Club Penguin waddled away yesterday, march 29th, 2017. There will be no more snowball fights. No more pretend pizza dates. No more igloo parties. No more puffle tricks. the dance club will shut down, and Sensei will have to build a new dojo. The Club Penguin Band will have to find a new venue. All the igloos will melt away. Our shiny, gold membership badges will turn to rust, not that you needed one to feel like you were welcomed and belonged.
It wasn't just a virtual game, it was another world. Once you logged on, you were transported into another universe, where your only worries were if you had enough coins to buy that one item, or if your puffles were healthy. From learning how to manage my coins, making my first internet friends, to playing mini games throughout the island. Each memory is dear to me. Millions of players, one big, loving community.
I will always remember the rumble of the mine. I will always remember the buzz of Thin Ice. I will always remember the thrill of becoming an Elite Agent. I will always remember the way my puffles jumped as I typed their names on to their birth certificates. I will always remember the excitement when special characters came into the room, whether it was Rockhopper, Garry, Cadence, Rookie, Aunt Arctic, or even Herbert P. Bear. I will always remember my favorite servers, and the frustration of seeing them full. I will always remember the stress of trying to make my igloo, my home, perfect. I will always remember the joy when my parents finally agreed to pay for membership. I will always remember the clicks and clacks when playing Mancala.
I will always remember seeing, "The connection has been lost. Thank you for playing Club Penguin. Waddle on!" as the clock reached midnight.
I will always remember Club Penguin.
Waddle on, penguins.
