After the trailer for a mysterious Harry Potter game leaked four years ago, Hogwarts Legacy was finally confirmed at Sony’s September 2020 PlayStation 5 Showcase. The game is being described as an open-world RPG set in the Wizarding World, giving fans the opportunity to live out their most cherished fantasies within its unique lore.
Here’s everything you need to know about Hogwarts Legacy, including details on its release date, gameplay, story and setting.
Hogwarts Legacy release date
Hogwarts Legacy was once again delayed, this time set to launch February 10, 2023. The game was originally expected to release at some point in 2021 before its first delay sent it back to 2022.
The game will be released on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and PC, with a Nintendo Switch release coming further down the line. The graphical differences we can expect between these generational gaps is currently unconfirmed, but it’s safe to assume that Hogwarts Legacy will look better on PS5 and Xbox Series X.
The game is being developed by Avalanche Software and published by Warner Bros. Games. Avalanche Software previously developed Cars 3: Driven to Win, so Hogwarts Legacy is a big step up for them as far as scale goes.
We didn't see much of Hogwarts Legacy during 2021, with it not appearing at E3 and not showing up at Sony's PlayStation Showcase 2021.
Video game data analyst Millie A. claimed in a Twitter post that we'd see more of Hogwarts Legacy at The Game Awards this past December. She hinted at the existence of a Wolverine-related property far before Insomniac's Wolverine received a trailer, so it's not unlikely that she possesses insider info. Unfortunately, this was not true. It doesn't necessarily mean she was wrong, as reveals and trailers get pulled last minute all the time.
Warner Bros. general manager Rachel Wakely had an interview with Toy World Magazine where she implied that Hogwarts Legacy would be launching second to Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. Since the film is launching in April, it's unlikely that the game will be launching during early 2022.
The Rowling Library recently spotted that the “The Art and Making of Hogwarts Legacy" by Insight Editions would be launching on September 6. This could mean the game is set to launch on that date or sometime before, as it would be unusual if an artbook for a game released before the game itself was out.
AccountNGT on Twitter claims that we'll definitely see more of Hogwarts Legacy in March. This is merely a rumor, but we're hoping it's true.
Hogwarts Legacy gameplay
During Sony’s PlayStation 5 event, the company revealed our second look at Hogwarts Legacy. The first time we got a glimpse at the game was when it originally leaked back in 2018. If you haven’t seen the original trailer, it’s definitely worth watching below.
In this trailer, there are a few interesting details to look out for. We get to see what character creation will look like, allowing players to change things like their face, skin color, eye color and body type. We also see how brutal the game might be, with the player character bursting through a door and impaling enemies.
However, this trailer was likely never meant to be shown to the public because of character creation menu possesses text that reads “[Menu_Face]” and “[Menu_SkinColor].” This could mean it was merely an internal demo meant to prove the game was making strides in its development. As a result, it’s difficult to say what has and hasn’t changed.
Thankfully, we no longer have to speculate about the leaked trailer; a Hogwarts Legacy announcement presentation in mid-September showed off parts of the gameplay and setting.
The new trailer is surprisingly similar to the original one, providing us a more cinematic look into the world and what we can expect. It teases players with potion brewing, taming creatures, mastering obscure magic and attending lectures from some of the most powerful witches and wizards around the world. Unfortunately, it has been confirmed that Hogwarts Legacy will not feature playable quidditch, although you will be able to fly your broom around.
On the Reddit page r/HarryPotterGame, a user designed a fan-made skill tree for Hogwarts: Legacy. This skill tree actually looks very similar to the one used in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, even down to the runic text below each tree.
While each skill isn't full developed in this fan-made skill tree, the one we can see allows the user to effectively go invisible by blending into their environment like a chameleon. I certainly hope Hogwarts Legacy has a complex skill tree, as it will allow for players to have a more personal attachment to their character.
Sony hosted a State of Play on March 17 focusing on Hogwarts Legacy, showcasing a ton of new footage. We saw character creation and how players will be sorted into a specific house. You can even link your Hogwarts Legacy account to your Harry Potter Fan Club account to get sorted before the game even launches. Players will need to attend classes, like charms, herbology, defense against the dark arts and more.
Players will get the chance to explore the castle of Hogwarts outside of classes as well. And the trailer promises giving us access to iconic locations that we've never gotten to see before.
The game's spells and combat system feature plenty of status effects and world-based actions. Players will need to master shield magic to avoid being victim to these attacks. The trailer goes in-depth on the many things we can expect out of Hogwarts Legacy's combat. There are also plenty of talent points to allow players to upgrade their spells.
And The Room of Requirement allows players to brew potions, upgrade potions and harvest plants. Players can even nurture their own magical beasts. And this space can be freely customized to reflect the player's tastes. Players can also travel outside of Hogwarts to collect materials and explore new areas. The game will also feature time of day cycles and climate changes as the school year progresses.
