Club Penguin—Disney’s flash‑based massively multiplayer online game that ran from 2005 until its shutdown in 2017—shaped the online experiences of an entire generation of youngsters. According to Stephen MacDonald, who served as a senior manager at Disney between 2012 and 2015, the platform once boasted more than 300 million registered accounts at its height. The demise of Adobe Flash effectively ended the original penguin‑themed universe, and its mobile‑only successor, Club Penguin Island, never managed to capture the same magic.
Launched in early 2017, the new title was retired in December 2018 after barely a year and a half of operation. In the meantime, Roblox has emerged as many children’s first foray into the broader internet, offering a sandbox of user‑generated games and social interaction.
Yet MacDonald argues that Roblox cannot replace the safety‑first philosophy that defined Club Penguin. "Historically, a child would graduate from a preschool‑grade experience—think Peppa Pig—to Club Penguin, where they learned the basics of online safety, how to use moderation tools, and how to interact responsibly. After mastering those skills they might move on to more competitive titles like Fortnite," he explains. "Today, kids are jumping straight from Peppa Pig into Roblox, and that leap skips a crucial safety education step.
Young users are suddenly exposed to adult‑oriented social tools and interactions they are not yet equipped to handle." He adds that many competitive games turn younger players into "chum in the water" for older teens and adults, making them vulnerable to predatory behavior. This concern about safety is the driving force behind MacDonald’s new venture, Magic Potion Games, which aims to deliver a spiritual successor to Club Penguin. Backed by investors such as Square Enix, 1AM Gaming, 1Up Ventures, and Konvoy Ventures, and advised by industry veterans including Bungie founder Alex Seropian and Club Penguin co‑founder Lane Merrifield, the studio is developing Imagine Island—a browser‑based MMO that targets children aged six to thirteen and places live moderation and age‑appropriate safeguards at its core.
"Our mission was simple: recreate that safe, nurturing space for kids transitioning from preschool‑level media, then let them graduate to platforms like Roblox when they’re ready," says MacDonald. "Imagine Island is designed to be that bridge." MacDonald, a Kelowna, British Columbia native, grew up alongside the original Club Penguin team at New Horizon Interactive, the studio that built the game before Disney acquired it in 2007. He spent several years overseeing game design and production for Club Penguin, and he vividly recalls the extensive measures taken to protect young players. "Few people appreciated the sheer scale of our safety operation," he notes.
"We employed hundreds of live moderators whose sole responsibility was to monitor chat, filter content, and act swiftly against any malicious actors. We worked closely with law‑enforcement agencies to flag and remove predators as quickly as possible." One of the flagship technologies he helped develop was Community Sift—a sophisticated chat filter and moderation system spearheaded by Chris Priebe (brother of Club Penguin developer Lance Priebe).
Microsoft acquired the technology in 2021, underscoring its pioneering nature at the time. Beyond brute‑force moderation, Club Penguin used subtle behavioral nudges to guide player conduct. MacDonald recounts an example where a player attempted to send a borderline comment; the system silently blocked the message while showing the player that it had been “delivered.” The resulting social cue—no one laughing at the joke—encouraged the user to self‑censor and try a different approach.
This form of social engineering helped shape a community where inappropriate content rarely surfaced. The transition to mobile with Club Penguin Island proved problematic. MacDonald believes the decision to abandon cross‑platform accessibility ignored a key strength of the original game: its ability to run on virtually any device, from high‑end PCs to low‑spec laptops and even older hardware. "The original worked on everything, even a toaster‑like netbook.
That universality was part of its secret sauce," he says. Since Club Penguin’s closure, Roblox’s user base has exploded—from 13.7 million daily active users in Q4 2018 to 144 million in Q4 2025, according to Statista. MacDonald acknowledges Roblox’s impressive growth but stresses a fundamental difference in purpose. "Roblox started as a tools platform, not a children‑first product.
Its DNA is built around user‑generated content for a broad audience, whereas Club Penguin was engineered specifically for kids. That distinction matters when you consider responsibility for child safety," he asserts.
He also points out that Roblox has recently faced scrutiny from the U.S. Senate over child‑protection concerns, with investigations suggesting the platform may prioritize revenue and engagement over safety. In response, Roblox introduced age verification for chat in early 2025 and limited direct messaging for users under 13 in 2024, but critics argue these steps are reactive rather than proactive. Imagine Island began as a simple question: "What core DNA of Club Penguin can we carry forward, and how do we adapt it for a new generation that plays differently?" After leaving Electronic Arts in 2023—following the closure of his studio—MacDonald re‑connected with former Club Penguin colleagues Sascha Williams and Karin Johnson.
Together they secured several million dollars in venture capital to prototype the new world. The development philosophy placed safety at the forefront: "First, we asked how to moderate effectively.
Then we asked how to make the experience fun. Those two pillars guided every decision." Gameplay on Imagine Island mirrors the nostalgic formula: players craft custom avatars, explore a vibrant island, complete quests, play mini‑games, and join community challenges. The title launched in open beta in August and quickly surpassed one million registered users—without any paid marketing spend.
The game is accessible via web browsers thanks to a partnership with CrazyGames, echoing the cross‑platform spirit of the original Club Penguin. To enforce safety, the studio employs the GGWP moderation suite alongside a dedicated team of human moderators. While AI tools are being explored to flag risky conversation patterns, MacDonald believes human intuition remains superior for now, though he anticipates greater AI integration as the platform scales.
User‑generated content is permitted, but with strict controls: players cannot upload external assets, limiting the potential for harmful material. Nevertheless, MacDonald acknowledges that even arranging existing assets in inappropriate ways requires vigilant oversight. When asked about the notorious "time‑to‑penis" meme—a reference to a hidden Easter egg where certain object placements could be interpreted as a phallic shape—MacDonald laughed, confirming the studio’s awareness and stating, "We design the environment so that such accidental formations are extremely unlikely. If a parent glanced at the screen, they should never see anything that could be construed as inappropriate." The pandemic amplified the importance of safe virtual spaces.
With many children confined to homes, online worlds became essential social outlets. "Kids learned that their digital presence mattered as much as their physical one," MacDonald notes, describing how platforms like Roblox turned into a virtual mall for an entire generation.
Yet he sees continuity between past and present. Features like Roblox’s Adopt Me echo Club Penguin’s beloved Puffle system, demonstrating that core gameplay loops still resonate. MacDonald is struck by the scarcity of games that truly inherit Club Penguin’s ethos.
"It blows my mind how few attempts have been made to fill that gap. The opportunity is massive," he says. He feels a deep responsibility as a developer, wanting his work to leave a positive legacy.
"I want this to be a deposit in the world bank, not a withdrawal. Anyone who worked on Club Penguin knows how impactful it was." A poignant memory he shares involves a Make‑A‑Wish child visiting the Club Penguin studio, where the team drew the youngster as a penguin. The experience was a "punch to the heart" for MacDonald, reinforcing his belief that video games can have profound, meaningful effects on lives. In summary, Imagine Island aspires to revive the safe, inclusive, and playful environment that made Club Penguin a cultural touchstone, while integrating modern technology and a rigorous moderation framework to protect today’s digital‑native children.
The project stands as a testament to the belief that online worlds can be both entertaining and responsibly managed, offering a much‑needed alternative to platforms that prioritize engagement over safety.