WildWorks, formerly known as Smart Bomb Interactive and commonly referred to as AJHQ, is the studio that created Animal Jam Classic. Their headquarters is located in Draper, Utah, but they operate on a global scale and have an additional office in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The company was founded by Clark Stacey, Kris Johnson, and Jeff Amis in 2003 and was originally a developer for various publishers, including Namco and Activision. Kris Johnson led the team as the CEO and Director of the company. The studio's first major release wasn't until 2006, and their release of Animal Jam Classic did not occur until September 9, 2010. In August 2022, the studio was acquired by the India-based gaming company Nazara Technologies.
Partnerships[]
WildWorks had a brand licensing agreement with the National Geographic Society, which allowed them to incorporate National Geographic's name, logo, and educational content directly into Animal Jam Classic. This agreement was originally established in 2010 when the game was created, but it was extended for an additional 10 years in 2014. The agreement was changed for unknown reasons in 2017, and all usages of National Geographic name and logo were removed from Animal Jam.
Staff[]
WildWorks employs over 130 staff members, around 90 of which operate out of their Utah headquarters, in capacities that vary from engineers and designers to safety and support experts. Clark Stacey led this team as the CEO until his resignation in January 2024, upon which he was suceeded by Jeff Amis.
Related Apps & Games[]
Following the success of Animal Jam Classic, WildWorks released a somewhat related mobile game Tunnel Town on July 18, 2013. While Tunnel Town was completely separate from Animal Jam Classic, the next release by WildWorks of AJ Jump allowed for a direct connection back to Animal Jam Classic accounts when it was released on December 10, 2013. WildWorks continued expanding into the mobile game market with the beta-testing introduction of Play Wild, a mobile version of Animal Jam Classic, on December 16, 2014. They released another app on August 17, 2017, called AJ Academy: Amazing Animals, which is a free mobile app containing e-books about various animals. Yet another app was released on October 4, 2017, called Animal Jam Stickers, which is an iOS exclusive app containing a collection of emoticons to use in Messaging apps. Their most recent app, Dash Tag, represents a departure from the realm of Animal Jam content, although some details in that game appear similar to those of the Animal Jam games.
Name | Release Date |
---|---|
Tunnel Town | July 18, 2013 |
AJ Jump: Animal Jam Kangaroos! | December 10, 2013 |
Animal Jam (formerly Animal Jam - Play Wild!) | August 18, 2015 |
AJ Academy: Amazing Animals* | August 17, 2017 |
Animal Jam Stickers* | October 4, 2017 |
Dash Tag | February 20, 2018 |
Animal Jam Parent Tools* | May 22, 2019 |
*Indicates an application that is not a game.
WildWorks had also developed a version of Sky High for the National Geographic Kids website to promote Animal Jam. This version has since been removed from the website.
Other Games[]
Before releasing Animal Jam Classic, WildWorks developed several games for home and handheld consoles. These titles have no relation to Animal Jam Classic. In 2018, WildWorks ventured outside of the Animal Jam Classic universe with the release of Tag With Ryan, a game that is very similar to Dash Tag. WildWorks will continue this with the upcoming release of Feral in 2020.
Name | Release Date |
---|---|
Pac-Man World Rally | August 22, 2006 |
Snoopy vs. the Red Baron | October 24, 2006 |
Bee Movie Game (Wii version) | October 30, 2007 |
Snoopy Flying Ace | June 2, 2010 |
Tag With Ryan | December 18, 2018 |
Feral | Q2 2020 |
Cinder | February 16, 2022 |
Unreleased Games[]
WildWorks have also worked on a small number of projects that were never completed or released to the public.
Name | Planned Release Date |
---|---|
Mouse Equipped: Scumbag Racing[1] | Unknown |
Sky Legends[2] | Planned for spring 2011 |
Trivia[]
- The primary WildWorks office was originally located in Salt Lake City, Utah, but they relocated in May 2018.
- The WildWorks website has the WildWorks news segment where they report Animal Jam statistics and various stories related to the company.
- In a June 2017 conference, Clark Stacey estimated that WildWorks had nearly 150 audience support and engagement representatives, although many of those are not considered to be official employees.
- During the Night of the Phantoms, the logo on the bottom of the Animal Jam homepage is changed to a "zombified" version.
- Wildworks is currently taking part in the "Green Mobile Game Jam" with the release of Eco Items.
“ | WildWorks is excited to participate in the Play for the Planet initiative because it is important to use our platform to educate our youthful player base on the value of renewable energy. We learned that environmental sustainability is something that can easily be taught through a series of fun and engaging activities.
WildWorks’ next steps are to refine and expand the renewable energy system to keep it fresh, fun, and educational for all players of the Animal Jam community! |
„ |
~ Jeff Byers, Lead Designer on Animal Jam Classic |