Club Penguin to shut down; new version on the way

Club Penguin, the children’s online game, is coming to an end, developers announced Monday.

The game will end on March 29, and a new game, Club Penguin Island, will take its place on mobile devices.

According to New Horizon Interactive, the company that developed the game, current users and subscriptions will end in March before the new game launches. Players can pre-register for the new game to claim their new Penguin name, according to a statement from the company.

Club Penguin, or CP, is a massively multiplayer online game (MMO) that uses penguin avatars and allows players to chat, play games and take part in other activities. It was first released in October 2005. By 2013, the company had 200 million registered users.

While most of the game is free to play, some activities require players to purchase memberships.

According to a company blog:

• Memberships for desktop Club Penguin and the Club Penguin app will no longer be available for purchase as of Jan. 31, 2017. From Jan. 31 until Mar. 29, 2017, current paid members can log in and continue to enjoy full-unlimited access until their original membership end date.
• As of Jan. 31, 2017, paid member accounts will no longer be charged a recurring payment for desktop Club Penguin and the Club Penguin app.
• Emails will be sent to current paid members with further information about membership including refund details.