Nickelodeon Kids & Family Virtual Worlds Group
Encyclopedia
Nickelodeon Kids & Family Virtual Worlds Group, formerly Neopets, Inc., develops and manages all virtual world initiatives for kids, tweens, teens and families for the Nickeloden Kids & Family Group. One of their most popular properties is Neopets
(http://www.neopets.com), an online youth-targeted virtual world where members adopt and care for a virtual companion who accompanies them through an endless array of games, communities and fantastical lands.
Other initiatives include partnering with the Nick.com on Nickelodeon's online playground for kids, Nicktropolis
(http://www.nicktropolis.com) and creating new virtual world destinations. The group focuses on the building the company's current properties with projects like World of Neopia (working title) and of the expansion of Nicktropolis with a premium layer.
Nickelodeon Kids & Family Virtual Worlds Group has expanded Neopets
to a registered user base of 45 million, maintaining its stickiness and status as the number-one tween virtual world in time spent, increasing its average per user to more than two hours, according to comScore
. The company has added major mass retail launches to the company's business model, in an effort to converge the web experience with a consumer products line, and paid item sales. Along with the continual growths and evolution of Neopets
, Petpet Park
and Nicktropolis
, the Virtual Worlds Group will also continue to add new virtual worlds to their list annually like the recently announced, and renamed, Monkey Quest
.
Manager (GM) of the Virtual Worlds Group by Steve Youngwood, Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group's Executive Vice
President of Digital Media. As head of the Nickelodeon Kids and Family Virtual Worlds Group, Reppen oversees strategy, creative development and management of new and existing virtual worlds and casual massive multiplayer online games (MMOGs) for the company.
Reppen was previously Vice President and GM at NickJr.com, and the creator behind the ParentsConnect brand. During her time there, she expanded the role of Nickjr.com from a promotional site to the number-one website for
parents of young children. Reppen also created and launched Nick Jr. Parents TV, oversaw the educational site development of myNOGGIN; introduces the first 3D online games for preschoolers. Reppen started out her career at Viacom in MTV Networks Law and Business Affairs and worked as a corporate associate in several law firms beforehand.
Neopets
Neopets is a virtual pet website that was launched by Adam Powell and Donna Williams on November 15, 1999. Two years after the web site was launched, Adam Powell and Donna Williams sold a majority share to a consortium of investors led by Doug Dohring. On June 20, 2005, Viacom bought Neopets, Inc...
(http://www.neopets.com), an online youth-targeted virtual world where members adopt and care for a virtual companion who accompanies them through an endless array of games, communities and fantastical lands.
Other initiatives include partnering with the Nick.com on Nickelodeon's online playground for kids, Nicktropolis
Nicktropolis
The Club is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game that is part of Nick.com. Construction of the game began in November 2004, eventually being launched to the public on January 30, 2007. Recently the game has shut down forever and is now called The Club...
(http://www.nicktropolis.com) and creating new virtual world destinations. The group focuses on the building the company's current properties with projects like World of Neopia (working title) and of the expansion of Nicktropolis with a premium layer.
Nickelodeon Kids & Family Virtual Worlds Group has expanded Neopets
Neopets
Neopets is a virtual pet website that was launched by Adam Powell and Donna Williams on November 15, 1999. Two years after the web site was launched, Adam Powell and Donna Williams sold a majority share to a consortium of investors led by Doug Dohring. On June 20, 2005, Viacom bought Neopets, Inc...
to a registered user base of 45 million, maintaining its stickiness and status as the number-one tween virtual world in time spent, increasing its average per user to more than two hours, according to comScore
ComScore
comScore is a Internet marketing research company providing marketing data and services to many of the Internet's largest businesses. comScore tracks all internet data on its surveyed computers in order to study online behavior....
. The company has added major mass retail launches to the company's business model, in an effort to converge the web experience with a consumer products line, and paid item sales. Along with the continual growths and evolution of Neopets
Neopets
Neopets is a virtual pet website that was launched by Adam Powell and Donna Williams on November 15, 1999. Two years after the web site was launched, Adam Powell and Donna Williams sold a majority share to a consortium of investors led by Doug Dohring. On June 20, 2005, Viacom bought Neopets, Inc...
, Petpet Park
Petpet Park
Petpet Park is a virtual pet website launched by Nickelodeon Kids & Family Virtual Worlds Group in October 2008. The site is created by the Neopets team, the creators of Neopets and Monkey Quest. The game features a new virtual world focused on Neopets' companions, Petpets. There are six Petpet...
and Nicktropolis
Nicktropolis
The Club is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game that is part of Nick.com. Construction of the game began in November 2004, eventually being launched to the public on January 30, 2007. Recently the game has shut down forever and is now called The Club...
, the Virtual Worlds Group will also continue to add new virtual worlds to their list annually like the recently announced, and renamed, Monkey Quest
Monkey Quest
Monkey Quest is an MMO geared toward children's multi-player gameplay It was developed by Nickelodeon Virtual Worlds Group and launched in March 2011. It was showcased at GDC in 2011.- Story:...
.
Company Management
On June 17th of 2008, Kyra Reppen was officially announced as both Senior Vice President (SVP) and GeneralManager (GM) of the Virtual Worlds Group by Steve Youngwood, Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group's Executive Vice
President of Digital Media. As head of the Nickelodeon Kids and Family Virtual Worlds Group, Reppen oversees strategy, creative development and management of new and existing virtual worlds and casual massive multiplayer online games (MMOGs) for the company.
Reppen was previously Vice President and GM at NickJr.com, and the creator behind the ParentsConnect brand. During her time there, she expanded the role of Nickjr.com from a promotional site to the number-one website for
parents of young children. Reppen also created and launched Nick Jr. Parents TV, oversaw the educational site development of myNOGGIN; introduces the first 3D online games for preschoolers. Reppen started out her career at Viacom in MTV Networks Law and Business Affairs and worked as a corporate associate in several law firms beforehand.