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Wysteria ho! Wizard101 launches August update
According to Wizard101's history, Wysteria was an insignificant town until one day a magical accident caused a vine to go haywire and overgrow the place. Since then it's become a hotbed of mystery, and with the game's August update, players are invited to explore this new land to see what it holds. Wysteria is a mid-level zone that consists of a city, another magical school (Pigswick Academy), and two adventure zones. During their adventures, players can enter into a magical tournament, fight new creatures, and brave a level-60 gauntlet known as the Tower of the Helephant. Players can either subscribe to the game or purchase the zones individually to see the glories of Wysteria. Also included in the update are house teleporters (which allow you to quickly zip between your estates) and a number of minor gameplay tweaks. Recently KingsIsle announced that Wizard101 would be heading to China in 2012.
Wizard101 voyaging to China
Never underestimate the power of magic or kids accessing their parents' wallets. That's what we've learned from KingsIsle over the past few years, as its Wizard101 has grown into a powerhouse slugger that knocks down barriers of all types: age, social groups, and most importantly for the accounting department, world regions. Today we've learned that KingsIsle has struck a deal with Taomee Holdings Limited to bring Wizard101 to China, and in so doing greatly expand the game's market. Taomee specializes in online gaming that's angled for children, so this seems like a perfect match. Chinese players should see a localized version of Wizard101 sometime next year. KingsIsle also says that Wizard101's website netted over 13 million unique visitors during the month of July, a strong indication of just how big this game has grown.
Live like royalty with a Wizard101 Massive Fantasy Palace from Massively!
Wizard101 has been a big fan favorite in the MMO world thanks in large part to the wide range of player accessories, including housing. The Massive Fantasy Palace is the biggest house in Wizard101, available only as part of the Toys R Us Epic Bundle Card... until now. The team at KingsIsle Entertainment has given us 15 Massively Fantasy Palace codes to share with you, our readers. Simply leave a comment below and tell us your favorite thing about housing in Wizard101 by noon EDT on Wednesday, August 17th. Once the deadline arrives, we'll draw 15 winners at random and email codes to the winners. Ready to enter? Just check out our contest rules and leave your comment before the deadline. Best of luck!
The Perfect Ten: Best in-game maps
I love me a good map. Seriously. When I was a boy and we'd go on vacations, I think I spent more time flipping through the detailed atlas in the car than looking out of the windows (and how sad is that?). Even today, I'm fascinated with a good map, as it allows my imagination to roam across lands quickly and imagine what they must be like. In MMOs, maps are one of the most important tools in your user interface. They help orient you, direct you to your next quest objective, allow you to plan a journey in the safest possible manner, and tantalize you with the potentials of unexplored areas. I started to think about how much we rely on a good in-game map when I was reading the Star Wars: The Old Republic dev diary on how that team is implementing their map system. I've found that in-game maps can be a mixed bag, depending on the game you visit. Some may look great but be functionally useless. Some may be uglier than dirt but hit the spot nevertheless. But the best are the ones that marry good aesthetics with practicality, and those are the ones I want to spotlight today. So without further ado, my favorite in-game maps from MMOs!
Wizard101 to hit 20 million user mark this week
It's a magical occasion for KingsIsle Entertainment, as it announces that its popular MMORPG Wizard101 will reach 20 million registered users this week. The press release is careful to note that the 20 million does not include the European editions of the game. Wizard101, for the uninitiated, is a family-focused MMORPG that puts players in the robes and hats of elemental wizards. Players then engage in tactical combat using decks of magic spells while working together to find loot, complete quests, and learn more magic. If you wanna see what all of the fuss is about, head on over to Wizard101's official site.
Wizard101 goes anti-disco in the June producer's letter
The community at Wizard101 is still riding high on the recent Wintertusk world expansion, and according to the June producer's letter, KingsIsle wants to keep the good times rolling. Apart from relaying a few testimonials about the recent expansion, the producer's letter is all about the Benjam-- er, Crowns. Leah Ruben spotlights a couple of promotional sales from the company, including a Dragon's Hoard booster pack that has the potential to deliver rare goodies, and a GameStop card that unleashes a genie (among other things) in your Wizard101 world. Ruben says that a recent graphical issue known as "discoing" on older machines is now fixed. "While sometimes it's fun to dance the disco with flashing colors and lights," she jokes, "it's a bit distracting when you're trying to adventure through the new worlds." Finally, Ruben says that the UK version of the game has added a German language version for those who perfer to play in their native tongue. Assuming that you're German and not Swedish. Or Kenyan. Or... well, you get the point. You can read the full producer's letter over at Wizard101.
