Welcome to January’s KingsIsle Community Newsletter! We’re starting the year with some truly exciting news: Wizard101 is now available on Nintendo Switch™, opening the doors for even more Wizards to join the adventure! Be sure to check out the latest KI Blog post for an inside look at the team behind the console launch.
Over on Wizard101 PC, the Darkmoor Update went live in November, introducing revamped challenges and new Shadow mechanics for players to master. Pirate101 fans also have plenty to celebrate with the recent El Toro Update and our latest Pirate101 Developer Livestream, which offered a closer look at the game design team. Plus, we shared some early Spring Update teasers on KI Live this month!
On the community side, we highlighted our December contest winners, talked about our current ongoing contests, and spotlighted community creator Lotzwave. And as always, we wrapped it all up with a fresh Community Bulletin, filled with helpful guides crafted by community members to support you on your journey through the Spiral. Let’s jump right in and explore what’s new this month!
Wizards of this handheld console, unite! Pick up your Nintendo Switch™ and get ready to experience the magic of the Spiral with other Wizard101 console players around the world.
Wizard101's long-awaited console launch is a historic moment for our studio and the community that's supported us for 17 years!
Check out our latest blog for an inside look at the journey to console: KI Blog »
Check out the console website to stay up to date on promotions, weekly events, and more. Console News »
DARKMOOR UPDATE
The future is dark. A terrible villain has fled to the twisted world of Darkmoor, and you must pursue!
Alongside this long‑awaited world, Shadow Magic has been completely reworked to deepen its lore connections and add new layers of strategy to combat. Wizards can now explore updated mechanics for Shadow Creatures, Shadow Pacts, and Shadow Spell Enhancements, all designed to transform how you approach battles in this dark new chapter.
The update also includes a wide range of additional features such as Photomancy improvements, new Darkmoor spells, guild updates, a revamped radial wheel, Beastmoon schedule changes, bug fixes, spell adjustments, and more!
Check out the Ravenwood News page to stay up to date on promotions, weekly events, and more. Ravenwood News »
EL TORO UPDATE!
The El Toro Update arrived last month, bringing big improvements and heroic new adventures to Pirate101! El Toro’s journey continues with a brand new promotion quest, sending him in search of the Spiral’s most renowned Duelmaster, though not everything is as it seems. Pirates with El Toro at level 75 or higher who have completed “Return to Valencia!” can find him waiting in the nearest tavern cellar.
In addition, both his Tier 1 and Tier 2 versions have been reworked to enhance his combat abilities and better support your crew.
This update also delivers a series of highly requested companion reworks, guided by the August 2025 community poll on the Official Pirate101 Discord. Catbeard, Gaspard de Vole and his Crown Shop counterpart Giordano Bravo, Mormo and Uga Buga, and Duck Holiday have each received improvements. There is also a surprise bonus rework for Mustang Sally.
Missed the last Pirate101 Developer Livestream? It’s up on YouTube! We met the 2026 game design team and they tackled your Pirate101 questions.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CYRUS DRAKE!
Happy Birthday Professor Drake! We’re celebrating Cyrus Drake's birthday with another birthday celebration contest! Don’t forget to pay a visit to Cyrus at the Myth School in Ravenwood for some cake!
Thank you to everyone who helped make Professor Drake’s birthday celebration so special this year! Winners will be announced and prizes distributed within the next week, so keep an eye out for a message from the Community Team on the platform where you submitted your entry.
Who will claim the title of the first wizard to conquer each story Arc in Wizard101 on Nintendo Switch™ and defeat the final bosses that await?
Several players have already completed all four Arcs, but we’re still waiting on three more brave Wizards to take down Arc 4 before we can close out the event. Whether you’re participating or cheering from the sidelines, it’s been amazing watching the Nintendo Switch community tackle this challenge together!
In December, we celebrated Lydia Greyrose’s birthday and hosted the 2025 Winter Wonderland Art Contest. We’re excited to showcase a selection of winning pieces and other standout artwork. Thank you to all who participated.
We’ve got more contests lined up for next month. House decorators, this is your moment! Lunar New Year and the Friendship Festival are almost here.
Featured Creator: loztwave!
This month’s featured creator is lotzwave, also known as Seth, a passionate community member and content creator in the Pirate101 and Wizard101 communities.
Loztwave began his journey making fun, short fan edits inspired by other players in the Pirate101 Discord back in 2024. By late 2025, his channel evolved into producing more in-depth and informative videos, inspired by friends and fellow creators.
Beyond YouTube, loztwave plays an active role as a Discord moderator for both games, where he’s built strong friendships and gained deep insight into game mechanics, strategies, and community perspectives. Make sure to give his channel a look!
El Toro and Mustang Update Overview and Builds | Pirate101 2026
All Of My Level 75 PvE Setups And Builds For All Classes | Pirate101 2025
Pirate101: Overpowered and Weird abilities uncovered by Soul Extraction (Summer 2025 Test Realm)
Pet Tutorial Guide - Basics and Fast Feeding Methods and Glitches You Must Know | Pirate101 2025
MYTH MONTH!
January is Myth Month! Dive into these awesome community videos celebrating the myth school.
Welcome to all the new Wizard101 players joining us through the console release. These community guides will help you learn all the essential basics and start your journey with confidence.
Preparing for your Darkmoor run? Check out the Reddit guide “Relearning the Shadow” to get up to speed on the updated Shadow Magic system. After that, take a look at Kore and Boar Tech’s breakdown covering everything you need to know about the newest world.
Be sure to follow us on social media and join our Discord servers! Stay in the loop with sneak peeks, patch notes, livestreams, contests and events, and all things Wizard101!
That brings us to the end of January’s community newsletter! With major updates across both games and Wizard101 finally arriving on Nintendo Switch, we’re starting off 2026 strong. Be sure to stay tuned for more Wizard101 Spring Update teasers as we get closer to Test Realm. A huge thank‑you to everyone who participated in contests, tuned in to livestreams, created guides, or shared videos. We can’t wait to bring you even more news, updates, and surprises in the months ahead. Until next time, we’ll see you in the Spiral!
