration project.
That restoration project actually ties into NeoPass as well, as it exemplifies one of the core approaches Law’s team has taken in restoring theNeopetsecosystem. Some things are rebuilt one-to-one using HTML while others use the Ruffle emulator. The third approach, the NeoPass approach, is rebuilding something wholesale for a better user experience while keeping the history so integral to Law’s vision for the IP.
These projects are a massive undertaking and provide a seemingly endless backlog of work for theNeopetsteam, but that work is fueled by honoring the people who kept the lights on for their pets during the game’s dark ages.
Neopetsis actually a lot more tied to fans' life changing moments. They made their first friends online, or have this emotional attachment with the Neopet itself. So that bonding and that community is very unique to a game like ours, that rarely existed in other games around that time. For us to survive 25 years, I think that’s the key … We want to rebuild the trust and rebuild a bridge to really let everyone who wants to contribute to reviving theNeopetsIP come together and do it.
That impact has been recognized beyond theNeopetscommunity itself. The Strong Museum of Play in Rochester, NY is considering the game forinduction into the Video Game Hall of Famein May.
NeoPass is set to roll out in late March, while the mobile games and the new TCG are expected beforeNeopets’ 25th birthday in May.
