What REALLY Happens To Your Webkinz After Your Account Expires?

You know Webkinz...Right? That game from 2005 where you'd buy a stuffed animal only to receive a virtual code to "adopt" said pet on their website? If you answered yes to this question. Then I hearby dub you a God. Just kidding. Now allow me to tell you all my experience with Ganz and its platform.

My dad was actually an employee at Ganz and would often bring free Webkinz home from work to give to me and my two twin sisters. One of my favorites being a cocker spaniel that I named "Champ." And who would have known that these stuffed animals would lead me to playing their virtual platform for a little over 10 years. I played from the moment I woke up until the moment I'd go to bed, even being as risky as to occasionally wake up in the middle of the night just to play with my friends. We'd often talk about the silly playground rumors that have been spreading like wildfire, such as Dr. Quack allegedly KILLING your pets. People will come up with ANYTHING these days. 

Some people may know this already, but the more pets you adopt, the longer your account stays up. With it having an expiration date of the next year. My sister and I shared an account, which often times lead us to have the account stay up longer since we would submit 2 codes at once.  My sister grew out of Webkinz when she ws about 10 or 11 and would often give me her codes when my dad would give her a stuffed animal. She mostly collected the plushies instead of playing the game. But my love for both never changed. That is.... Until one fateful day.

My family and I were on vacation for a few days, and we were staying at Great Wolf Lodge. My sister was annoyed that I wanted to spend most of my time playing Webkinz. But I told her I needed a code or my account would expire the next day. I took pride in my work and never wanted anything to happen to my Webkinz. My sister told me to check the gift shop and see if they had any for sale. I took her advice and scrambled down to the gift shop. I checked EVERY area and no Webkinz were there. This was around the time that Beanie Boos became popular and Webkinz were slowly but surely being phased out. I asked the clerk if they had any in the back of the store, but they said no. "Dang it." I thought. I decided to check the other shops in the area in hopes that they'd have some of the furry creatures. Alas, I couldn't find anything. 

After giving up my search, I went back to the hotel room and spent my final days in my home away from home. My parents were crushed that I couldn't find any Webkinz, but my dad suggested buying one of the virtual pets in the Ganz Estore. I had a fair amount of points to use to adopt a pet, so why not make it official. I went to the Estore and picked out an ice fawn. However, the code was sent to my dad's email address. And we didn't have a computer on us so we were once again screwed. My sister simply told my dad to stop worrying about the game and that he was only enabling my addiction more. My dad and I looked over at my mom to get her two cents, but she just walked away. I won't get any further into this argument, other than the fact that my sister told us that mom is always right and that I'll never win. 

I couldn't sleep that night, but often wondered what ever happens to your Webkinz after the expiration of one's account? I got in touch with a few of my gaming friends on Instagram and explained my situation and asked what they might know. They all said that no one really knows what happens, but there has to be something truly fear mongering that Ganz uses to urge the player to buy more codes. One of them told me that Ganz terminates any inactive accounts in the wake of midnight, when the younger players are sleeping so they won't know of the whereabouts of their animals. I then ran to the bathroom to start a video call with my friends and see what would happen. 

Just as we set things up, midnight struck. I logged into my account with no issues surprisingly. "Maybe my account won't be terminated after all?" I questioned. But before I could greet my pets, a cutscene played. A group of pirates broke into my house and grabbed all of me (and my sister's) pets and trapped them in rope bags, before hauling them to a ship. I made sure to take as many screenshots as I could so I could show my family in the morning. The pirates themselves were pigs, but the captain never showed his face, but I think it might have been a swan at first since their was a white tail sticking out from the coat. The first cutscene ended with Champ, my first Webkinz, being taken away in one of the rope bags. 

It then cut to an empty home, I frantically looked for my pets in hopes that it was all just a prank or a hidden Easter Egg. It was then that Miss Birdie came on screen, her eyes bloodshot and feathers a mess. "It seems as though your pets have been.....petnapped!" She said trying to crack a joke to trying and ease the tension. She didn't give me any hints, other than to go to a place called "Kinzville Beaches" which I did. I had never heard of Kinzville Beaches. Must have been a new attraction they added and I just didn't notice? 

Once there, I was redirected to a glass wall, as if I were looking at an aquarium, and my pets locked inside and wandering the ship. Each of them were all pleading for me to rescue them, before being greeted with a "SILENCE" from the captain. "I see you came here to rescue your beloved animals, eh?" The voice said. "Well its a bit late for that....See its been a year since you've adopted a pet. And we don't think its best to keep neglectful owners in our society." I was confused. I logged in everyday and adopted a new pet at least once a week. That is, until it hit me...The last time I EVER got a stuffed animal was for my 12th birthday, LAST YEAR! My face went pale as a ghost. 

The pirate revealed himself to be none other than DOCTOR QUACK! Apparently he was running some secret operation in the dark of night where he'd terminate one's account if they were either inactive or hadn't adopted a pet in over a year. "See...You're a special case, mate." Quack said. "Your dad has bought you and your sister every free pet under the sun. Its a shame you couldn't get to that code it time. Or else you would have been able to save your pets from what they must face...." He cackled as dark clouds faded in, with thunder flashing and heavy waves splashing about, shaking the ship in the process. 

It then showed a shot of the pirate ship filling up with water. My pets tried to climb on top of the deck to fend for themselves, but they were wiped out. Half of them already dead. Champ was fighting for his life out there. Clutching onto every railing possible. It was then that one more pet was still alive. My sister's siamese cat, Precious. That was her first Webkinz when my dad started working for Ganz. The two of them made it to the top of the ship and stayed there as the ship began to sink. 

"Champ. I wish it didn't have to be this way." Precious meowed. Champ whimpered and looked at the screen. "I know. Our owner was a very active person, and he took very good care of us. I know he was gonna adopt another friend into our family. But he was too busy with his own life." The two then held each other tightly as water filled the screen, killing them. 

This...Was my WORST NIGHTMARE. 

As of now, my dad is working with the game devs to recover my account as he submitted the code once he got back to work. The devs knew Webkinz meant a lot to me and wanted to help in any way they could. They said it could take a few weeks to fully recover it considering my endless activity. Will make sure to update you all when I can. 

Thanks for reading! :)