Wizard101 Expanding To Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau In 2012

Texas-based online game developer KingsIsle has signed a deal with Taiwan's Taomee Technology to launch the popular, kid-friendly Wizard101 in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau in 2012. KingsIsle recently announced the game would also be coming to China in 2012 through a partnership with Taomee Holdings. Starting last year German publisher Gameforge has been operating a European version of Wizard101 in the UK, Germany, Italy and France, with further European expansion planned for the near future. "Wizard101 is steadily transitioning from a critically-acclaimed online game in the United States into a global entertainment property," said KingsIsle chairman and CEO Elie Akilian. "2012 will be an exciting time as we formally introduce the magical world of Wizard101 to the Asian market." The 'tween-targeted MMO has players creating and customizing student wizards, completing quests in a wizardry school, battling monsters and each other with collectible card game-style duels, raising virtual pets, and more. Over 20 million U.S. players have registered for the subscription-and-virtual-item-based Wizard101 since its launch three years ago, KingsIsle says, with roughly 13 million unique visitors going to Wizard101.com each month.