We went to extraordinary lengths to protect our younger players. One of our first principles in developing Wizard101 was: safety first. What steps have you taken to ensure children are safe from harassment while playing? They have an attitude that says, “I don’t know where you’re going with this, but let’s find out!” and that enables you to try out creative directions that might be too risky for an older primary audience. Kids can see things with fresh eyes, and they’re willing to give you a larger range of latitude when it comes to trying out new ideas.

Something that I really love about the kids market is that creatively, it’s completely open.

Also, I generally like ideas that are focused on areas that are being ignored or under-served by others in the marketplace. First of all, I have young daughters and wanted them to have a fun and safe game to play. What inspired you to create the game for all-ages?Ī couple of things led me in this direction. This means that the experience has more meaning and isn’t just a simple level grind, but it also means that you are guided through your adventures and never at a loss for what to do next.įinally, it combines some concepts that are enjoyed by many: a school for Wizards with collectible card-based dueling in a fun and whimsical universe. It’s also much more story-driven than most MMOs. I think that approachability makes it easy for both kids and parents that have never played an MMO to jump in and not be overwhelmed. “Family-friendly” doesn’t equate to “short-cut quality.” Quite the opposite, in fact. In movie terms, we look to Pixar as our guiding light. A lot of “family friendly” products aren’t really made with an eye for quality we’re unique in that we are as approachable and kid friendly as any game out there, but our art style, our cinematic combat system, our character acting – these are elements more commonly attributed to the triple-A game titles. What do you think separates this game from the rest available via PCs?

Hall co-founded Wolfpack Studios Inc., and was instrumental in all aspects of product design until the company was acquired by Ubisoft Entertainment in 2004. Coleman, a co-founder of Wolfpack Studios Inc., was named Massive Gamer magazine's #6 Most Influential Person in Gaming, and also one of Game Developer Magazine's Top 50 Developers.

Last week, I spoke via email to Todd Coleman, the creative lead at KingsIsle behind Wizard101, and to Josef Hall, the co-creator of the game for KingsIsle.

Wizard101 download link