Moshi Monsters
Encyclopedia
Moshi Monsters is a social networking online game
and virtual pet site
targeted at children aged 7 to 12. The player adopts and cares for a pet monster, solving puzzles which lead to rewards called rox; these can be used as currency to buy items for the adopted monster, such as clothing, food, and home decor. Unwanted objects can be sold to get Rox.
The game was developed in 2007 by the British media company Mind Candy
and launched in April 2008. As of December 2009, there were 10 million players registered. In March 2010, Mind Candy announced that there were 15 million users and by September 2010 that number had surpassed 25 million. In June 2011 it was announced that there were 50 million users. The game that is supposedly played by one in three British children, makes revenue through the sale of paid membership options as well as licensed merchandise.
The site has sometimes been referred to as "Facebook for kids"; however, the game presents a number of differences to Facebook
. As of July 2009, revenues were "many thousands of pounds per month", according to Mind Candy CEO Michael Acton Smith
. Investors have included Index Ventures
, which backed Last.fm
, and Accel Partners
, which has invested in Facebook
. As of June 2011, the British company behind Moshi Monsters (Mind Candy) has been estimated to be worth U.S $200 million.
In 2011, Moshi Monsters launched a range of physical products including books, toys, trading cards and a magazine. In February 2011, Moshi Magazine launched and now has the largest circulation of any UK children's magazine.
In October 2011, pop musician Lady Gaga
won an injunction to ban the moshling character, Lady GooGoo, from "promoting, advertising, selling, distributing or otherwise making available to the public The Moshi Dance." As a result, the video, "The Moshi Dance", was removed from the video website YouTube
.
Browser game
A browser game is a computer game that is played over the Internet using a web browser. Browser games can be created and run using standard web technologies or browser plug-ins. Browser games include all video game genres and can be single-player or multiplayer...
and virtual pet site
Virtual pet site
A virtual pet website, virtual pet site or VPS is a website on which users interact with a browser-based virtual pet. A virtual pet site is typically based within a virtual world for users to explore , often consisting of a virtual currency, game items and minigames...
targeted at children aged 7 to 12. The player adopts and cares for a pet monster, solving puzzles which lead to rewards called rox; these can be used as currency to buy items for the adopted monster, such as clothing, food, and home decor. Unwanted objects can be sold to get Rox.
The game was developed in 2007 by the British media company Mind Candy
Mind Candy
Mind Candy is a British entertainment company, formed in 2003 by UK internet entrepreneur Michael Acton Smith, and based in Shoreditch, London, England...
and launched in April 2008. As of December 2009, there were 10 million players registered. In March 2010, Mind Candy announced that there were 15 million users and by September 2010 that number had surpassed 25 million. In June 2011 it was announced that there were 50 million users. The game that is supposedly played by one in three British children, makes revenue through the sale of paid membership options as well as licensed merchandise.
The site has sometimes been referred to as "Facebook for kids"; however, the game presents a number of differences to Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
. As of July 2009, revenues were "many thousands of pounds per month", according to Mind Candy CEO Michael Acton Smith
Michael Acton Smith
Internet Entrepreneur, Michael Acton Smith is CEO and founder of online games developer and entertainment company Mind Candy.Mind Candy created global kids entertainment brand, Moshi Monsters, which now has 50 million users worldwide....
. Investors have included Index Ventures
Index Ventures
Index Ventures is a venture capital investment firm based in Geneva, Switzerland, with offices in London, Jersey, and starting in 2011, Silcon Valley. The firm was founded in 1996 by Neil Rimer and Giuseppe Zocco. Since its inception, the firm has raised four main venture funds and a growth...
, which backed Last.fm
Last.fm
Last.fm is a music website, founded in the United Kingdom in 2002. It has claimed 30 million active users in March 2009. On 30 May 2007, CBS Interactive acquired Last.fm for UK£140m ....
, and Accel Partners
Accel Partners
Accel Partners is a global venture and growth equity firm funding companies from inception through the growth stage.The firm is based in Palo Alto, California with major offices in Bangalore, Beijing, London, and Shanghai....
, which has invested in Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
. As of June 2011, the British company behind Moshi Monsters (Mind Candy) has been estimated to be worth U.S $200 million.
In 2011, Moshi Monsters launched a range of physical products including books, toys, trading cards and a magazine. In February 2011, Moshi Magazine launched and now has the largest circulation of any UK children's magazine.
In October 2011, pop musician Lady Gaga
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
won an injunction to ban the moshling character, Lady GooGoo, from "promoting, advertising, selling, distributing or otherwise making available to the public The Moshi Dance." As a result, the video, "The Moshi Dance", was removed from the video website YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.