Will the dream come true?

DreamWorks virtual world modelled on Kung Fu Panda hopes to capture the imagination of children who play games online....

Can DreamWorks Animation revitalise the cooling business of virtual worlds? On Monday,DreamWorks will formally enter this crowded realm with Kung Fu Panda World,a 10 million website that will allow children to play elaborate games,chat with friends,learn kung fu styles and get a pet.

The site,which took two years to develop,is centred on the companys hit movie Kung Fu Panda,which had 632 million in global ticket sales in 2008. Membership will cost 5.95 a month although children can play free for one day if they watch a 15-second ad.

The Walt Disney Company,which bought ClubPenguin.com in 2007 for 700 million,has pumped out sister sites; toy companies like Build-A-Bear Workshop,the retail chain,have flooded the Web with their own offerings. But oversaturation and the faddish nature of childrens entertainment is starting to batter the once-booming business. About 6.7 million unique visitors logged on to Club Penguinwhere children dress and groom penguin charactersin March,a 7 per cent decline from March 2009,according to the research company comScore. The market is shaking outthere is only room for so many of these worlds in a childs life and a parents wallet, said Christopher Byrne,a toy consultant and content director for Time To Play magazine.

DreamWorks is betting that there is a window of opportunity when it comes to slightly older children,after they outgrow Club Penguin and before they get hooked to Facebook. Its not an easy road. A lavish Pirates of the Caribbean world,an attempt by Disney to attract children 10 and older,has been a failure.

DreamWorks is hopeful,though. John Batter,who managed the Kung Fu Panda World project for DreamWorks,where he is co-president of production for feature animation,said,With Kung Fu Panda we had a property that lent itself very well to this medium. For those unfamiliar with the filma sequel is on the wayan underdog kung fu fighter,Po the Panda,finds his inner hero with the help of some oddball friends.

The decision to include advertising will undoubtedly draw scrutiny from child advocacy groups. Parents may also have concerns about a decision by DreamWorks not to restrict the chat function to a menu of words and phrases. Rick Rekedal,head of production for DreamWorks Animation Online,said,however,that moderators will constantly monitor activity,and software has been added to flag questionable behaviour.

Kung Fu Panda World is built around the concept of sash levels; players start as a white belt and try to work up through 21 colours. A map shows where your friends are playing within the game. There is also shopping with coins earned by winning arcade-style games and players can send gifts to one another.

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DreamWorks is now at work on a follow-up world built around How to Train Your Dragon.