On 9 October 2025, KingsIsle Entertainment officially launched their long-running fantasy MMORPG, Wizard101, on console platforms. The announcement video released on 1 October confirmed that the game will be immediately playable on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S, and released sometime later for the Nintendo Switch.

Those unfamiliar with the game may view Wizard101 as an unusual choice for a console release, especially given its age. However, its nostalgic appeal often attracts returning players bringing along new friends, culminating in a surprising yet charming active community.

The excitement for Wizard101’s console release started over a year ago, from an announcement on the game’s official X account. The post acknowledged the community’s unwavering dedication to the game alongside fans’ pleas for a console port. Specifically, the post featured a video compilation of player comments across several social media platforms.

Prior to this announcement, Wizard101 was a PC-exclusive game, only extending its reach across MacOS, Steam, and regional servers. However, none of these expansions were close to being as anticipated as the console release. The shift to console has made the game more accessible and inviting than ever before.

Following the initial August 2024 announcement, KingsIsle hosted an early access release of Wizard101 through Xbox Game Preview. This mainly allowed developers to test the game’s two main methods of accessing paid content — purchasing individual zones and membership elixirs — as well as temporary free membership periods and server stability ahead of launch.

Unlike the game’s European server launch which was considered widely unsuccessful due to low player counts and less server-exclusive promotions than its North American counterpart, the console release was well-received by the community, evidenced by the high player activity across all regions.

The console port maintains the same business model as its PC counterpart, using Crowns as premium currency alongside paid memberships. This displeased several members of the community despite seemingly ensuring consistency and fairness between platforms.

KingsIsle’s business model has been a major point of criticism for quite some time; players cannot complete the full story of the first world (out of soon-to-be twenty-three) without purchasing a membership or individual zones via Crowns.

Another major criticism of the port is the incompatibility of crossplay between PC and console players. While console players are able to crossplay between all supported consoles, PC players remain on separate servers.  This prevents veteran players with high-level wizards from joining their friend on a new journey, and if they choose to also play on console, they must restart their progress from the beginning.

Wizard101’s transition to console marks a notable development for the franchise and fans alike, paving the way for ambitious plans. The community will grow with returning players and newcomers alike; the charm of a distinctively old-school game is simply undeniable.

Console players are encouraged to follow updates about upcoming features, such as the Nintendo Switch release and Text Chat implementation. The latter will allow players to freely communicate outside of the preset Menu Chat, like in the PC version. KingsIsle suggests the use of third-party platforms like Discord as a current alternative to talk with fellow wizards.

Although there are doubts within the community regarding the game’s long-term player retention, especially given its infamous paywall model, the first initial weeks of the console launch have been remarkably successful — KingsIsle themselves note that ‘the numbers have been well, well, well beyond our expectations’.

Ultimately, the Spiral opening its doors to console players appears to be a step in the right direction for KingsIsle. Not many MMOs of its era can claim to have survived — let alone thrive — in modern day.

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