Wizard101, the award-winning magic-themed MMO for kids and families, is giving players and their friends a unique way to support children this holiday season. The purchase of an in-game riding pet, the “Meowmodon,” will benefit the Austin Children’s Shelter and Child’s Play. The Austin Children’s Shelter provides emergency shelter and care for abused and neglected children and Child’s Play is a game industry charity dedicated to providing games and toys to children in hospitals worldwide.

The black and white Meowmodon resembles a large tiger and sells for 7,500 in-game Crowns per pet. For each pet sold, KingsIsle will donate the full amount (a retail value of approximately $15) to the two charities, divided equally. The Meowmodon is available for purchase through the in-game Crown Shop from December 14, 2009 through January 5, 2010.

“We have an opportunity to give back by tapping into the power of our Wizard101 community – our 5 million players can make a real difference to deserving children,” said Elie Akilian, CEO of KingsIsle Entertainment. “We chose these organizations because we wanted to support the communities that we are a part of – one located in the same city as our design studio and another with global reach, just like Wizard101.”

Wizard101 players enter the magical world of Wizard City as student Wizards setting out to hone their Wizard skills, cast spells and summon powerful creatures to fight evil forces. The characters and worlds of Wizard101 are influenced by literature, history and pop culture, giving the game a depth and quality appreciated by families and players of all ages.

Wizard101 can be downloaded at www.Wizard101.com and offers free game play for as long as players choose. Players seeking access to premium areas and items may purchase pre-paid cards in participating stores or purchase a subscription or Crowns online. New worlds, activities, pets and Wizard clothing are periodically added to the game, creating an ever-changing world with new things to see and do.