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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.
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.)
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!
Free for All: Five favorite game systems
This week I decided to talk a bit about some of my favorite game systems. Systems are essentially the building blocks of all quality MMORPG matter, allowing for an experience that is unique and worth returning to. Developers have been very creative in designing these systems that, like good technology, are not often noticed by gamers. Good systems blend into your experience but enhance it, and often make the overall game play seem like something more than it would be without them. Here are some of my favorites, and I would recommend downloading these games and checking them out. Or, if you are already playing these games, take a moment to notice how much thought went into these systems, and also of how much time you spend using them. Their simplicity can sometimes be deceiving, hiding the complicated processes that help your game play be a detailed and varied experience.
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.
Wizard101 raises over $100,000 for charity
The holidays are over -- everyone can breathe a collective sigh of relief now -- but there are some gifts that keep on giving. Charitable donations always go up during the holidays, and with the rise of microtransaction stores, games are better able to get in on the generosity. Wizard101 was one of the many offering an in-game carrot for donating to charity, the tiger-striped Meowmodon mount. Aside from having an adorable name, it inspired enough players to purchase it that raised $126,000 for charity. The total amount received will be split evenly between Child's Play and the Austin Children's Shelter, to suppport both the worldwide community and the area surrounding the KingsIsle headquarters. The company seems quite pleased with the results, and it's a testament to both the community and the game that a free-to-play game could raise such a substantial sum for two excellent causes. The offiicial announcement can be found on the official Wizard101 site, to no great surprise. Congratulations to the players who took part, and we can only hope this effort will be repeated in the coming months -- free-to-play item malls donating to charity have certainly made an impact this holiday season, certain hiccups notwithstanding.
Buy a mount in Wizard101 for charity
Remember when you would try and convince your mother to get you something with the rallying cry that it would be educational? It didn't always work, but it was usually worth a try. Kids playing Wizard101 -- or adults looking to justify their latest impulse purchase to their spouse -- will be able to unleash a variant on that: "But it's for charity!" The Meowmodon mount, pictured above, has just been unveiled as the newest addition to the mount options in the game, but there's a twist: buying it sends no money to KingsIsle. It moves straight on to charity. Each time the mount is purchased, KingsIsle will donate the full cost of the mount, roughly $15 US, to two charities, the Austin Children's Shelter and the ever-popular Child's Play. Moreover, the mount will only be available between December 14th and January 5th of next year. The fact that it's a limited-time item makes it even more attractive to many parts of the gaming community, and it marks a Wizard101 player as having donated to worthy causes at one of the most important times of the year. So if you have any interest in owning it, by all means, head to the page with all the details, and remember that you don't have to feel even remotely bad about this impulse purchase.
Wizard101 hits 2 million unique user mark
The picture for massively multiplayer games aimed at a younger demographic is decidedly bright. Titles like Cartoon Network's FusionFall and Wizard101 from KingsIsle Entertainment have already attracted millions of players, though in the case of FusionFall, having your own TV network to promote it can't hurt those registered member numbers. Not to be outdone, the last word we had on the number of Wizard101 subscribers placed it at over 1 million accounts, but today's press announcement confirms the figure at double that initial estimate -- Wizard101 has now hit the 2 million unique user mark. That number is likely to grow with KingsIsle Entertainment's other announcement -- beginning today, Wizard101 prepaid gift cards can be found in 7-Eleven stores throughout the U.S., in $10 denominations.
Wizard101 gets first major expansion, Wizard Arena for PvP
The kid-friendly massively multiplayer online game Wizard101 saw some big changes yesterday. The introduction of the high level world "Dragonspyre" expands upon the existing storyline in Wizard101, bringing players into a haunted world where a militant society proficient in Fire Magic once lived. The other major addition to Wizard101 is the new PvP Wizard Arena. According to the latest press release from KingsIsle Entertainment: "Players can challenge each other in either Practice or Ranked duels, with up to four Wizards per team. Un-ranked practice duels, free for all Wizard101 players, allow players to jump into an automatically formed duel or set up their own team and choose opponents. In Ranked duels, a robust matchmaking service matches Wizard101 subscribers with similarly ranked Wizards, and the winners of each duel are awarded Arena Tickets, redeemable for unique loot." For the next few weeks, these Ranked duels will be a subscriber-only benefit. But in mid-February, Ranked duels will also open up for non-subscribers. As an added bonus, there are quarterly Wizard Arena seasons, and the top Duel Master will be named at the end of each Arena season.
Wizard 101 previews first game content expansion, Dragonspyre
KingsIsle, the makers of Wizard101, have unveiled their plans for the next big content update for their card-iconic kid's game. With players still investigating the new PvP spell arena recently added to the title, it's interesting to see new content like this announced so soon! Players who have already worked their way through the four Wizard101 worlds will have a new realm to explore: the world of Dragonspyre. The site of a once-active magical school, the new zone is now a burnt-out husk. Players will be forced to deal with dark creatures specializing in Fire Magic, and a slew of new opponents. The new content area is expected to drop sometime in January of 2009. Read into the preview from Warcry to enjoy a bevy of screenshots of the new area, or check out Tipa's writing about the game at West Karana for a player's view of Wizard101.
Testers summoned to Wizard101 Beta
Back in late May, Massively presented an in-depth look at Wizard101, the new family-friendly MMORPG from KingsIsle Entertainment, in which players take on the role of novice wizards studying spellcraft at the Ravenwood School of Magical Arts. Notable for its emphasis on suitability for young people, Wizard101 uses an innovative card game based system to resolve combat and features several addictive mini-games. We loved the doodle-style illustrations, too - reminiscent of the Order of the Stick. The free beta test has now started, so prospective sorcerers can get in line and wait to build up their decks of spells. You can also use the online character creator on the Wizard101 website to find out which school of wizardry you ought to belong to: Fire, Ice, Myth, Storms, Life, Death or Balance.
