Bin Weevils

Bin Weevils was based on the theme of real creatures, weevils. Players could create, customize and control their own character in an online world. The game was set in a bin-like setting where many locations were specifically designed for this theme (e.g. Kip's Scrapyard, Peel's Park, Ink's Orange Peel) with objects that would normally be found in a rubbish bin, such as mould and orange peels. Players had their own "nest" in which they were able to adjust the colour and design the rooms with items. Players could choose to upgrade the nest to all 8 rooms using the Mulch currency via a membership and were also able to decorate their rooms by buying items from the "Shopping Mall" and placing the items in their rooms accordingly. Nestco was the main shopping department, where players could purchase nest items and bundles to decorate their nest rooms with. Nestco included over 18 item categories, the Nestige Range, and a showroom. The items could be sold at one of the locations in the game if the player didn't want the item anymore for Mulch currency. The nest consisted of a private cinema, a plaza (both required membership), a garden, nest generator, and a Bin Bot Portal. All players also had a "Bin Card" in their nest, which they stamped every day to collect rewards, including hat coupons, item vouchers, plants, XP, Dosh, Mulch, and much more.

Plazas were located underneath a user's nest, and contained five virtual businesses. These included a photo studio where members could decorate a studio with props, cutouts, decorations, and backdrops for other users to take pictures in. Users could frame their pictures in different frames and sizes and place them in their nest rooms. A Bin Tycoon would earn earnings at the ATM Cash Machines for every photo frame purchased. Plazas also featured four party rooms, where members could decorate party rooms with a wide variety of decorations and party items for players to party in. They could customise each party room with text, text colours, facades, decorations, and music. For every customer members received from the plaza directory, members would earn earnings at the ATM Cash Machines.

Other virtual businesses included magazines and race tracks. Members could publish weekly magazines using text, fonts, page layouts, stickers, and photos from their own Bin Tycoon Camera. They could name their magazines and could become journalists, write on the latest game news, and take pictures from their camera around the game in different sizes for their magazine issues. Players could rate magazines and in return members would earn earnings at ATM Cash Machines for every rate they received and for publishing a weekly issue. The Weevil Wheels Track Builder at the Dirt Valley allowed members to design and run race track businesses using track builder kits. Members could design their own race track with 3D features for other players to play on at the Weevil Wheels Track Builder directory. In return for every play and rating they received on their race tracks, members would earn earnings at ATM Cash Machines. They would also earn earnings for having their race track approved.

The main navigation of the game was the Map which players could use to travel to different areas of the game world. The game world consisted of 15 main areas for users to explore: Flum's Fountain, Lab's Lab, Dosh's Palace, Castle Gam, Rigg's Movie Multiplex, Sink's Sub, Rum's Airport, Tink's Tree, Gong's Pipenest, Club Fling, Dirt Valley, Figg's Cafe, Shopping Mall, Bin Pets Paradise, and Flem Manor. Some locations were only accessible by becoming an SWS Member (Secret Agent). The Summer Fair was a temporary pop-up location during the summer months where players could play fairground mini-games to earn 'Tokens' and buy prizes for their nest from the Prize Huts. Summer Fair attractions included the Gunge Tent, Ram's Arcade, Fab's Fortune Teller, Duck Soaker, Bin The Ball, Spin The Wheel, Funhouse, Weekly Challenge, Gong's Hammer, Bin Pet Bounce, and Gam's Cannon.

Inside most of the main areas contained additional smaller areas, such as shops and areas containing games (1 player, 2 player, and 4 player games), missions, quests and activities. There were several shops where players could purchase items with any of Bin Weevils' 2 currencies; ("Mulch") and ("Dosh"). Mulch was earned by playing games, harvesting plants and other activities while Dosh remained a premium currency which was earned by becoming a Bin Tycoon, buying Dosh top-up bundles and watching advertisements. There were several multiplayer games which players had the choice to participate in to earn currency ("Mulch") and experience points ("XP"). There were also a number of educational games, such as the "Daily Brain Strain," which players could visit every day to test their knowledge through a series of math, geography and puzzle questions. Players who participated in the 60 seconds received Mulch and XP based on how well they have performed. Players could challenge themselves on leaderboards. Players could also enter codes to receive rewards.

All users had a garden outside of their nest, in which they could choose to buy plants from the Garden Shop and plant and the harvest for in-game currency ("Mulch") and experience points ("XP"). The user could save the currency or buy more plants and the XP contributes to levelling up towards the next level. The gardens could be expanded to deluxe and super deluxe sizes. There were 80 levels in total but more were often added. In addition, paying players could choose to purchase a virtual pet called a "Bin Pet." The Bin Pet had its own profile and items. Players could choose to feed their Bin Pet and make the pet character perform tricks and play mini-games. Bin Pets could be looked after by feeding them and training them to do tricks, including juggling, fetching, spinning, waving and jumping. Players could teach their Bin Pet to climb on their avatar and explore the game world with them or on their back. Interacting with other Bin Pets improved a Bin Pet's fitness and endurance mechanics. Bin Pets could learn skills and copy other Bin Pets. Players could teach their Bin Pet to copy their weevil actions, (waving, jumping, standing, etc).

A well-levelled Bin Pet was able perform their skills and tricks at a fast rate. Each Bin Pet trick and skill came with its own unique level, progress, stars and juggling training paths. There were over 30 Bin Pet commands and several training paths with hundreds of juggling levels players could unlock, including pro and elite levels. The Bin Pet profile was the location where players could keep an observation on their pet's food, vitality, fitness and endurance mechanics. Non-paying players could also choose and also own a virtual pet for 24 hours. This feature was called "Pet-For-A-Day" and was first revealed in 2014.

In 2015, Bin Weevils was requested by the Advertising Standard Authority (ASA) to change the wording of their in-app advertising, stating that players were under pressure to purchase items in the game.[30][31] 55 Pixels Ltd, the company which operates the game, said that "as soon as [we] were made aware of the complaint made to the Advertising Standards Authority about a potential breach, and once we had understood the area for concern, we changed all our membership pages to comply with their recommendations. [The ASA] subsequently upheld the complaint about the original wording but referenced that we now complied, in the text of the ruling."[32]

In September 2014, Bin Weevils suffered a data breach culminating in unauthorised access to some accounts.[33] Bin Weevils had been alerted of the vulnerability and had taken the website down for a week to carry out security maintenance. A captcha was added to the website during the breach, which users had to verify before they could proceed.

Bin Weevils was nominated for the BAFTA Awards in 2009. Bin Weevils received the "Best Website" BAFTA Award in 2011.[34] To celebrate, new nest items were launched in-game. Bin Weevils won the BAFTA Awards again towards the end of 2012.[35] Bin Weevils won the "Best Website" for the third time in late 2013,[36] and again in 2014.[37]

1. Official Bin Weevils Website