Crafting system, Bazaar marketplace, and community features included in expansion

Plano, Texas – July 2, 2009 – KingsIsle today released the largest expansion to date for the online virtual world Wizard101 (www.wizard101.com). In addition to the lush new world of Grizzleheim, the expansion also introduces crafting to the game, as well as a Bazaar and several new community features.

“Crafting will introduce some amazing and really powerful new equipment into the game, including items that span multiple schools of magic,” explains James Nance, Lead Designer of Wizard101. “Additionally, as Treasure Cards will be primarily created by crafting, it will encourage many Wizards to try their hand at crafting and trading cards with other players.”

The ability to craft items will add a whole new dimension to Wizard101. Players will have the opportunity to craft literally hundreds of new items, including hats, robes, staves, furniture and Treasure Cards. First, Wizards will obtain crafting tables for their houses or dorm rooms, and then collect the recipes and reagents, or ingredients, necessary to make the new items through exploration, shopping, or defeating enemies. There are five tiers of advancement for crafters, and any player may choose to become a crafter, although many recipes and ingredients will be found in areas accessible only to subscribers.

In addition to Grizzleheim and crafting, players may now visit the new Bazaar in Olde Town where they may buy items sold by other players and sell items in exchange for gold. Run by a shrewd but fair trader named Elik Silverfist, prices for each item will adjust depending on how many of that item he has on hand, but Wizards will always get the best deal by visiting Elik.

New updates to community features also include grouping in which up to four players may adventure together across zones and communicate via their own chat channel. If one party member initiates a duel, a place is reserved in that duel circle for each member in the party. This expansion will also introduce open chat, an option available only to players over age 18 with a validated credit card.