Bin Weevils

Bin Weevils is an online children's multiplayer game developed by 55 Pixels Ltd, launched in January 2004 as a joint venture between Nickelodeon UK, Prism Entertainment Ltd and CEG (Creative Entertainment Group). [1] Brief animated clips based on characters from the game aired on TV in 2006.[2] In 2007, Bin Weevils was re-launched as an independent website with a redesign and new content.[3]

Bin Weevils
Developer55 Pixels Ltd
Bin Weevils Limited (formerly)
TypeMassive multiplayer online game
Launch date2004
Platform(s)Windows, macOS, browsers
Websitewww.binweevils.com

The Bin Weevils website reached 1.2 million users in September 2012.[4]

Gameplay

Bin Weevils is based on the theme of real creatures, weevils. Players can create, customize and control their own character. The game is set in a bin-like setting where many locations have been specifically designed for this theme (e.g. Kip's Scrapyard, Peel's Park, Ink's Orange Peel) with items you would find usually in a bin, such as mould and orange peels. Players have their own "nest" in which they can adjust the colour and design the rooms. Players can choose to upgrade the nest to all 8 rooms using the Mulch currency via a membership and can also choose to decorate their rooms by buying items from the "Shopping Mall" and placing the items in their rooms accordingly. The items can also be sold at one of the locations in the game if the player doesn't want the item anymore for Mulch currency. The nest consists of a private cinema, a plaza (both require membership), a garden, and a nest generator. Depending on how low the nest generator level is, the brighter or darker the nest gets. All players also have a "Bin Card" in their nest, which they can stamp every day to collect rewards including hat coupons, plants, XP and much more.

The main navigation of the game is the Map which players can use to travel to different areas of the game. The map has had many changes in the past due to re-designs. The newest version of the map was designed by Tom Bland.[5] There are several multiplayer games which players can play to earn currency ("Mulch") and experience points ("XP"). There are also a number of educational games, such as the "Daily Brain Strain," which players can visit every day to test their knowledge through a series of math, geography and puzzle questions. Players who participate in the 60 seconds can receive Mulch and XP based on how well they have done. Players can also enter codes to receive rewards.[6]

All users have a garden outside of their nest, in which they can buy plants from the 'Garden Shop' and plant and then harvest for in-game currency ("Mulch") and experience points ("XP"). The user can save the currency or buy more plants and the XP contributes to levelling up towards the next level. There are 80 levels in total but more are often added. In addition, paying players can purchase a virtual pet called a "Bin Pet." The Bin Pet has its own profile and a bed. Players can feed their Bin Pet and make the pet character perform tricks and play mini-games. Non-paying players can also own a virtual pet for 24 hours. This feature is called "Pet-For-A-Day" and was first revealed on January 17, 2017.[7]

Many of the old locations, including Tum's Diner, were designed by Michael Jary.[8]

Membership

Bin Tycoon is an enhancement on Bin Weevils. Many who subscribe to a premium membership receive a monthly Dosh wage that gradually increases, depending on how many months a player has a premium membership. With this salary, the player can purchase hats for their character, items and clothing for their virtual pet, write magazines and much more to do.[9] The currency "Dosh" was introduced in 2012 and replaced high Mulch prices in many areas, although it requires real currency payment. However, from time to time, players can take part in challenges, watch advertisements, or enter codes to earn a currency. It was possible to become a paying member for 1 month with an SMS text in the early stages of the game, but was discontinued in 2013. Players were still eligible to buy Mulch from the subscription section before 2013, the highest amount being £14.99 for 75,000 Mulch.[10] Players can still acquire the currency in the game, although it is the main currency for a lot of activities. Players can play multiplayer games to win currency or submit codes, etc. Dosh is currently the only currency to buy on the membership page. Bin Weevils revealed in 2015 that 90% of the content on the site was free to play and 90% of their audience was non-paying members.[11]

Safety and communication

Bin Weevils represents the kidSAFE badge on their website,[12] as well as this they claim that players chat and buddy messages are moderated 24/7 so that there is no exchange of personal information or inappropriate language. The moderation system is based on a ticket method, according to the Bin Weevils support page. When a player uses an offensive term, live moderators are notified and a punishment can be imposed on a player's account that can range from one day to a permanent suspension.[13] As well as this, the game also has a reporting interface where players can submit reports on another player manually through the player's profile. The report functionality contains the reasons that the player decides to report, or a field where the player can explain what the other player has done. The safety feature creates a secure environment that promotes peace of mind for parents and allows children to communicate, meet new friends and improve their online social skills. Although the messaging filter system is in effect, although not perfect, players still found ways to exchange information with other players by combining sentences and letters together.

