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Updated: On the seventh day of giveaways, Kingsisle gave to me...
[UPDATE: All winners have been selected and contacted. Congratulations!] On the seventh day of giveaways, Kingsisle gave to me... seven Epic Cards! On the sixth day of giveaways, Nexon gave to me... six Vindictus packs! On the fifth day of giveaways, Mythic gave to me... five upgrade codes! On the fourth day of giveaways, ChangYou gave to me... four welcome gifts! On the third day of giveaways, Icarus gave to me... three months of gameplay! On the second day of giveaways, Hi-Rez gave to me... two gift packages! On the first day of giveaways, Turbine gave to me... a lifetime VIP! Back in November, GameStop teamed up with Kingsisle, the publisher of Wizard101, to offer fans of the game the Epic Bundle cards. The cards have been a big hit, so the Wizard101 team gave us seven of them to share with you for our seventh day of giveaways! Each Epic Bundle contains everything to twink your character out in style: a huge castle complete with a dueling circle and minigame kiosk, a gryphon mount, an Epic Spear of Power, a surprise dueling pet, new clothing, and 5,000 crowns for a shopping spree. This bundle is perfect for both new and experienced Wizard101 players, so all you have to do to enter is let us know which you are! Check out our contest rules, then leave a comment here telling us whether you're a veteran player of Wizard101 or a newcomer hoping to start out in the game in style! We'll draw seven winners at random Monday at 2:00 p.m. EST, so get your entry in before that, and good luck!
Kingsisle shines some light on Wizard101 gardening
If you're a player of Wizard101, the surprisingly deep card-based MMO from Kingsisle Entertainment, then you were probably surprised when gardening made an appearance on the test server last week. I know I heard a gasp of surprise as my wife logged in to take a look! It seems as though players will now be able to grow their own plants, complete with their own personalities and faces. Well, things were still a bit foggy so we decided to fire off a few questions (with the help of our friend Fallon at Diary of a Wizard) in the hopes that our thumbs would become a little greener. Thankfully, Fred Howard, V.P. of marketing at Kingsisle, was able to answer them all. Join us past the cut for the full interview!
Free for All: Lessons from the world of indie and free-to-play
I'm no expert at anything. I'm sort of like the Mario of gaming -- not an ace in one particular area, but relatively experienced in all. Luckily, this has worked out for me. Name a title; I either have played it or know about it. Name a developer, and I can probably tell you something about it that sticks out. Granted, this ability might not come in handy when Twitter is exploding in the usual "Hey, we all love football" Sunday chatter, but look where you're reading this now. On this turf, being a well-rounded gamer has its advantages. Over the last 11 years, I've noticed quite a few trends and picked up on some unique ways that developers do business. I would never say that the information I have is 100 percent accurate, but it does come from a very open mind. I'll also not pretend that all these lessons will lead to massive piles of cash and free booze. Some of them are examples of what not to do. In fact, stop listening to me. Go read the examples right now, after the jump.
Wizard101 partners with GameStop for Epic Bundle game card package
KingsIsle Entertainment, makers of the hit kid-friendly MMO Wizard101, have partnered with GameStop to offer players and parents an exclusive retail-only Epic Bundle just in time for the holiday gift-giving season. The package is priced at $39 USD and features a large amount of in-game extras including a flying gryphon mount, a fantasy palace complete with personal dueling arena and a minigame kiosk, decorative clothing, one month of premium content access, and an additional housing slot. Wizard101 is a free-to-play MMO that lets kids and parents create student Wizards that inhabit Wizard City as well as hone their magical skills and fight the forces of evil. Access to the game's premium content can be obtained via game cards, subscription fees, or the purchase of crowns. You can find more information about the game card bundle at the official website.
The Game Archaeologist and the Asheron Recall: Fond memories
Has October blown by already in a rush of leaves, wind and high-fructose corn syrup candies? Are we already staring down the grim specter of November, AKA "The Middle Child of Holidays"? I suppose so -- and because of that, it must mean that we are in the final week of our Asheron's Call retrospective. I know I say this every month, but I've really gained a whole new level of respect for Asheron's Call. It may have not been a massive blockbuster, but it persevered, it built up a solid playerbase, and it helped Turbine become one of the best-known MMO development houses in the world. Plus, I totally love the fact that the devs placed such a priority on developing an ongoing and ever-changing story, which is something that more MMOs could certainly use these days. So after counting down the top eight highlights of the game, talking to a couple AC vets, and interviewing Turbine's Andy Cataldo, all that's left is to open the floor to the rest of the AC crowd. We asked readers to pipe up and share their favorite experiences, as well as some of their best screenshots that have been lurking on the dustier parts of hard drives. Let's finish this month in style, as AC rides once more!
