The History Behind Wizard101 Central
Today we have a guest blogger who hardcore Wizard101 and Pirate101 fans are familiar with… Jester from Wizard101 and Pirate101 Central! Jester takes a moment to explain the full story of how Wizard101 Central began.
Olivia and I have been working with Wizard101 for about five years now and it seems like it was just yesterday that we got started. Time sure flies when you’re having fun! As I write this, I realize that despite being asked about how Wizard101 Central came to be more times than you can shake a sheep pet at, I don’t think we’ve ever told anyone the full story. Well, gather around and listen my fellow Wizards, for a little bit of history about Wizard101 Central.
A few years before anyone had heard about Wizard101, back in 2005, our young daughter was playing the top child-friendly MMO at the time. She was actively visiting a community website for that game where she was looking up tips, organizing events and socially interacting with other players who were as excited about that game as she was. While everything seemed fine for a while, one day out of the blue she told Olivia and me that she wasn’t visiting that website any longer. Surprised and concerned, we discussed the matter with her and it turned out there was a bully who was teasing other people on that fan site. Right at that moment we decided to start our own community for that MMO where we could be sure she’d be safe from bullies. This would be a place where people could discuss aspects of the game without having to worry about being teased and pestered. For the next three years, that site slowly grew and became a fun, bully-free alternative to the “other” community.
One fateful day in 2008, my daughter mentioned a new game to us that she had read about called Wizard101. We did as much research as we could about the game and the company that made it. It was a family entertainment game and was being made by a company committed to family high quality games appropriate to all ages. It also helped that the game looked really cool! Our daughter applied for and got accepted into the Wizard101 beta program where she began playing the game like crazy. Olivia and I also wanted to play this awesome game, so we applied to the beta program as well. Before we knew it we were all playing Wizard101 together as a family and having more fun than a fire wizard who just summoned a Helephant! The more we played, the more we realized this game was going to be something very special.
On August 12th, 2008 we started Wizard101 Central with a single purpose; Olivia and I wanted to create a fun, safe place for everyone to visit where bullying and rudeness would never be tolerated.
Both Wizard 101 and Wizard101 Central steadily grew in popularity over the next few years. While Wizard101 has grown to become one of the most popular child friendly MMO’s, Wizard101 Central has grown to become the destination for anyone looking for Wizard101 information on any aspect of the game and a great compliment to KingsIsle’s forums. Our Wizard101 Wiki is full of accurate information and is ranked as one of the top wikis in the world!
In the spring of 2012, we had the privilege of participating in the alpha/beta programs for KingsIsle’s next family friendly game, Pirate101. We immediately loved the game and began to create a safe community for it, Pirate101 Central. Even though this community is young, it’s growing and has quickly become the largest archive of Pirate101 information on the internet.
Central forum members are friendly, helpful and fun to be around. They are the reason the Central forums are the best communities I personally have ever been a part of. We even have a few active members that are still with us from our first MMO website back in 2005. I cannot say enough good things about our Central teams either. Each and every Central team member is extremely hard working and dedicated to keeping our communities safe for all ages. It’s a privilege to be associated with each and every one of them and they are all a true pleasure to work with.
So that, my fellow wizards, is how and why the Central forums came to be. Over the last 5 years we’ve suffered growing pains, server outages and a few other stresses along the way but we can honestly say that we have had a blast though it all. One thing is for sure, there is never a dull moment!
Jester and Olivia
Wizard101 and Pirate101 Central Founders
KingsIsle Blog 
It’s great to hear the history behind central (I never knew how it started, initially) and it’s great to be part of the team! 😀
The Wizard101 Central Community is one of the best communities i’ve ever had the opportunity to be apart of and it’s great to see it thriving so well. The Central Team are amazing and all of the members in the forums play a special role to one another. Go Central! ^-^
Thank you so much for this background info. I absolutely LOVE Central. All of its staff and members have been so helpful and polite. I can’t say enough about how great I think Central is. Thank you, Jester and Olivia, for the best fansite I have ever found!!!
hmm i was so glad to hear this all 🙂 ☺
Isn’t it funny how we see the persona’s in our minds of people on the internet? I just assumed that Olivia and jester were young kids. LOL Thanks for Central, for both of them. I play both games and go there frequently for help and usually find it.
Woo! Love this post! Awesome job Jester!
Wizard101 Central is the best!! Love it and you all do an awesome job! Thanks!
Dang Jester, that is an incredible story. It’s nice to know the history of w101 central.
