In the 2000s, the chance to communicate was often limited to a computer via email or a simple messenger app. Online spaces, such as Club Penguin, gave children a fun opportunity to communicate with children around the globe. It wasn’t just a few sentences on a plain box, but rather a text box in a full penguin world, with a customisable avatar and unique activities to play against fellow users. To a child, this was paradise because you didn’t have to rely on an adult to take you somewhere to interact with other children, you had creative freedom with your character and igloo, and you could play mini-games to your heart's content. I still miss playing that battle card game and my pink puffle.
Now, in the 2020s, these games may come off as boring to children who have always grown up around significantly more advanced technology. Children are now being raised with iPads in hand, with all of the past gaming capabilities and more. If they want to talk to a friend, they’ll send a text. If they want to play a game, they’ll hop on their Xbox and be automatically added to a game with other players. The constraints and freedoms of the past have shifted, and technology has “changed the game” of games. Technically, there are online spaces for children to participate in, but the novelty and spark that they once held is now somewhat mundane for a child of this era.
Furthermore, the systems these games ran on, such as Adobe Flash Player, have effectively been pushed out of the market. In some instances, these games of the past moved onto other platforms and app stores; however, their flair still faded in comparison.
For now, it seems like PC and console gaming will rule the land; however, perhaps one day these games will be deemed ‘retro’ and nostalgia will revive these beloved worlds.