Disney’s Club Penguin Says "Wilkommen" to German Players

LONDON, November 16, 2011 -

Global #1 virtual world offers fun for kids and peace of mind for parents

Disney Europe, Middle East and Africa announces that the fun-filled, virtual world phenomenon - Club Penguin - is to launch a German language site today.  With more than 150 million registered users and played by children in over 190 countries, clubpenguin.de will become Club Penguin’s fifth language site and is supported by a team of dedicated moderators, production and customer service staff.

Kids navigate the snow-covered virtual island of Club Penguin as a colourful penguin avatar, playing games, chatting to friends, going undercover on island spy missions or caring for their pet Puffles.  Penguins can also shop for new outfits on The Plaza with the coins they’ve earned through missions and games, decorate their igloos or take part in the regular themed parties and scavengar hunts.

First launched in Canada in October 2005, with its imaginative play environment, word filtering technology and live moderation, award-winning Club Penguin has built an unrivalled global reputation as a safe and secure online environment that provides fun for kids and peace of mind for parents.  Today, Club Penguin is the largest virtual world for kids aged 6 to twelve in Europe and around the world.

“The launch of clubpenguin.de is part of our strategy to make Club Penguin even more social and accessible for all our players across multiple platforms,” explains Jeff Jones, general manager and vice president of digital games for The Walt Disney Company, Europe Middle East and Africa.  ”German players will now be able to immerse themselves in all the fun virtual world and as we take engaging experiences mobile, in future players will also able to connect with Club Penguin safetly, wherever they are.”

Lane Merrifield, co-founder of Club Penguin and executive vice president of Disney Online Studios explains:

“With the continued global expansion of Club Penguin, we are providing a fun and safe place for millions of kids to connect with one another around the world.  Club Penguin was founded by three fathers who wanted a fun environment for our kids to play online, and safety has been a foundation on which we built an immersive world where kids can play games and create their own unique experiences. I am extremely proud of our safety track record an area in which we continue to invest in daily.”

Clubpenguin.de launches today, Wednesday 16 November, and is free to play.  One, six and 12 month memberships are available giving access to exclusive parties and greater opportunities for  penguin and igloo customisation.

About Club Penguin

Club Penguin (www.clubpenguin.com), a product of The Walt Disney Company, is the world’s  #1 virtual world for children. Club Penguin works to maintain a fun and safe online entertainment experience by using filtering technology and live moderators. The award-winning virtual world of Club Penguin contains no third-party advertising and is free to use and enjoy, however a subscription membership provides access to additional features that enhance the play experience. In Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Club Penguin is headquartered in Brighton, United Kingdom, and can be played in English, Portuguese, French and Spanish.

The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company (TWDC), together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with five business segments: studio entertainment, media networks, consumer products, interactive media group, and parks and resorts.

TWDC has had a strong presence in the UK for more than 75 years and currently employs over 3,500 people. TWDC UK is a major film distributor with recent successes including ”Toy Story 3” and ”Alice in Wonderland”. Both films set records across the region contributing to a global box office for each film in excess of $1 billion. Disney also works with local broadcast partners to bring compelling and creative branded and non-branded content to viewers via a variety of platforms, including the hit series ” Desperate Housewives ” and ”Grey’s Anatomy.” Disney Channel launched in the UK in 1995 and is the number one channel with girls (6-14) amongst children’s pay-TV channels. The Disney Channel multiplex in the UK also includes Disney XD, Playhouse Disney and Disney Cinemagic. ESPN has made significant inroads into the UK market after establishing the “ESPN” channel in the UK, offering a wide range of sports, including the Barclays Premier League, Scottish Premier League, and the newly added Aviva Premiership Rugby matches. In 2008, TWDC announced its partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity focused on raising £10 million towards the hospital’s redevelopment appeal. The Disney Appeal works across all of the Disney businesses to raise funds and provide unique and memorable experiences for patients and their families.

Contact:

    The Walt Disney Company EMEA           Edelman
    Melissa Herman                         Natalie Futter
    Email: melissa.herman:@disney.com      Tel: +44(0)20-3047-2321
                                           Email:natalie.futter@deleman.com

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