The Neopies: A Retrospect

     New avatars, events, colors, and wearables: A lot happens each year on this site, and one way it is recognized is in the form of the Neopies. We are currently in the season of the eighth Neopies, an awards ceremony that recognizes the best (and sometimes worst) Neopia had to offer over the past year. How did this event come to be? What are we voting on and does it matter? What can you get from participating? Let’s dive into this red carpet event.

     The Tradition

     The Neopies started in 2009, allowing Neopians the chance to vote on a variety of site aspects from 2008. The Neopies lasted as an annual event for several years, reaching the sixth awards ceremony in 2014. Following this Neopies season, there was a hiatus for several years until the Neopies made a triumphant return in 2019. Why the hiatus? During the first Neopies-less year, TNT said in an editorial they had a few other things planned instead. One event that may have diverted attention from the Neopies was the first occurance of the Charity Corner. There was also much behind-the-scenes work going on to deal with lag and transfer servers during the time that the Neopies traditionally would have been.

     Back in that first year, the voting opportunity appeared in the news as “the Best of 2008,” but banners and the voting page featured the name Neopies. By the next year, the event would appear throughout Neopia as the Second Annual Neopies. The host of the Neopies also came into play-- the besuited Elephante known as Ellsworth. Ellsworth presents the winner of each category with their Neopies trophy, which, the Neopedia notes, is made of real gold.

     The Neopies occur in Neopia Central, though the exact location is not disclosed-- no doubt to protect the who’s who of Neopia from being swarmed with fans as they look to celebrate. Now back for the second year in a row, the Neopies allows us to have a bit of fun looking back on the past year in Neopia.

     The Categories

     Each day during the Neopies voting period, a new category is released. The number of categories varies from year to year, with the first Neopies featuring ten categories and the Neopies of 2019 featuring a record-setting twenty-two categories. This year, there will be a total of sixteen categories for Neopians to vote on.

     Some of the current categories are classics and date back to the early days of the Neopies, like the best Advent Calendar Animation. However, that first Neopies had us voting in a number of categories that have not repeated, like the best smile (winner: Rufus) and the best place to live (winner: Faerieland… you know, before it fell). Other categories have been lost to time, such as the second Neopies’ category of Best New Key Quest Token, but others have remained and been added. Popular categories throughout the years have included the best Neopoint or Neocash wearable, the best new Neopet color, and the best site event. One fun category, introduced in the third Neopies, is “Let Us Never Speak of This Again,” where instead of voting for the best, Neopians vote for their least favorite of the nominees. (Of course, by putting the nominees in this category, we are very much speaking of them again! But how else would we learn?)

     The categories and nominees in them are decided on by TNT and impacted by the feedback received over the year. Of course, there are often many more things that could be in each category than the four nominees we get. Editorial 530 shares that the content team goes through all of the year’s news and narrows it down until we have our nominees. Sometimes your personal favorites might not make the cut or even have a category they would fit in, but remember, there are a number of ways to make your feedback heard. The Neopies and its categories just allow us to come together in our reflections and see how others respond as well-- and it’s always fun to root for your favorite!

     The Prizes

     When you vote in a day’s category, you’ll receive a prize to thank you for your vote. At the second Neopies, there were a number of exclusive Neopies-themed items that voters had a chance of receiving. Since then, the daily prizes have come to draw from a less-exclusive but still exciting pool of items.

     The Neopies also offers an exciting bonus prize for voting for each category on the day that it’s posted. This makes it worth it to check in and vote every day, even if your favorites didn’t make the cut off. Past bonus prizes for voting every day have included Neopies-themed wearables for your Neopets, such as background. These are perfect for any Neopet with a little diva in their heart. (The first day does follow the common pattern of allowing a day and a half for voting, in case you need time to warm up your voting finger.)

     In 2019, a Neocash aspect was added to the Neopies in the form of the Neopies VIP Raffle. To participate, one purchased tickets from the NC Mall and would then claim prizes from the VIP Raffle page. There were a total of seven NC items released at the seventh Neopies. The Neocash aspect will return this year at the Closing Gala.

     One additional prize is the chance to make your voice heard. Cheesy? Perhaps, but the Neopies offer a quick and easy way for you to offer feedback about what makes the site great for you. Were you excited to see a stamp when collecting your prize from the Advent Calendar? Or do you prefer a lovely wearable instead? What was the best take on a new pet color, and, at least of the nominees, what wasn’t so popular? What do people want more of in the coming year?

     Keep an eye out for the final results of this year’s Neopies, and be sure to check out the Neopies in years to come.