Other

Merchandise

Bin Weevils signed a licensing agreement to launch a game-based merchandise range with the toy manufacturer Character Options.[14] The merchandise consisted of a trading card game that was launched in 2012,[15] a clothing set, backpacks, figurines and toys which launched in October 2012 and books.[16][17][18] An titled "Bin Weevils" with Sony in December 2012.[19][20] A competition was held relating to the album which four children could be picked to write a song for the album.[21][22] The album was launched on 29 July 2013 with a tracklist of 12 children's songs. In November 2013, Bin Weevils partnered with WellChild to help raise money for sick children in the United Kingdom. Users could buy a Bin Weevils T-shirt and choose the design they wanted on their clothes, and 20 percent of every sale would go to WellChild [23]

A Bin Weevils magazine launched in January 2012[24][25][26]running for two years and 23 issues before coming to an end in June 2013.[27]

Apps

Weevil World

55 Pixels Ltd released a beta version of a new game called "Weevil World" in May 2017, which was only available for paying members at the time. The beta ended and the game was released to all players a month later.[28] The game is a multiplayer unity app for mobile devices and computers, allowing players to cross-play between Weevil World and Bin Weevils using the same account. After signing up, players can customise their weevil profile and navigate their character around the island. Players can purchase character clothing, level up, earn money (coins and gems) to buy home (nest) decorations in the game and can invite players to get a nest rating.[29]

In 2019, 55 Pixels Ltd announced that the game would be redesigned, with some features removed, some locations and mini-games unavailable, and the currency replaced by coins and gems (formerly Mulch and Dosh, the currency used for Bin Weevils).[30]

Bin Weevils Connect

On August 23, 2016, a new app named "Bin Weevils Connect" was revealed on the Bin Weevils blog. On November 6, 2016, 55 Pixels Ltd released the mobile application a few months after the reveal. The software had several functions, including the possibility of customising the created character in the game, playing multiplayer games with friends at quick access, and sending friend messages. In addition, the application included several bugs and player expectations were not met. Fewer players tended to utilise the application over time and was removed from the Google Play store and the iOS App store.

Reception

In 2015, both Bin Weevils and Moshi Monsters were requested by the Advertising Standard Authority (ASA) to change the wording of their in-app advertising, stating that players were under pressure to purchase items in the game.[31][32] 55 Pixels Ltd, the company which operates the game, said that "as soon as [we] were made aware of the complaint made to the Advertising Standards Authority about a potential breach, and once we had understood the area for concern, we changed all our membership pages to comply with their recommendations. [The ASA] subsequently upheld the complaint about the original wording but referenced that we now complied, in the text of the ruling." [33]

55 Pixels Ltd was also criticised by many players and parents, many of whom criticised the lack of a "bin-like environment" in the game and the "bad influence" on children.[34][35]

Bin Weevils was also strongly criticised for lack of game security, as exploiters wrote offensive language in places using third party tools, where other players were also able to see offensive language. The game magazine's functionality was exploited in 2016, and several other players also blamed Bin Weevils for lack of security. Bin Weevils had to remove some of the game's features, such as public leaderboards, to make the feature friends-only because of the exploiters.[36] Due to the 2016 exploits, a common and popular feature called “Photo Studio” was removed. Players could use third-party resources to manipulate the background of the SWF file to whatever they chose (one example was a pornographic picture within the frame which players could see if they were invited to a nest). The feature was removed due to an “identified error,” Bin Weevils claims.[37] The feature has not been added back since then.[38]

Vulnerabilities

Data breaches

In September 2014, Bin Weevils suffered a major data breach culminating in unauthorised access to over 20 million online accounts and personal information.[39] Due to the age range of the game, player accounts that are significantly owned by young children were stolen then published online, including e-mail addresses and personal details.[40] Bin Weevils had been alerted of the vulnerability and had taken the website down for a week to carry out security maintenance.[41] A captcha was added to the website during the breach, which users had to verify before they could proceed. It was later removed.[42]

Bin Weevils suffered another major data breach in July 2017, which resulted in players online accounts and personal information being stolen and published online. An unauthorised article was published on the news page of Bin Weevils during the July breach stating that the game was going to close down but was quickly removed.

Awards

Bin Weevils was nominated for the BAFTA Awards in 2009. Bin Weevils received the "Best Website" BAFTA Award in 2011.[43] To celebrate, new nest items were launched in-game. Bin Weevils won the BAFTA Awards again towards the end of 2012.[44] Bin Weevils won the "Best Website" for the third time in late 2013,[45] and again in 2014.[46] Bin Weevils was shortlisted in the games category in 2015.

References
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  1. Official Weevils News Website
  2. Official Bin Weevils Website
  3. Official Bin Weevils Support Centre
  4. Official Weevil World Support Centre
  5. 55pixels Website
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