Free for All: How much for a ten-spot?
In this week's Free for All, I decided to check out some cash-shop games to see what I might get for 10 U.S. dollars. For the record, some games can be subscription-based and still have cash shops, and some games can have cash shops that have been redesigned and tweaked so that they do not fit into the same old "cash-shop" model. For clarity, I stuck to cash shops that normally pop up while you're in-game -- usually inside their own window. Sometimes, though, the cash shops might be accessed or found on the games' main websites, as well. It was hard to choose, being that I generally don't buy from cash shops any more. It takes a very special product (like Wurm Online's currency) to get me to pay, namely because I do not spend as much time in a single game as I used to. Actually, let me rephrase that before someone starts to write a comment based on that statement: I still spend a lot of time in certain games, like anyone else, but my pace has slowed. Most of the cash-shop items out there are convenience items -- simply time-travel devices that allow the player to speed up his experience. Since I have all the time in the world because of the free nature of these games, speeding up is not something I am interested in. So, let's look at a few cash shops to see what piqued my interest!
One Shots: Everybody smile for the camera!
When it comes to stylish rides, there's something to be said for having one of the new swift shark mounts in Wizard101! Not only can the sharks cross from land to water, but they also have an excellent smile, perfect for fun screenshots like today's One Shots. This image comes to us from Leesha Darkheart and was taken at a recent in-game party. We'll let her explain this smiling group: "[This] is a pic of some friends and me hanging out at the Ravenwood Radio podcast in-game after-party this week. We decided to have a swimming party in the new underwater zone, Crab Alley, on our new swift shark mounts. The shark mounts are really awesome-looking and have great animations. They chomp at the bit every once in a while and bounce up really far when you jump. Makes the sparkle pony look like chopped liver." Have you snapped a fun picture from an in-game event that you'd like to share? We'd love to see it. Just email it in to us here at oneshots@massively.com. Include your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing in the picture. Please make sure your image is at least 1024 pixels wide and has as few visible UI elements as possible. We'll post it out here for everyone to enjoy and give you the credit! %Gallery-85937%
PAX 2010: Selena Gomez is Wizard101's new damsel in distress
She plays a fledgling spellcaster in Disney's Wizards of Waverly Place, but soon Selena Gomez will be taking it to the next level. KingsIsle just announced that Gomez will be coming to the magical world of Wizard101 as a princess in distress who needs a bit of saving. The actress-musician agreed to be featured in Wizard101 as a sort of cross-promotion for her latest album. The story goes that nefarious forces have kidnapped Gomez from our world into the layered realms of Wizard101, and she must be rescued and returned to Earth so that she can finish her epic video. As our world is part of the spiral (Earth is just non-magical, hence why Professor Ambrose is so startled when player characters arrive at Wizard City), this crossover doesn't break the lore of the game. Instead, KingsIsle hopes that the popular star will appeal to its core tween demographic. Hit the jump for even more juicy tidbits from PAX Prime!
Wizard101 celebrates its second anniversary
It's easy to dismiss Wizard101 as nothing more than a cute MMO for kids, but the game has proven that it has quite a bit of depth and staying power. And September is the milestone to mark it by, since the game launched in September of 2008. With the arrival of the two-year anniversary for the game, the production staff for KingsIsle Entertainment has posted a short letter to commemorate the achievement and discuss the game's future in brief. Obviously, one of the big points of the future is the release of Celestia, which is currently slated for early fall. The new area and concurrent free expansion will raise the level cap and offer players a variety of new abilities, in addition to the eponymous underwater zone. To help kick off the pending launch, the development team is promising a quest later this month featuring "one of the hottest teen icons on the planet." It's been a busy two years for Wizard101, and it looks like the team is looking forward to many more.
Wizard101 teleports across the pond
KingsIsle Entertainment and Gameforge have joined forces to expand the kid-friendly MMO Wizard101 to a European audience. "This partnership is an important first step in our strategy to expand beyond the domestic US market and bring Wizard101 to an international audience," says KingsIsle CEO Elie Akilian. The 2-year old title, which has netted Texas-based KingsIsle over 10 million registered players, features a magical world called Wizard City as well as player housing, pets, and seven combat classes presented in the form of distinct magical schools. Wizard101 features free access to portions of the game world, while players wishing to experience the complete title can purchase subscription time or use the Crowns system to pay a la carte. Gameforge, a German publisher of free-to-play titles, currently boasts a stable of over 20 games, including Cabal Online, Gladiatus, and Couch Potatoes.