KingsIsle brings Wizard101 goodies to Canada
KingsIsle Entertainment, maker of the very popular card-based freemium title Wizard101, announced today that it will be releasing a brand-new mega-bundle pre-paid card to stores across the country. Here's how the cards work: Players pay a set amount and receive a card with a code that, once redeemed in-game, can add all sorts of gold, goodies, and other options. The new card features a new flying carpet mount, a massive sultan's palace complete with a mirage, 5000 crowns to be used in the cash shop, and several other fun items. It's no wonder the cards have become one of the best-selling cards at Gamestop -- they offer an all-in-one package that is easy to pick up. Canadians worried about getting their hands on these cards can rest easy -- KingsIsle is pushing the cards into major Canadian retailers this fall. Concerned players who have been "surprisingly vocal" about the lack of card access will also get the chance to own exclusive pets available only in their area. This move will bring Wizard101's combined retail presence to over 50,000 stores. Not bad -- not bad at all. So, what's next for the freemium giant? Well, KingsIsle just partnered with Gameforge to bring the game overseas. Interesting things happen when you have to port a fully voice-acted game like Wizard101 to a place like Germany. The UI and map has to be tweaked to allow room for the longer written language, and everything needs to be localized. There are also cultural differences to consider, and the cash shop can be received differently than here in the U.S. The new game cards will be offered for $39, but the items included are valued at over $100.
Win a new Wizard101 pet and accessories from Massively!
What's better than a new in-game pet for Wizard101? A new in-game pet that comes complete with a bundle of goodies to help your new friend grow up big and strong much more quickly than normal! The folks at KingsIsle Entertainment have given us 25 codes to share with our readers. Each code contains one pet and a Mega Snack Pack -- a bundle of consumables that's "full of healthy snacks that will help your pet by greatly increasing their Agility, Strength, Intellect, Will and Power, and even their Experience!" You might be wondering what pet you'll get with this code -- and we're wondering too! Each code contains one of 20 random pets: everything from frogs to unicorns to dragons to snowmen and more. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment here telling us what you love about Wizard101 by noon EDT tomorrow, June 5th. We'll send codes out to 25 lucky winners shortly after the deadline. Check out our contest rules, and good luck!
One shots: My home is my castle
Wizard101 players have been turning out in droves for this week's One Shots theme, with good reason. Player housing in the game is extensive, diverse, and most of all fun. Today's extra-grandiose submission comes to us from Virginia: Here is a screenshot of Jenna Dawnheart's Wizard101 house, taken from the remote island that is part of the house. In the front is a carousel crafted by Jenna -- it took many, many hours to gather all the components. We've got one more day for you to show off your character's home, so send us a screenshot at oneshots@massively.com along with your name and the name of the game. Tell us anything you like about the decor, memorabilia, trophies, and so on, and we'll show it off here on One Shots so everyone can admire your digs! We'll be featuring awesome mounts next week, so it's time to grab a screenshot of your finest ride, be it hooved, feathered, wheeled, or otherwise. Do you think you've got the best-looking or most unusual mount around? Prove it by sending it in! If you'd like a head start on the following week, we'll be focusing on weird foes. Do you have a great shot of a dancing Abaddon in Guild Wars or a nose-picking foe from Gates of Andaron? Send those in too and we'll feature them on One Shots! %Gallery-112285%
One Shots: Beach house
We've got another Wizard101 house for you today, one that both demonstrates the versatility of player housing in the game and makes us long for a beach vacation. Contributor Anthony says: I am from Wizard101, and my name is Anthony Firesword. This screenshot is of my Island Getaway house. This island house reminded me a lot of an island resort, so I decided to create a beach theme. After winning and buying some items and crafting a few, I managed to make this look like a nice beach. I hope you like it. Ready to show off your character's home sweet home? Send us a screenshot at oneshots@massively.com along with your name and the name of the game. Tell us anything you like about the decor, memorabilia, trophies, and so on, and we'll show it off here on One Shots so everyone can admire your digs! %Gallery-112285%
One Shots: Seeing stars
