From 17 March, there will finally be new information on the hotly anticipated Harry Potter game.
After the first bad news about the hotly anticipated open-world game in the Harry Potter universe at the beginning of the year, there is finally a ray of hope. At Sony’s upcoming State of Play, there will be a full fourteen minutes of gameplay for Hogwarts Legacy.
Note: Comments made by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling about trans people caused controversy in 2021. This (article) recounts what Rowling said and the reactions.
This is the first time any lengthy video footage from the game has ever been shown. So far we’ve only got to see tiny snippets from the game, edited together into a first teaser 2020:
What we can expect in concrete terms, Sony did not yet reveal in the (Blogpost). Since Hogwarts Legacy accounts for fourteen of the twenty-minute show, we can probably look forward to some really exciting material. There is already a small teaser on Twitter:
Wands at the ready for an all new State of Play focused on Hogwarts Legacy, featuring an extended first look at gameplay this Thursday, March 17 at 2 PM PT: https://t.co/TwujdB2cBr pic.twitter.com/bFZMWjdZ2t
– PlayStation (@PlayStation) March 14, 2022
How to be part of the State of Play
As usual, the Sony event will be livestreamed on the official Sony channels on Twitch and YouTube. Thanks to the time difference, the stream will start on 17 March at 10pm. As the show will only run for twenty minutes, you won’t have to go to work or school with dark circles under your eyes the next day.
Here is a summary of the most important information:
* When? 17 March, 10 p.m. German time
* Where? On (Twitch) and (YouTube)
* What? 14 minutes of gameplay from Hogwars Legacy, recorded on PS5
Also, there should be another blog post after the show to give you more info on the footage shown
Table of Contents
What is Hogwarts Legacy?
As already written above, Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world game in the Harry Potter universe. However, the story is not set during Potter’s lifetime, but at the end of the 19th century. To put it in perspective: Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald were already alive at that time. It is not yet clear whether we will meet them.
We ourselves slip into the role of a Hogwarts student, but he is the key to an ancient secret and can perceive ancient magic. What exactly this key is, we don’t know yet. But the announcement trailer reveals that we will be busy with the classic school routine in addition to (presumably) saving the world.
Even more information about the game (what about multiplayer, can I choose my house and how is combat) is answered in our big hub:
Hogwarts Legacy: Release not until 2023? Harry Potter RPG is reportedly “in trouble”
Hogwarts Legacy: All about release, platforms and gameplay
The open-world role-playing game in the Harry Potter universe excites many fans of the wizard’s apprentice. We reveal all known details.
Release: When will Hogwarts Legacy be released?
Hogwarts Legacy is scheduled for release in 2022. There is no exact release date yet. Actually, the release of Hogwarts Legacy was once planned for 2021. However, the developers already announced on Twitter in January 2021 that they would not be able to keep to this release date. They want to give the game “the time it needs”:
– Hogwarts Legacy (@HogwartsLegacy) January 13, 2021
In the meantime, insiders even fear that it will be postponed again and a release will not be scheduled until 2023. However, this information is still unconfirmed. As soon as we have new information about the Hogwarts Legacy release, you will find it directly on GlobalESportNews!
Platforms: What is Hogwarts Legacy being released for?
Hogwarts Legacy will be released on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. A release for Nintendo Switch is not yet planned.
Whether Hogwarts Legacy will be available on Steam, the Epic Game Store or somewhere else for PC is still unclear. We also don’t know anything about system requirements, price, pre-orders or whether there will be different editions. But we can already show you the first screenshots:
Setting: Where and when is Hogwarts Legacy set?
Hogwarts Legacy is set at the end of the 19th century in the wizarding world we know. At that time, Harry Potter did not yet exist and his parents James and Lilly were not yet born.
Instead, Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald were already walking the earth, but the events from the “Fantastic Beasts” films had not yet happened at that time. Whether we will still meet familiar faces is unconfirmed. However, appearances by various side characters would be conceivable. Nearly Headless Nick, for example, already haunted the corridors of the school in the 19th century as the house ghost of Gryffindor.
