Recommended Free Tools
Disney’s stated reason for ending the original Club Penguin was a move to a new platform. In its January 2017 announcement, the Club Penguin team said the desktop and mobile game would be discontinued on March 29, 2017, as the service shifted to a new mobile experience called Club Penguin Island. That is the documented explanation. The announcement does not explain the internal business reasons behind the decision, and the sources available today do not establish them.
What Disney announced
Club Penguin was an online game owned by Disney. The shutdown notice is preserved in an archival reproduction held by the University of Toronto’s Omeka collection, which dates it to January 31, 2017. The reproduction reads, in part:
“As part of the launch of Club Penguin Island in March, we will be transitioning to an entirely new platform, and, we’ve made the decision to discontinue the current Club Penguin game on desktop and mobile devices on March 29, 2017.”
The speaker is the Club Penguin Team, writing through its official announcement. Forum reproductions on MMO Central Forums carry the same wording, which corroborates the text. Those copies are not from the original publisher, so the wording is well supported but the corporate source is not independently verified. Contemporary reporting by TechCrunch on January 31, 2017 described Club Penguin Island as the replacement for the original game.
#1 Best Overall
- Filled with a soft beanie center and covered with fun hair to smooth or style
- Unlock Items Online with special coin
- 6'' H x 6'' W
The original game and its successor compared
| Item | Original Club Penguin | Club Penguin Island |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Desktop and mobile devices | A new mobile experience |
| Status as announced in January 2017 | Discontinued on March 29, 2017 | Planned launch in March 2017 as the replacement |
| Later announcements | Not applicable | Also announced for closure; the reviewed sources do not establish the closure date or the reason for it |
The table shows the sequence Disney described. It does not show why the company chose that sequence. Disney presented the change as a transition from one product to another, not as a choice driven by a specific problem with the original game.
Timeline of the property
| Date | Event | Source and qualification |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Club Penguin begins | TechCrunch, 2017 |
| 2007 | Disney acquires Club Penguin | TechCrunch, 2017 |
| 2007 (deal) | Reported deal valuation of $700 million | TechCrunch, 2017. This is the figure reported at the time of the deal, not a current valuation. |
| 2007 (deal) | More than 12 million users | TechCrunch, 2017. This is a historical figure from the acquisition period, not a measure of the audience in 2017. |
| January 31, 2017 | Official shutdown announcement | Archival reproduction, University of Toronto Omeka collection; TechCrunch report the same day |
| March 29, 2017 | Original desktop and mobile game discontinued | Announced date in the official notice |
| Later date, not established in reviewed sources | Club Penguin Island announced for closure | Laughing Place and Club Penguin Mountains reporting |
These figures explain the property’s history. They do not explain the 2017 decision. A reader should not use the 2007 valuation or user count as evidence of the game’s finances or audience a decade later.
Rank #2
- Package Information: you will receive a total of 5 stuffed penguins main in gray and white color, including 1 mother penguin, approximately 13.78 inches/35 cm tall, and 4 baby penguins, approximately 4.72 inches/12 cm tall, which are cute and lively and easy to notice
- Good Workmanship: our penguin stuffed animal is made of quality plush fabric, filled with PP cotton, safe and reliable, soft and not easy to fade, comfortable for hugging, and can accompany you for a long time with confidence
- Ideal Companion: stuffed penguin is soft and cute, with bright eyes, and a slide fastener on the mother penguin's back that you can open to help her give birth to 4 baby penguins; These cute plush penguin toys are suitable for tea parties, helping to develop social skills and enhance imagination, and they can also be applied as play and sleep companions to grow with your little ones
- Warm Note: due to shipping needs, these stuffed animals for students are vacuum packed; After receiving the package, you can gently pat and knead, let it sit for a while, or use a hair dryer to blow a hot air, the penguin plush will soon return to fluffy
- Nice Gift Choice: you can give the stuffed animal to your little ones, classmates, neighbors, coworkers, employees and so on; The recipients will be happy and delighted to receive these cute gifts
What the announcement does not establish
Disney’s public statement gives a transition as the reason. Several explanations circulate in discussion, but none is supported by the reviewed sources as Disney’s confirmed reason. Each should be treated as speculation unless a direct, reliable statement from the company says otherwise.
