Adventure Academy

Introduction

Adventure Academy is a commercial gamified massive multi-user online virtual learning environment for US 3rd to 6th graders (ages 8-13) made by Age of Learning Inc. It completes ABCmouse that targets a younger audience and was introduced in April, 2019.

Screenshot of top of Adventure academy home page (May 6, 2019)

According to an edSurge post, development of this platform cost over 100 Mio $ and involved around 250 developers. It includes “[...] visual and design elements comparable to what one might expect from a mainstream online game—including customizable avatars, live chat and an explorable open world [...]”. The design of this world can be compared to MMORPGs.

According to the official announcement, the platform includes the following features: Adventure Academy includes these key features:

• Thousands of learning activities across hundreds of topics in language, math, science, social studies, and arts.
• Curriculum-based games, books, ther types of reading materials, educational videos, and additional interactive experiences
• Personalisation, gamification, interaction: Learners create avatars to explore an ever-expanding world, complete learning quests to unlock new zones, and interact with other learners.
• Multiplatform
• Subscription-based service, i.e. $10/month (we do not know how difficult or easy) cancelling would be.
• Safety filters and parental control

Age of learning library. Sreenshot from Cass Marshall, Adventure Academy marries ’90s edutainment with modern MMO style, Polygon/Vox Media

Links

Official

• https://www.adventureacademy.com/
• Introducing Adventure Academy™, the World’s First Educational Massively Multiplayer Online Game

Other

• Age of Learning’s Latest Is a $100 Million Educational Game By Tony Wan and Wade Tyler Millward May 1, 2019