Gen Con 2010: Massively's interview with Wizard101
Wizard101, the free-to-play game from Kingsisle, has been gaining a bit more attention lately. The announcement of the upcoming Celestia expansion turned a few heads with its promise of a new level cap, a pet system, and new content, and as the release date approaches, the Kingsisle team has plenty to say about the game. We had the opportunity to chat with the developers last week at Gen Con, and if you're curious as to what the fuss is all about, you're in luck. We discussed the the game's past, present and future, and gained a great overview of what Kingsisle hopes to accomplish in the coming months. Follow along after the jump to see what we discussed!
Wizard101 offers sharks - and a letter from the producer, too
If you've somehow missed the flurry of shark-love that's been taking place on Massively over the past few weeks, let's reiterate: sharks. Even Wizard101 seems to be knee-deep in sharks, judging by the picture accompanying the newest producer's letter, which hints at a possible shark mount in the upcoming Celestia. Oh, wait, that's right -- there was a producer's letter. Leah Ruben, who has recently taken the title of full producer for the game, penned a letter to let fans know how the game is progressing, what to expect in Celestia, and of course, to include art of sharks. Although Ruben doesn't explicitly state that the shark mounts will be available, the prominent artwork certainly suggests that the underwater area will be well-served via aquatic mounts, as well as a wide variety of new tricks and spells for players in Celestia's added ten levels. She does discuss some of the new features, promising that the areas in Celestia will be larger than prior doses of content for the game, as well as talking about some of her roles within the game's development structure. Wizard101 fans will want to take a look at the letter, as it bodes well for the game's future. Also, we must reiterate: sharks. (We'll make sure to ask about sharks during our upcoming interview with the team at GenCon.)
KingsIsle welcomes Massively, Ravenwood Radio
KingsIsle Entertainment, makers of the popular kid-friendly MMO Wizard 101, recently invited Massively to their studio for a tour. It just so happens that we brought Leesha Darkheart, head of the Ravenwood Radio fancast, with us. After all, who else would take the second shift during the drive? Needless to say, they didn't show us just a basic glance. We were able to take nice, long looks into the inner-workings of a large and growing studio, from sound design to character concept. While this wasn't the first time we had visited the studios, both Leesha and I were slightly taken aback at how the studio had grown, basically doubling in size and "still at it", according to J. Todd Coleman, VP and creative director of KingsIsle. One look at their packed art room would be enough to convince anyone that they are at a "period of pretty rapid growth." We were able to watch as an artist stripped down a character to its bare bones, then as an animator worked hard to give life to another model. We even got to hear how sound can make or break a gaming experience. Next, we were invited to sit down with J. Todd Coleman and VP of development, Josef Hall, for fan questions, talk of the need for careful cash-shop practices, and even off-the-record discussions about Han Solo's quick-draw ability. So join us after the jump for some exclusive concept art for the newest expansion, and some details from the interview.
Wizard101 announces 10 million registrations
Subscriptions, registered users, unique users, unique players, characters created, accounts created, boxes sold -- there really is no set standard to measure a MMO's popularity and success against these days. The only thing that's for sure is that the bigger the number, the better. Fortunately, Wizard101's claim to fame is more solid than most, as they recently announced their 10,000,000th registered wizard in Wizard City and are throwing a party in honor of the game's growth. Wizard101 has been a runaway success since its launch, pulling in players across several demographics, from family to tweens to seasoned MMO vets. The hybrid model, offering a selection of both subscription and free-to-play options, has also opened the game up to a larger playerbase. To celebrate the 10 million milestone, KingsIsle is throwing a party for wizard #10,000,001 at Ravenswood School of Magical Arts. All players are eligible to receive a nifty party pack that holds a decorative banner, balloons, a festive party hat and moist, delicious cake. To snag it, all wizards and witches are directed to head to www.wizard101.com/promo and enter the word PARTYPACK to enjoy the fruits of their play. Congrats to KingsIsle on this impressive achievement!
Massively, Blue Oyster Cult's Eric Bloom and Wizard101 walk into a bar...
Blue Oyster Cult lead singer Eric Bloom has been gaming a long, long time, and been part of a very iconic rock band for even longer. If you are familiar with the More Cowbell sketch on Saturday Night Live, you know B.O.C. I remember their music from my younger days, as my brother and I tried to learn their songs for our band to cover (pro tip: the lead in Don't Fear the Reaper is a killer). In fact, it has to be some kind of fate that I would interview him many years later, since his music also blends in perfectly with the gaming lifestyle. So, what do rock stars like to play? A bit of everything, it seems. Eric also writes for Beckett Massive Online Gamer and has songs featured in games ranging from Guitar Hero to Warhammer Online. Recently, he was asked to help design a quest for the bright and shiny card-battle MMORPG Wizard101. It turns out he had an idea for a quest, and his recent visit to Kingsisle Entertainment was the perfect opportunity to make that idea a reality. Follow past the break to check out the recording of my phone interview with Eric, as well as a sit-down with him and the developers from Kingsisle.