I first found Central when our (then) four year old came home from a friend’s house talking about this “Wizard” computer game. No way was I gonna let her play an online game without getting involved myself. It was a little confusing to me since we’d never played a MMORPG before so I got online and eventually all roads led to W101 Central. After awhile our whole family was playing together and I would turn to Central for all our questions. Overall it’s a great community and I really enjoy working with the rest of the staff and appreciate the friends I’ve made there. And, as a parent, I am truly grateful there are other parents (and adults) out there who try to have a safe online environment for our kids!
Cool, I’ve always thought of how was W101 and P101, now I do :D. Thankyou for the history of W101 and P101
(P.S. W101 and P101 central have been really helpful and fun to me)
Sorry I mean how was W101 and P101 are formed
They were formed by an extremely creative group. (i think we all know who that might be 🙂 J. Todd Coleman started it all back on September 2, 2008, but now he wants a chance to start a new life. (We’ll miss you, J. Todd):
Wow! Thanks for the awesome community, Jester.
Great story on how you founded it! I just hope the other bully website was Shut Down.
Jester, Olivia,
Thank you for the wonderful sites you created. Both sites always feel like home to me. Thank you to you and KingsIsle for this wonderful post. Keep up the great work you .
Wow, this is an amazing story! It is extremely touching to hear the lengths you went through to keep your daughter safe and happy. I am beyond proud to be a part of this amazing Central team that you and Olivia have built from the ground up. Everyday I think I realize a bit more just how lucky I am 🙂 Thank you for that!
I remember looking over my husband’s shoulder when he was a beta player for w101 and then picking on him for spending as much time on the forum. Shortly after I joined just to play the mini-games. Well, several years later I still occasionally play the games, but the site as a whole is a great resource and our community of fans truly is the best. It is my pleasure to be associated with W101Central. Keep up the good work Jester and Olivia.
Awesome!
Might I ask what was the name of that other game was called?
If I’m not mistaken, I believe it was Toontown and their fan site was (cleverly) “The Brrrgh.”
i used to play a mmorpg game but then i saw this game on an ad and it looked really cool so i gave it a try and i loved wizard101
Thanks everyone for the kind words from both of us.
I never found out about Central until about a year ago. Now i use it daily to see everyone’s creativity. W101 Central is an amazing Wiki filled with kind people wanting to help. It’s all thanks to you two, Jester and Olivia 🙂
This is a really sweet story 🙂
Thanks for all the effort Jester and Olivia 😀
Wow… I never thought that this would be a kind of safe haven, or that it was the initial idea because i thought this was just a game, just for fun not the “dream forum” for your kids and eventually all of us 🙂 i actually like this website because its really really easy to personalize your account and communicate without the troubles of open and closed chat, and of course the fact that there are 30 million wizards and unless someone’s your friend you only see them one. Thank you i love this website, I don’t play Pirate101 yet but your site is the first place i’m visiting when i do 🙂
why can`t they let you create a companion in pirate101?
That would be awesome …. and you can create their level too! 😀
I now I wish it happened
i think that’s a great idea but would you have a model to base it off of?
but in PvP, players could overpower other players so then it wouldn’t be fair.
that is what happens to me and my brother everyday
well if they make the company limit the attack for your level then you make the companions’ color and design
Love Wiz101, and love Central as well as the wonderful people that I get to meet and talk to on it. Thank you for the background information, and thank you for helping this community be a more fun and safe place. 🙂
XD I wish that Sarah Steele and Nurse Quinn were levels 65 and … is there a 70?
yes in pirate101 lv max is 70 wizard101 lv 90
their are 4 times you change or look different your companion
i never know that yet
Never knew that you to made Wizard101Central and you were one of the first ones to play wizard101
Ya know I think I have an idea for a new 101 Game called Creature101 I’ve thought out the battling style, the storyline, and all of the schools and most of the characters!!!! email me if you want to learn more I really hope this actually becomes a game
Wow, didn’t know that. Very cool!
Oh I loved reading this. I can relate a lot to it as well. (:
i love this game
😀
I love the background info it tells me so much I can’t wait to fro more info
awesome game 🙂
I absolutely love the wizard game! One thing that is not often brought out is how much this game helps the older population. I am a retired senior citizen. I set up wizard for my five year old grandson last summer as something for him to do when he visited grandma. He now plays at his home and I play on my computer as well. I have learned so many new skills that i cannot even count them. It truly does keep my mind sharp. Many medical professionals recommend senior citizens play games or engage in complex mental functions as they age. The wonderful thing is how much fun it can be to do just that by using the Wizard101 game!
Since this is the first on line game I have ever played, wizard central and this blog have become a wonderful resource for help and inspiration. As you can guess I have needed more than a little help this past year and I ALWAYS find it here. Please continue the great work you do. It is truly appreciated. thanks thanks thanks
It’s my favorite game.
nice! 😀
Hi tthanks for posting this