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Elf Island immerses kids in the needs of real people, animals and the Earth
As the parent of a ‘tween, I am pretty stoked when I learn of new Virtual projects and Worlds which are not only interactive, yet provide education of the world around us in the process. We are totally into the Earth and Nature as well. What more can one ask for, than to enter a magically colourful Virtual World that brings us more than just loads of fun? This world appears to fit into my high standards of online safety, to ensure only the best experience whilst our children enjoy exploring and adventuring to their hearts content.
So of course, when I hear the news, I love to pass the information along to my fellow Virtual travelers. Here is what I discovered today…
Good Egg Studio announced today the open beta of Elf Island, a virtual world designed to teach good social and environmental values to tweens. The world offers the typical games, customization, and social elements of virtual worlds but is setting itself apart through “Mirrored Gaming,” or quests that ask users to complete activities in the virtual world that are mirrored in the real world. The first, a project with Habitat for Humanity International, lets users build virtual houses that mirror the construction of houses in Honduras.
While the world is free, according to Gamezebo, those activities, called GoodQuests, will eventually only be available to subscribers. I understand adding extra content as an enticement to buy in for the $5.95/month membership, but it seems odd to me to put non-profit organization and charity content behind a pay gate.
“Elf Island immerses kids in the needs of real people, animals and the Earth,” said Craig Kronenberger, CEO and co-founder, Good Egg Studios, the developer of Elf Island. “On Elf Island, tweens have a fun online experience while gaining an understanding of real-world issues and can directly impact the solutions through gaming. This experience ultimately creates a sense of excitement, belonging and accomplishment that kids may never have had from an online game.”
The Founders of Elf Island
They say necessity is the mother of invention, and with good reason. Elf Island is the brainchild of a dynamic husband and wife team, Craig and Liz Kronenberger, who decided to blend their entrepreneurial spirit with their philanthropic passions.
As the parents of twin boys, Craig and Liz noticed a glaring lack of redeeming and socially responsible games in a virtual environment for kids. Prompted to act, in June 2007 the Kronenbergers created the first virtual world dedicated to harnessing the power of fun to help kids develop positive values and empower them to make a difference. The couple coined the phrase “Gaming for Good, TM” connecting the online world to the real world.
As pioneers in the virtual and communications worlds, Craig and Liz previously co-founded Spunky Productions, a consumer kids and family entertainment digital media company. At Spunky they worked on several campaigns including “Harry Potter,” the online music release of Ê”The Wiggles,” the exclusive launch of the online campaign for the home video release of Universal Studio’s “The Grinch,” starring Jim Carrey, and the online game launch of “CapComÕs MegaMan” and “Viewtiful Joe.” It was there that Liz and Craig co-created “Claus.com,” which they sold in 2000. “Claus.com” was the number one kid’s Christmas site when it was under their direction.
Armed with the creativity, the tremendous knowledge of the dynamic virtual worlds that captivate youth, the extensive advertising and marketing experience, and the proven business acumen, this dynamic duo is now channeling their passions into Elf Island. Craig, as the President of operations, is lead visionary for bringing this youth-oriented web site to life, while Liz spearheads the marketing and non-profit arm of the company. Of course, all the while, their young sons have been their inspiration.
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