Virtual Pets Blog

With Neopets being one of the largest pet sites - with over 60,000 users online during peak hours - it’s no wonder why more users are moving on over to Marapets. Not only is Marapets a lot smaller - with over 2,500,000 users - it’s the number 1 competitor to neopets.

Not only does Marapets have unique features that Neopets has yet to release - like their dress up games - which is sorta like Gaia’s online idea by dressing up your own character and making it look nice so you can show it off to everyone. Marapets is one of the largest competitors to Neopets so far - and if they keep it up - especially with content, they can easily surpass Neopets in the future.

But, we’re wrong; Neopets has been around since 1999 and in order to beat a monster like Neopets, you have to beat them at their own game. Neopets has a ton of features, flash games and things to do - where Marapets is lacking in the flash games department, but makes up for it in the dress up games department.

If Marapets is to surpass Neopets in the future, how do you think they can beat them? Will they have to release new flash games and launch a massive advertising campaign, or should they rely on their users to refer new members and promote the game? We’re a huge fan of competition and if Neo hasn’t heard about Marapets yet, then they should soon. Neopets can easily lose its visitors to Marapets - maybe that’s why they don’t allow their users to discuss Marapets on the forums or anything (maybe they’re scared?). You tell us, but since Neopets is owned by a media giant they can easily fight back and grow even faster.

So, what do you guys think? Can Marapets even surpass Neopets as being the #1 virtual pet site?

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Why doesn’t Subeta hire someone that knows how manage servers, optimize them and get them all running without downtime? Subeta goes down at least 3 times a day so usuallly their members tend to go onto other pet sites to play - and to waste their time and wait until Subeta is back up and running. There have been at least 5 different updates regarding their servers - from adding new servers - to tweaking them so that they can run faster, however; everytime they post something regarding their servers, their servers tend to go back down once in a while. What gives Subeta? Don’t you guys have enough money to hire a server administrator if you have hired programming firm to recode the whole game?

We really like Subeta, but the constant downtime is really killing us. Why can’t they actually have reliable uptime for a change? They used to be one of the best pet sites out there - and still is, but their servers have to go. We need better servers, or at least; servers that are up all the time.

Do you guys agree with us?

Have you ever thought to yourself why or how Neopets grew so fast? Well, we’re as curious as you and we believe we have some reasons to why Neopets became so popular so quick. First of all, Neopets was one of the first virtual pet sites to actually open up - and it relied on its user base to help it grow. So, if your pet site doesn’t have a referral system yet, then be sure to implement one as soon as possible - with referral banners, buttons, links, etc.

The flash games: Neopets’ flash games aren’t any exception to the game. Kids love to play kids and they’re so easy to play and to earn neopoints, so why do you think so many kids go on Neopets on a daily basis to play their flash games? Is it because they have so many - or is it because the flash games are good? We’re not sure, but if Neopets grew because of their flash games then your pet site can too.

The content, features: Neopets’ features are actually pretty good and try to incorporate different aspects of a virtual pet site - like their Neoquest game is actually a twist of a RPG-game where you can explore a world with your character. Neoquest actually has two versions, which are neoquest 1 and neoquest 2. Their quests are also very unique - and each have different levels. Neopets doesn’t have an unlimited quester, but if they did; do you think more people would be on or would it not make a difference? We think the restock system and how balanced it is usually brings people on Neopets on a daily basis, but we could be wrong.

The staff: Have you ever wondered what happened to the staff interaction between the users? Well, after Neopets started to grow even larger - and attract more fans, the staff didn’t have any time to interact with their well-beloved players (but could you play them?). How can you work behind the scenes with a site as big as Neopets - and continue to get your job done? Of course, you can try to talk to your users once a week or something when you have a day off, but perhaps; your days off are spent with your family.

The lands: Neopets is like a virtual world but its a virtual pet site - its land are like shops you’ll find in a marketplace of some sort, which is actually pretty unique. Each land contains a few features, then a few shops, unless its the world of Neopia - or the main shops map, where it only has the shops and some other things. The shops continue to help the new members, but when the shops are sold out, the new members need to go buy from other user’s shops and try to feed their neopets.

So, what do you think really helped Neopets blow up and become one of the biggest pet sites in the community today?