Today's One Shots takes us to a bright and cheery place in player housing, thanks to Paige MoonShade: I am known as Paige MoonShade, and I play the game Wizard101. The screenshot I picked is from my crafted Celestial observatory. This room is called the Starfish Café. This whole room came to me from winning the jellyfish lamp in middle of room, which was my main decorating starting point. From there it was history from crafting small coconut drinks and the shell house for all my prized starfish. I hope you enjoy this room as much as I do. Ready to show off your character's home sweet home? Send us a screenshot at oneshots@massively.com along with your name and the name of the game. Tell us anything you like about the decor, memorabilia, trophies, and so on, and we'll show it off here on One Shots so everyone can admire your digs! %Gallery-112285%
Nick Jonas is Wizard101's mystery composer
The cat is out of the bag and the teenage girls are out of their minds: Wizard101 has announced that Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers is the "mystery composer" whom we've been trying to guess for the past couple of weeks. Jonas both wrote and produced the soundtrack for Wizard101's latest world of Wintertusk, which includes seven pieces of music. Apparently, the songwriter was psyched to be a part of a video game for the first time: "This was a first for me. I never produced or wrote music for a game or in this case, a whole world before. So I jumped at the chance to work with KingsIsle. It was very cool to be part of a project that allowed me to help create the mood for Wintertusk and interact with an audience in an entirely new way." Players can even meet Nick Jonas -- well, his virtual equivalent -- in the game and watch as his character conducts an orchestra. The world of Wintertusk with all of its "cool" music is currently open for all to experience.
Researchers reveal initial Wizard101 findings
"The stereotype of the dysfunctional, male teen gamer no longer holds," say the researchers behind an extensive new study based on Wizard101. "At any time during the game, your teammate could be a kid, a neighbor, or a grandparent." Trinity University academics recently partnered with KingsIsle Entertainment to survey more than 30,000 Wizard101 players regarding online habits, inter-generational play, and family gaming. The findings are the result of one of the largest studies of online game players to date and were collected via an anonymous survey in March 2011. The results speak to a diverse playerbase that spans multiple generations and that also invests a portion of its out-of-game time in creative projects directly related to the game. Twenty percent of adult respondents indicated extra-game activity focused on Wizard101 (usually blogging), while 54% of children engaged in game-related activities including blogging, artwork, video production, and creative writing. Check out the full press release after the cut.
The Perfect Ten: Why a Harry Potter MMO makes sense
The idea of a Harry Potter MMO is hardly a new one at this point -- we've even speculated on it around Massively for years now. Rumors and wishful thinking have brought up this hypothetical MMO time and again, and for good reason: It simply makes sense. In fact, the more you think about it, the more surprising it is that we haven't heard official word of a Harry Potter MMO by now. After doing some poking around, the most likely suspects to take on this project would either be Warner Bros. (which owns the rights to the franchise) or Electronic Arts (which purchased a license from WB to make the movie video games). Both companies have MMO studios at their command -- Turbine, BioWare, Mythic -- and both have the resources to make it happen. So why does Harry Potter make perfect sense for MMO-adaptation? Hit the jump and I'll run you down the top 10 reasons! And if you post a positive comment after this column, I'll add five points to the house of your choice (go Hufflepuff!).
Wizard101 soundtrack adding a 'mystery composer'
As Wizard101 gears up for its latest expansion world of Wintertusk, the folks at KingsIsle Entertainment have a secret or two up their sleeves. According to the studio, the soundtrack for Wintertusk was composed by "one of the hottest young musical talents in the entertainment industry." Who is this composer? Well, that's the big secret -- the studio isn't saying. Instead, KingsIsle has set up a Wizard101 Mystery Composer page that will reveal hints, one at a time, until the artist is revealed. The only hint that's up so far mentions that this person performed on Saturday Night Live. KingsIsle's J. Todd Coleman feels that when the artist is revealed, it'll be a big deal: "This is a cool idea, because our mystery composer has a huge name in the music business but has never created music for a video game. I'm really impressed by this artist's adaptability and talent. I think our players are going to be very surprised and totally blown-away." The Wintertusk soundtrack is made up of seven original pieces of music. Currently, the expansion world is on the test server.
