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.[1][2]
The game was developed in
2007
by the British media company
Mind Candy and launched in
April 2008.[3] As of December
2009, there were 10 million
players registered.[4] In
March 2010, Mind Candy
announced that there were 15
million users and by
September
2010 that number had
surpassed
25 million.[5] In June 2011 it
was announced that there
were
50 million users.[6] 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.
[7]
The site has sometimes been
referred to as "Facebook for
kids";[8][9] 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.[9] Investors have
included Index Ventures,
which
backed Last.fm, and Accel
Partners, which has invested
in Facebook.[10] As of June
2011, the British company
behind Moshi Monsters (Mind
Candy) has been estimated to
be worth U.S $200 million.[11]
In 2011, Moshi Monsters
launched a range of physical
products including books,
toys, trading cards and a
magazine.[12] In February
2011, Moshi Magazine
launched
and now has the largest
circulation of any UK
children's magazine.[13]
A series of music videos were
uploaded to YouTube featuring
various moshlings, which
served to promote the
website.
In 2012 a new Moshi Monsters
music album, called "Music
Rox", will be released. Some
of the songs include: I Heart
Moshlings, Go Do The Hoodoo,
Moshi Twistmas, Strangeglove,
and The Moshi Dance.