The Harry Potter universe is the same, but Hogwarts Legacy is not a direct adaptation of the Harry Potter books and films. The game advertises that it wants to tell an original story.
Story: What is Hogwarts Legacy about?
On the (official homepage) of the game, the following is written about the story:
“Your character is a student who holds the key to an ancient secret that threatens to tear the Wizarding World to pieces. You have received a late acceptance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and will soon discover that you are no ordinary student: you possess the unusual ability to perceive and master ancient magic. Only you can decide whether you will protect this secret for the good of all, or give in to the temptation of more sinister magic.”
What exactly this “key to an ancient secret” is, we don’t know yet, but we suspect that much of the story will take place in and around Hogwarts Castle, as the announcement trailer also revolves a lot around school life:
Gameplay: How does Hogwarts Legacy play?
Since there are no concrete gameplay trailers yet, this question is not so easy to answer so far. Hogwarts Legacy describes itself as an open-world action role-playing game in which we will be able to customise our own character, improve talents in the old role-playing game manner and, above all, cast lots of spells:
“Players will develop their character’s skills by mastering powerful spells, practising combat and choosing companions to help them stand up to deadly foes. Players must also complete missions and scenarios that challenge their morals and show what they truly stand for.”
Character Editor
In a leaked gameplay video that circulated on the net some time ago, we were already able to catch a few glimpses of the character editor, as well as the spell system, in which familiar spells such as Lumos, Alohomora or Reparuo caught our eye. Whether the leaked gameplay will also be in the final game is not known.
According to a report from Bloomberg, it will probably also be possible to design your character regardless of gender. This means that you can choose a male body and a female voice, similar to Cyberpunk 2077. In addition, you can freely decide whether you would rather classify yourself as a witch or a wizard.
Open World
As a true open-world role-playing game, we will not only be able to move around in individual classrooms or corridors of Hogwarts, but will also be able to explore the world around the castle, such as the Forbidden Forest or the village of Hogsmead.
In addition, the game promises gameplay mechanics such as brewing potions, learning and mastering spells, and discovering and taming fantastical beasties. We don’t yet know exactly what all this will look like.
Fights
As can already be seen in the trailer, there will also be fighting and duels. These will probably not only be practice duels between students, but also fights to the death. At least that is what the trailer and the ominous figure with the mask, which is slightly reminiscent of a Death Eater, suggest.
In any case, fans are hoping for a better implementation of gameplay elements than we have seen in the previous licensed games.
Developers: Who is behind Hogwarts Legacy?
The Harry Potter RPG is being developed by Avalanche Software, who have already developed Disney Infinity. Publisher is Warner Bros. Games, who also distributed the Batman: Arkham games. Incidentally, Hogwarts Legacy is being published under the Portkey Games label, under which the Harry Potter mobile game Harry Potter: Wizards Unite also appeared.
Does Hogwarts Legacy have multiplayer?
Since the official FAQ of Hogwarts Legacy talks about an “open-world action role-playing game for single players”, there will most likely be no multiplayer or co-op mode. It is not known whether Hogwarts Legacy, like Cyberpunk 2077, is thinking about a multiplayer after release. This also eliminates the question of whether there will be crossplay between the different platforms.
Can I choose my own Hogwarts house?
As the trailer also suggests, the Hogwarts houses and the talking hat will once again play an important role in our school life. However, players will not be randomly assigned to a house or have to pass a quiz, but simply choose their preferred house. Exactly how the selection will work is not yet known, but will be revealed at a later date.
Much controversy and discussion about Hogwarts Legacy
Due to Harry Potter creator J.K.Rowling’s controversial statements about transsexuality and transgender people, there is always discussion about the game and its contributors. Even on the (official FAQ page of the game) the developers emphasise that Rowling is not “directly involved in the development of the game”. In March 2021, lead designer Troy Leavitt left the studio after coming under fire for his YouTube channel and several anti-feminist and pro-gamergate videos.