Wizard101 brings forth the newest update to the test realm
The newest update for Wizard101 is just around the corner, as evidenced by the update heading to the test realm as of tonight. There's a lot of content to unpack within the official patch notes, including a brand-new area and a variety of additional content for players to explore. Wintertusk, the newest area, is of course the centerpiece of the update, allowing players to continue the story of Grizzleheim. As with most new areas, players may enter with a membership or purchase the new area individually when the update goes live. Players who are at least level 35 or 55 can obtain a pair of new spells, one for utility and one as an upgrade of a prior spell, by undertaking a new quest from Baldur Goldpaws. Lower-level players can also continue the story of Crab Alley, while higher-level characters can delve into a new dungeon in the same area. Wizard101 players can glance at the full patch notes and take a look at the gallery below for some previews of what's en route with this latest patch. %Gallery-23433%
Wizard101 releases producer's letter for April
Wizard101 is staying cool -- frosty, even. At the very least, the game's storyline is staying icy, as the game's next new area will be the region of Wintertusk. The newest producer's letter from Leah Ruben explains that Wintertusk will continue the story started in Grizzleheim, giving players a chance to venture farther into snowbound regions of the world against various tundra-themed enemies. But there are a lot of other changes coming along with the game's next update, offering players of all levels new content and additions. Higher-level players will be able to enjoy the addition of high-level quest pets as well as a variety of additional spells and effects designed for the best of the best. Lower-level players will be heading back to Crab Alley to continue the mini-story associated with the Selena Gomez promotion a while back. There's also some new content slated to just be meant for those at the apex of power, as well as the opportunity for players to upgrade a given spell to help it match their newer abilities. In addition, the letter includes a continuation of last month's questions and answers for the producer. Wizard101 players can check out the full producer's letter for more information.
Wizard101 offers many mounts for the masses
Are you wanting a super-cool mount in Wizard101 but finding yourself a little strapped for crowns when it comes to picking up a ride of your own? If so, we've got good news for you. There's a special "mount-a-polooza" sale going on in the Spiral right now, a sale that reduces mount prices up to 50% off the normal cost! Along with that, players will find that not only are all the regular rides in the store right now, but some old favorites have returned from their retired status along with a handful of all-new mounts! According to our friends over at KingsIsle Entertainment, Wizard101 players can also look forward to a future update that will allow their mounts to wander around their houses, similar to how pets function now. Perhaps you could even pick up a sleek shark like the ones our friends from Ravenwood Radio are riding in the above screenshot! In the meantime, check out the roaming mount video (with a few surprises) behind the break, then head over to the Wizard101 site to snap up a stylish new ride of your very own.
PAX East 2011: One Massive roundup
PAX East has already begun fading into memory, but there was a lot to see and do over the three days of the convention. Even if we disregard the numerous fan gatherings and community events taking place, there were an awful lot of games on the floor, with showings from MMOs that dwarfed last year's offerings. If you were lucky enough to be there, we can only hope that you had fun and got to see all of the impressive displays. Of course, you may very well have missed one or two things, what with all of the sound and lines and people walking around with a pixel costume. Even if you were sitting at home, you might have missed some of our coverage of this event. Just jump on past the break for a full recap of Massively's coverage of the con, covering everything from the venerable City of Heroes to the highly anticipated Star Wars: The Old Republic.
PAX East 2011: Massively interviews Wizard101's Fred Howard
There was a lot of game news to come out of PAX East this past weekend, and KingsIsle definitely arrived with some very big announcements. Wizard101 fans can look forward to a brand-new world called Wintertusk, which completes the epic storyline of Grizzleheim. Both high- and low-level players will have new places to explore and quests to complete. Highlights include brand-new areas for high-level Wizards to discover and explore, new spells, level 58 class pets for each primary school, a revamped underwater introduction zone for lower-level characters (continuing the story of the Crab King), and the ephemeral "more." Massively had the chance to talk with KingsIsle Vice President Fred Howard about Wizard101 and the rapid growth of MMOs aimed at younger players. Read on for his thoughts on player security, the importance of story, and a curious Crab King with a penchant for rock.
