Children’s network offers online virtual world for Hispanic youth

Posted by Elena del Valle on September 16, 2008

Avatar Girl on Board

Photos, game: Sorpresa!

In August, ¡Sorpresa!, a children’s network and part of Juniper Content Corporation, began offering its audience Club Time Machine, one of the first in-language online, virtual world experiences in the United States focused on Hispanic youth. Juniper Content reached an agreement with vWorld Corporation Ltd., a Netherlands-based online entertainment company that developed and owns Club Time Machine. The agreement covers the United States and its territories and possessions, as well as the non-exclusive rights to the English version. Scroll down to see a sample Club Time Machine game.

Club Time Machine is a 2.5D virtual world where kids create avatars to visit themed time periods to socialize, learn and play. It is subscription-based with monthly fees of $5.95. A six month package is available for $29.50 and a one year package sells for $56.50.

Avatar Boy on Board

“There are 23 million Hispanics online growing to 30 million over the next four years with one in four Hispanics under the age of 14,” said Stuart B. Rekant, Juniper Content chairman and chief executive officer of ¡Sorpresa!. “Online virtual worlds, the equivalent of social networking to kids and young teens, have received great acceptance in the general market. Virtual world participation is projected to grow 300 percent to 20 million users by 2011, and being a first mover in the Hispanic youth arena gives ¡Sorpresa! a distinct advantage as well as an additional source of revenue beyond affiliate fees and ad sales.”

Club Time Machine’s Parrot’s Revenge

In Club Time Machine, kids become Hoovers, avatars who travel between time periods on rocket-powered Hooverboards to play games, go on adventures, collect souvenirs, earn gold to buy energy for their rockets, and chat with other Hoovers. Visitors to the game website can play a sampling of Club Time Machine games, watch videos, download wallpaper, and print and color pictures to get a feel for the user experience. From there, visitors can access the full Club Time Machine virtual world with a paid subscription.

Click Picture to Launch Game

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“¡Sorpresa! plans to utilize its strong online and on-air capabilities, developing strategic web partnerships and broadcast spots, to drive Club Time Machine subscribers,” said Alexander Reus, chief executive officer of vWorld Corporation. “As the first and only children’s television network and digital community dedicated to Hispanic youth, ¡Sorpresa! is the ideal partner to reach the more than five million Hispanic youth online.”

vWorld Corporation is part of the SAM Holland group of companies, a mobile tech group specializing in marketing solutions such as mobile applications, text chat, interactive television online entertainment, content distribution, gateway and payment solutions. Founded in 2002, SAM Holland Ltd. is a privately held firm with offices in The Netherlands, the United States and Peru.

Juniper Content is a media and entertainment company focused on branded content services in high growth markets operating across multiple distribution channels. The Company owns and operates ¡Sorpresa!, a Hispanic children’s television network and digital community.