We haven't heard much about Hogwarts Legacy in a little while, but Sony recently published a PlayStation Blog detailing how the game would utilize the DualSense. Every spell will have a unique feel to them thanks to haptic feedback, which will primarily vibrate on the right side of your controller as you cast spells with your wand. Haptic feedback will also accompany the player during all steps of their journey, like when they're making potions or soaring through the skies. The DualSense light will also shine the color of whatever house the player has picked.
Hogwarts Legacy story
Hogwarts Legacy will revolve around player choice first and foremost, allowing the user to utilize their incredible abilities for the good of the world or giving into more wicked and sinister desires. Apparently, the game will use a customizable character who has unlocked some sort of “ancient secret” that has the potential to destroy the world.
After receiving a late acceptance into Hogwarts, the player will discover that they possess a far greater understanding of “Ancient Magic” than most of their peers. What the actual result of this will be is hard to determine, but we could see a large open world with tons of side quests.
According to a now-deleted tweet from DC Allen (which was saved by Comic Book), he hints at the ability to kill in the game. He also claims there's "a lot of evil occurring in the wizarding world," which could mean players will be able to engage with dark magic.
It's also been confirmed that "J.K. Rowling is not directly involved in the creation of the game" and that it's "not a new story from J.K. Rowling." However, this obviously does not change that she will be receiving profits from sales and publicity from the existence of the game.
Jason Schreier has confirmed that Hogwarts Legacy will have "trans-inclusive character creation, with body, voice, and gender ("witch/wizard") all separated." He specifically points out that "some members of the Hogwarts Legacy dev team had been pushing hard for this, uncomfortable with Rowling's position and rattled by the effects she has had on a game they've put a lot into."
Hogwarts Legacy received new cinematic footage and character creation stills revealed at the Autodesk Vision Series. This included less than a minute of footage showcasing a new Hogwarts Legacy cutscene, where the main character and a companion watch as a Hippogryph is seemingly abused and taken away behind gate, before the main character's companion rushes into the building to help, leaving the player stranded out at the gate.
We also got our hands on some new character creation stills. It appears that players will actually decide their house from the character creation screen, as there is a sigil on the top right of the selections that seem like it could only imply a house selection. This is certainly interesting, especially since it raises the question about what exactly will occur when the player gets to the sorting process.
I do hope getting your house picked is a bit more intricate than just deciding at character creation. While that would be fine, it's nowhere near as immersive as it could be.
Hogwarts Legacy PS5-exclusive content
You may have noticed that Hogwarts Legacy pops up most of the time at PlayStation events, which makes it clear that Sony has coughed up some cash for some exclusive content.
At September's State of Play, we got confirmation of what is coming — a special quest simply named The Haunted Hogsmeade Shop. It looks like quite the creepy additional storyline, and we're pretty excited to see what this mannequin-filled escapade is all about.
Hogwarts Legacy setting
In Hogwarts Legacy, players will be able to investigate many of the exciting facets of the esteemed school. The world places the players in the midst of the 1800s, possibly having the player's journey span quite a few years. Not only will you explore iconic characters and locations, but the game will take players beyond Hogwarts itself.
I would love to visit Diagon Alley, which is the location where Harry Potter originally gets his wand. Areas like this were magical to me when I was young, so being able to explore them within a virtual world sounds like a dream come true, especially if they get the architecture and music just right.
Hogwarts will likely act as the hub area that players can freely explore and interact with many other non-playable characters. I’m hoping the game follows a slightly similar structure to Persona 5, allowing players to build up relationships with other characters within the world and decide which classes they want to take to increase their skills within a specific school of magic.
Harry Potter is an iconic franchise thanks to its atmosphere. For Hogwarts Legacy to truly shine, it'll need to capture that wholesome and fantastical feeling perfectly. We'll learn more about the game in the coming months leading up to its release so check back in on this article for further updates. And now that we're in 2022, we'll likely see more of the game during the months before its launch.
Hogwarts Legacy characters
It's been confirmed that Simon Pegg will be playing Phineas Nigellus Black in Hogwarts Legacy, ancestor of Sirius Black himself. Hogwarts Legacy takes us far before the events of the Harry Potter films, specifically sometime in the 1800s. We've seen Phineas in the Harry Potter films before, according to Pegg, "he was a portrait in Dumbledore's office."
Phineas Nigellus Black occupied position as the headmaster of Hogwarts at this time, Pegg citing that he's the least popular headmaster in the school's history. "He's not a good teacher or headmaster in any way," says Pegg.
Hogwarts Legacy pre-order bonuses
Hogwarts Legacy's pre-order bonuses have not officially been revealed yet, but Reddit user u/opalelement dived into the official website's source and found plenty of references towards pre-order bonuses, digital deluxe bonuses, and digital only bonuses.
We're not sure which of these belong to which of those categories, but the full list consists of Thestral Mount, Dark Arts Cosmetic Pack, Dark Arts Battle Arena, Dark Arts Garrison Hat, Kelpie Robe, Steel Case and Floating Ancient Magic Wand with Book (these last two seem like they would be part of a deluxe edition). There's also a way to get 72 hours early access to the game, which also seems like something a deluxe edition would boast.
