MovieStarPlanet

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MovieStarPlanet
DeveloperMovieStarPlanet ApS
TypeOnline social game
Launch dateJune 2009; 14 years ago (2009-06)
Platform(s)Windows, iOS, Android
Operating system(s)Adobe Flash (formerly)
Unity/Nebula (currently)[1][2]
Pricing modelFreemium
Websitemoviestarplanet.com

MovieStarPlanet is a free-to-play online social game developed by MovieStarPlanet ApS for Windows, iOS, and Android. It was initially released in Denmark in 2009, before expanding to other countries. Players can dress up their characters, chat and play mini-games.

Gameplay[edit]

In MovieStarPlanet, the players take over the role of a movie star avatar, which can be customized in various ways by buying clothes or room decorations.[3] The avatars can meet each other in the game world, and then chat publicly or privately.[4] When a user logs in, they are introduced with a spinning wheel that can be spun daily, with the user being able to receive different amounts of "StarCoins".[5] The main premise of the game is to gain experience points called Fame, which is then used so users can level up.

The main microtransactions consist of the games ''VIP'' membership.[6] The VIP membership has 3 tiers: "VIP", "Elite VIP" and "Star VIP". A VIP membership purchase also includes StarCoins and diamonds, with each tier including more than the previous one. The different tiers also differ in the maximum amount of friends able to get, the number of extra spins on the StarCoins wheel and more. Each tier can be purchased for a week, a month, 3 months or a year.[7] The game has spending limits, meaning the players can only spend some amount of money within a certain time frame.[8] VIP memberships can also be received for free by winning the weekly competition.[9]

History[edit]

In 2007, Claus Lykke Jensen and his partner, who were at the time students from the University of Copenhagen, envisioned the initial idea for MovieStarPlanet. They signed up for an e-learning development pool project from the Ministry of Science.[10] The goal was to develop a game that could improve children's English language skills.[11] After two years of e-learning, the commitment condition for a grant was fulfilled, and the work on the game started. The same year, when his partner left the project before the business took off, Jensen became the sole founder of the development company.[12] The game launched in May 2009, and was originally mainly focused on the animations players could create.[13] It launched exclusively in Denmark, but has since grown to be available in 16 countries in Europe, North America, and Oceania.[14] The game was designed with children aged 8–15 in mind.[15]

By 2013, the game had over 100 million registered users.[8][16]

At the 11th European Conference on Game-Based Learning, it was reported that MovieStarPlanet was, in 2014, the most popular game amongst 9–12-year-old girls in Norway.[17]

Merchandise[edit]

In 2012, it was announced that MovieStarPlanet would be cooperating with the publishing company Egmont to create a MovieStarPlanet Magazine.[18][19] Each issue of the magazine comes with a code players can redeem in the game to then receive digital cosmetics, such as ''StarCoins'', the currency used in the game, or clothing items for the users' character.[20] The magazines contents includes fashion tips for the users, comics, competitions readers can participate in and more.[21] In August 2021, the 100th issue of the Polish version of the magazine was released.[22]

In 2021, MovieStarPlanet partnered with Panini to create a trading card collection in Poland. The cards consisted of 220 different designs, split into six different categories.[23]

Reception[edit]

Leslie Crenna from Common Sense Media has rated the website as suitable for users who are 16 or older, and has stated that the "content and privacy issues raise way too many red flags for even savvy Internet users",[24] while Online Safety UK has rated it as suitable for kids who are 9 or over, with "added caution from parents".[25] Dana Anderson from Common Sense Media, reviewing the mobile version of the game, also rated it suitable for people aged 16 or older, stating "this app is too simplistic for teens' meaningful use, and the content is not appropriate for younger kids", along with stating that it "also reinforces messages about consumerism and appearance that parents may not want to reinforce."[26]

The game won an award for innovation and creativity at EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2014.[27]

Controversy[edit]

MovieStarPlanet has stated that they are cautious of kids' online safety, and has been certified by COPPA's kidSAFE Program.[28] Their head of safety, Vernon Jones, attended the Global Digital Citizenship Conference in 2013 at Melbourne.[29][30] However, many articles have reported instances of grooming and underage users having received inappropriate/sexually explicit messages on the game.[31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39]

Sequel[edit]

