To be honest, the buzz was somewhat subdued and limited to the chat group rather than the feverish  all-encompassing excitement that has greeted Breedable launches before, but I think this is partly to do with past history of the Wildwoods and also because they’ve launched in open Beta.

Obviously launching a product in Beta is a risky move. Imaginimals seem to have made sure that their bases are covered for this with a hefty disclaimer on their website, but I did notice that the chat group was very busy when I logged in this morning with reported issues.

As for the cats, well they don’t appear to have changed much since I last reported on them.  The appearance seems to be much the same, and there’s no doubt that they look good (although the ear shape is a little too Elvish for my liking!) I opted for a pair of Bi-Colour and was very pleased with the colours of the kittens that I unpackaged. They’re incredibly pretty, and the animations/positions are very cute and natural looking. I confess, I really do love their styling.   (NOTE: I am NOT going full on cat breeder again, I get way too carried away by it! But I indulged in these critters for the sake of blogging and also because I wanted to experience them for myself)

Pricing for kittens is reasonable-L$300 each, L$600 per pair (obviously) There are lots of vitamins and add-ons that can be purchased but the basics that are required, as far as I am aware, are food and water, which is purchased as a combo unit. One bowl lasts one cat one month, and costs L$200.  I laid that out with the addition of some cream and a ‘Feeshy’ for  mood.

I rezzed my kittens without any fuss, but immediately upon birthing there were substantial stat decreases. Also, movement seemed laboured too.  It’s early days, so hopefully these problems will be ironed out swiftly.  The website does offer the ability to log support tickets and there is also a forum that owners can join, there’s barely any activity on the boards at present but I anticipate that they will start to become pretty active within the next few days.

So will these new breedables take the shine off the existing pets that are available on the grid?

Obviously the main competitor to Imaginimals cats are Kittycats. Personally I don’t actually see that they will be a threat as such as both offer a very different product experience and cater to different fanbases. for example, I know people who don’t go for the ornate appearance of Kittycats, but prefer the more down to earth appearance that the Wildwoods had. Taste is an individual thing, and in my opinion it’s good to have a variety of similar pets on the grid.  Competition isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But  I would be very surprised if legions of Kittycat owners defected to Imaginimals, and to be frank, I don’t think it will happen.  If anything, I think you’ll find breeders indulging themselves with both kinds of cat.

Of course, Kittycats do have the upper hand in that they are well established by now, and they excel not just in terms of product but also due to their exceptional support system. If Imaginimals want to succeed, then they will do well to aspire to the same standards of care offered by Kittycats  for their customers.

Breedable launches are never easy. But cats are always a popular pet, so let’s see how Imaginimals fare. It’s a fresh start, so perhaps it’s time to leave the memories (both good and bad )of Wildwoods behind and look to the future. Doesn’t everyone deserve a second chance after all? I’ll keep you updated on progress…

If you want to join in the open beta then here’s a link to the Imaginimals Sim .  

You’ll need a spare group slot, because only group members can partcipate, and bear in mind there are costs involved. Good luck with your cats!