Can you believe it? 2017 is less than a week away! Although it wasn't perfect, 2016 was a pretty great year for wizards in the spiral. Just last month, Wizard101's newest update introduced the desert world of Mirage and a new max level of 120. Other notable additions were divide and conquer spells, pip conversion, and faction vendors. However useful or fun those may be, I want to really focus on four 2016 updates that I feel will truly make a long-lasting impact on Wizard101.
Daily Assignments
The highlight in the April 2016 update was new daily assignments. Daily assignments are small tasks that reward players who log in each day. The more players log on, the better rewards they get. Although this part of the game can easily be overlooked, it could potentially encourage people to keep playing Wizard101. A lot of games already have daily rewards similar to this, so Wizard101 is actually pretty late to the pack. To some people, completing these daily incentives becomes a routine. When people are already logged in, it's much more likely that they'll do something extra afterwards. Perhaps picking up their questing, farming for a new item, or even training a pet. No matter what they decide to do, encouraging people to log into the game is always a good thing! Since daily assignments never expire or "run out," I think they could be an important element heading into 2017.
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Level 50 Elixir
Similar to daily assignments, I think the level 50 elixir could help improve Wizard101's longevity. After questing through 2-3 wizards, the early worlds can easily turn into a drag. For a price of 30,000 crowns, players now have the option to bypass the entire first arc and start their adventures in Celestia. This might motivate people to make more wizards and continue playing into the new year. Now all we need is that highly requested 7th slot to experience ALL of the magic schools. ;)
Aegis and Indemnity
I admit that I wasn't a huge fan of Aegis and Indemnity when they first came out, but consider me converted. While I held off on training them when they first dropped in the August 2016 update, the challenging world of Mirage (which contains countless cheating bosses) finally made the two spells seem appealing to me. Since then, I've not only used them to conquer the new Mirage cheating bosses, but I've also used them to make older cheating bosses easier. Pull them out in the Graveyard or Tower of the Helephant to see how much of a difference they can make! Whether you're taking on familiar foes or unknown enemies, protection spells are the future. I imagine their importance will only increase in 2017.
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Castle Magic
The best thing about castle magic is that the only limit is your imagination! If you can dream it, you can figure out ways to make it a reality in your castle. People have already been creating castle magic masterpieces ... and it's opening more options than ever before. It will no doubt keep creative wizards occupied after they've finished the storyline. I can't wait to see all of the spectacular housing innovations that players come up with in 2017. I have a feeling we're only just beginning to scratch the castle magic surface ...
What 2016 updates do you see making a large impact in 2017 and beyond? Share your opinions in the comments below.