Profitability and operating cost
No source reviewed shows that Disney closed the original game because it was unprofitable or because running it cost too much. The announcement does not mention revenue or expenses.
Rank #3
- Amazing little mini-size, his tiny little shape and form makes sure he offers a friendly and wonderful little companion to help really build up your growing collection
- Uses lock-washer eyes, which are bolted, glued, and then heat sealed into place, no threads to come undone; safe for all ages
- Adorable, chunky proportions
- Super-soft fabric has a frosted look, creating a soft depth of colour
Player numbers
The only audience figure in the reviewed material is the 12 million users cited at the 2007 acquisition. It is not a measure of players in 2017, so it cannot show that the game had too few players when it closed.
Technical maintenance
The announcement does not say the original game was technically impossible to maintain, and no reviewed source makes that claim as fact.
Rank #4
- Made with high quality materials and lock-washer eyes for safety
- Buttery soft two-tone tipped plush
- Super-soft fabric has a frosted look, creating a soft depth of colour
- Uses lock-washer eyes, which are bolted, glued, and then heat sealed into place, no threads to come undone; safe for all ages
Company strategy
The announcement describes a shift to a new platform. It does not describe Disney’s wider strategy, and the sources do not show how the company weighed the move against other options.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the successor was also closed
Club Penguin Island was later announced for closure. Laughing Place and Club Penguin Mountains reported that announcement, which establishes the timeline. The reviewed sources do not contain strong primary evidence explaining why the successor was also closed, so no reason should be assigned to that decision.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Best Value
- ANIMATED KISSY THE PENGUIN: Kissy is the sweetest, most cuddly baby penguin that loves to blow kisses to her friends and teach baby how to give them back This adorable penguin is perfect for ages 0 and up – great for first birthdays and more
- INTERACTIVE PLAY: Press Kissy’s feet to hear her sing and move her wings along with “Frere Jacques” or play an interactive kissing game as Kissy lifts her wings to her beak and back down in a “kissing” motion to teach baby how to blow kisses back
- GIFTS FOR BABY REGISTRY: Whether it’s for nursery decor or to celebrate a baby shower, baby’s first birthday, Easter, a baptism, or any other occasion, GUND plush toys, baby toys and sensory toys make great gifts for kids and collectors of all ages
- Quality Cuddles: Our plush toys feature timeless designs and durable fabrics that stay soft for years. From cute stuff like baby toys, decor, and playsets to anime merch and more, GUND toys are made to be collected, loved, and cuddled for a lifetime
- Premier Plush: As one of America’s first teddy bear makers, GUND has crafted unique and classic stuffed animals and soft toys for 125 years. Today we proudly carry this legacy and stand by our toys, known worldwide for their quality and innovation
Club Penguin Legacy and the fan revival
Club Penguin Legacy describes itself as a free-to-play recreation and revival of the game. It is a community project. It is not evidence that Disney officially brought the game back, and nothing in the reviewed sources indicates that Disney endorses it.
How to check the announcement yourself
- University of Toronto Omeka collection: an archival reproduction of the official shutdown notice, dated January 31, 2017, with the March 29 date. It points to another reproduction as its source.
- MMO Central Forums: a preserved copy of the announcement text attributed to Club Penguin and Disney. Use it to confirm wording, not as a primary corporate source.
- TechCrunch, January 31, 2017: contemporary context for the acquisition history, the user count and the valuation.
- Laughing Place and Club Penguin Mountains: reporting on the later closure of Club Penguin Island. They establish the timeline, not the reason.
Read the official wording as a statement of Disney’s stated plan. It records what the company said it would do and when. It is not a full account of the business thinking behind the move.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