A sequel, MovieStarPlanet 2, was announced on October 25, 2019.[40]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "BRIDGING FLASH TO UNITY IN SOCIAL NETWORKS · MovieStarPlanet". 9 April 2018. Archived from the original on 6 March 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  2. ^ "MovieStarPlanet shows strong financial results and has high ambitions for 2021 · MovieStarPlanet". 22 December 2020. Archived from the original on 19 December 2021. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  3. ^ A. O. L. Staff (10 August 2016). "MovieStarPlanet offers fun, safe, social environment for kids to express creativity". www.aol.com. Archived from the original on 2022-08-05. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  4. ^ "MovieStar Planet: populair bij kinderen, maar niet bij ouders". Het Nieuwsblad (in Flemish). 28 November 2015. Archived from the original on 2022-05-15. Retrieved 2022-05-15..
  5. ^ "What are daily spins?". Archived from the original on 2022-03-06. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
  6. ^ Taskinen, Juha-Pekka (2013-02-10). "Netin leikkikentän suosio räjähti Suomessa". Yle (in Finnish). Archived from the original on 2022-08-09. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
  7. ^ "What types of VIP Memberships can I buy?". Archived from the original on 2022-03-06. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
  8. ^ a b "Region Specific profile: MovieStarPlanet | Features | Edge Online". Edge Magazine. 2013-08-04. Archived from the original on August 10, 2013. Retrieved 2022-08-04.
  9. ^ "How to get free VIP?". Archived from the original on 2022-03-06. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
  10. ^ Jørgensen, Morten Barg (2012-11-22). "Dansk børnespil runder 5 millioner brugere". Berlingske (in Danish). Archived from the original on 2022-08-09. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
  11. ^ Wittorff, Jacob (2016-04-26). "Da vi fortæller, hvem vi er, begynder børnene at råbe, skrige og juble, som var vi popstjerner". Computer World (in Danish). Archived from the original on 2022-08-09. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
  12. ^ Jensen, Simon Kjær (2020-12-18). "Tjener millioner hvert år: Nu vil dansk spilsucces skalere kraftigt op - overvejer børsnotering". FINANS (in Danish). Archived from the original on 2022-05-23. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
  13. ^ Meyer, Bente; Jensen, Claus Lykke; Nielsson, Stig Schmidt; Werther, Dorrit; Tjellesen, Gitte (2009). "Et nyt online undervisningsmateriale til engelsk". Sproglæreren: Meddelelsesblad for SPROGSAM (in Danish) (3): 20–21.
  14. ^ "About - MovieStarPlanet". 2014-03-02. Archived from the original on 2014-03-02. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
  15. ^ "AWS Case Study: MovieStar Planet". Amazon Web Services, Inc. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 2021-12-19.
  16. ^ "Socialt medie fra Amager runder 100 millioner brugere". Computerworld (in Danish). 2013-06-26. Archived from the original on 2022-12-02. Retrieved 2022-08-04.
  17. ^ ECGBL 2017 11th European Conference on Game-Based Learning. Academic Conferences and publishing limited. 2017-10-05. ISBN 978-1-911218-57-9. Archived from the original on 2023-06-11. Retrieved 2022-05-17.
  18. ^ "Egmont Publishes MovieStarPlanet Mag". MovieStarPlanet. 2012-09-19. Archived from the original on 2022-02-26. Retrieved 2022-02-26.
  19. ^ Jørgensen, Asbjørn (2013-06-18). "Ukendt succes: Dansk socialt medie runder 100 mio. brugere". Bureaubiz (in Danish). Retrieved 2022-08-09.
  20. ^ Jensen, Christina Nordvang (2014-01-03). "Dansk spilgigant buldrer derudaf". Berlingske.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 2022-08-10.
  21. ^ "MovieStarPlanet". Egmont Polska – We bring stories to life (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2022-03-06. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
  22. ^ "MovieStarPlanet Magazine: The 100th Anniversary Issue · MovieStarPlanet". MovieStarPlanet. 2021-08-27. Archived from the original on 2022-02-26. Retrieved 2022-02-26.
  23. ^ "MovieStarPlanet Partners up with Panini to Launch Trading Cards in Poland". Licensing International. 29 March 2021. Archived from the original on 2022-03-06. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
  24. ^ Crenna, Leslie (2014-07-29). "MovieStarPlanet - Website Review". www.commonsensemedia.org. Archived from the original on 2022-02-28. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  25. ^ "MovieStarPlanet (2) & BlockStarPlanet". Archived from the original on 2022-03-06. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
  26. ^ Anderson, Dana. "MovieStarPlanet App Review | Common Sense Media". www.commonsensemedia.org. Archived from the original on 2022-08-04. Retrieved 2022-08-04.
  27. ^ "Online univers vinder pris for innovation og kreativitet". EY. November 26, 2014. Archived from the original on December 26, 2014.
  28. ^ "Safeguarding Children". MovieStarPlanet. 2022-02-26. Archived from the original on 2022-02-26.
  29. ^ "MovieStarPlanet's Head of Safety Down Under". Bugg Toys & Licensing. 2016-05-16. Archived from the original on May 16, 2016. Retrieved 2022-08-04.
  30. ^ "MovieStarPlanet Head of Safety Down Under · MovieStarPlanet". MovieStarPlanet. 2013-07-05. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
  31. ^ Dyssel, Camilla Qvistgaard (2013-06-05). "Moviestarplanet: Vi politianmelder hver måned". fyens.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 2022-05-15. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
  32. ^ Dyssel, Camilla Qvistgaard (2013-06-05). "Moviestarplanet: Ni-årig krænket på nettet". fyens.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 2022-05-15.
  33. ^ McStravick, Sheena (2017-04-22). "PSNI warning as app used to send explicit messages to kids". BelfastLive. Archived from the original on 2021-12-03. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
  34. ^ "Over Hall Community School warns parents to delete a popular phone app amid fears of grooming". Winsford Guardian. 15 November 2016. Archived from the original on 2022-05-26. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
  35. ^ Hagen, Lise Forfang (2012-10-17). "Dette er 8-åringenes nye lekegrind". NRK (in Norwegian Bokmål). Archived from the original on 2022-05-15. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
  36. ^ tagesschau.de. "Cybergrooming: Wie Sexualtäter online Kinder kontaktieren". tagesschau.de (in German). Archived from the original on 2022-05-15. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
  37. ^ "Il propose des relations sexuelles à une fillette de 9 ans sur le jeu "Movie Star Planet"". actu.fr (in French). 5 January 2021. Archived from the original on 2022-05-15. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
  38. ^ "Ville have sex med 29 piger via chat - TV 2". nyheder.tv2.dk (in Danish). 2014-10-20. Archived from the original on 2017-02-09. Retrieved 2022-08-06.
  39. ^ "28-årig til otteårig pige på chat: - Bare jeg kunne kysse dig - TV 2". nyheder.tv2.dk (in Danish). 2017-02-06. Archived from the original on 2022-08-06. Retrieved 2022-08-06.
  40. ^ "MovieStarPlanet is hard at work on MovieStarPlanet 2". MovieStarPlanet. 2019-10-30. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
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