Pets *ding* in Wizard101
A wizened sage once asked, "How much is that doggie in the window?" Perhaps he was contemplating the tangible cost of loyalty and companionship. Perhaps he was attempting to ascribe value to an animal's existence. What he missed was just how awesome pig ninjas can be when unleashed in a wizardly world. Wizard101 just released their May 2010 patch, which revolves around an incredibly beefy and interactive advanced pet system. While pets have been in the game since launch, it's with this patch that they've been given a life outside of pure vanity. Pets can now roam around player housing, engage in mini-games, be bred to perfection, and even cast a handful of spells in a fight. It is possibly one of the deeper pet systems in MMORPGs to date, and worthy of any young (at heart) wizard's or witch's attention. This Wizard101 patch also includes a host of other updates, ranging from badges to characters, housing, spells and more. If you're into this colorful title, make sure to take a few minutes to digest the whole list of notes, which can be found here.
Kingsisle spills the beans about advanced Wizard 101 pets system
You can already feel the buzz in the Wizard 101 community, Tweets firing off that give details about test realm goodies, questions being asked about naming, and general cries of "SQUEEE!" sounding from every corner of the Wizard 101 fanbase. Kingsisle Entertainment today released more details about their upcoming "advanced pet system." Here are some of the cool things you will be able to do once you've reached level 7 and entered the Pet Pavillion. Allow your pets to roam (and dirty) your Castles & Lands. Clean up duty optional. Buy or craft delicious things to make them happy (or pouty when they don't get more.) No one wants unhealthy pets! So get them some exercise in the Derby. Want something new and unique? Create brand new pets using the hatching system! Pet's like mini-games too, you know. So let 'em play them. Of course, you keep the prizes. These pets have a bite that is worse than their bark. Watch as they kick some tail in battle with you. Be sure to keep them well fed and happy, because after each match they are going to be hungry! Wouldn't you be? Well, you actually will be once you take control of your pet in a fun filled race of skill and speed. It sounds a lot like a Kart racing type game, but near one hundred times cuter. You can try out the new pets in the Wizard 101 test realm, and popular fancast Ravenwood Radio is giving away 5 Gobbler pets for you to love! Get the details here.
KingsIsle announces Wizard101 expansion details
Kingsisle Entertainment finally announced details about the upcoming Wizard101 expansion! Players will soon be able to explore Celestia, a new underwater land populated by crab people while pursuing 10 extra levels. As if that is not enough, there will be a new pet system that allows players to grow, customize, race and fight alongside their companions. There will also be three yet-to-be-named schools of secondary magic. (You can already hear the theorizing from here.) According to J. Todd Coleman, Vice President and Creative Director for KingsIsle Entertainment: "2010 is shaping up to be an incredible year for the students of Ravenwood School of Magic. Whether exploring the underwater kingdom of Celestia, or hatching and training pets to participate in the Pet Derby, every player–from the newest apprentice to the returning grandmaster–will find something compelling, engaging and fun." You can download and play the game for free (with the option of a subscription) here. Look for the update in June!
Free for All: How free is freemium?
Welcome to Free for All, a weekly column highlighting the world of Free to Play/Freemium games! The new generation of free-to-play games are not only of the same quality as many "standard" MMOs, but they give players a chance to try them out before they ever spend a dime (if they choose to). I am going to try to make sense out of the masses with this column, so wish me luck and thanks for reading! Freemium is one of those rare hybrid terms that is used to describe some games in the MMO market. Yet, what does it mean? I prefer to use the term "velvet rope", because it places a good picture in your head as to how the game might work. I decided to examine what the term means, and what it might say to a potential player. The best way for me to do this is to look at some "freemium" games that not only do it well, but are some of the most successful games out there, regardless of subscription model.
Wizard101 is no friend of cheaters
You might think that Wizard101 is just a kid's game, which wouldn't be totally incorrect. But if you thought that meant they would just let you do whatever you want... well, nope, not in this playground. KingsIsle Entertainment is demonstrating that they are more than willing to step in and take the reigns when they're aware of an exploit. In this instance, it looks as if an exploit was found regarding the new wings available in the game's cash shop that work as a mount. Players had found a way to purchase their wings via gold alone, getting an unfair advantage on those buying them legitimately. So the game is clipping their wings -- clipping them off entirely, as it were. The wings will be removed from the player's account, all gold spent will be refunded to the player, and they will be reminded that exploiting the game client will lead to a permanent ban from the game. It's not the harshest penalty, but it comes as a stern reminder that no matter how fluffy the exterior might be, Wizard101 still takes cheating very seriously. So it's a bit more like school than you might have thought.
