Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world adventure game currently in development at Avalanche Software that will take players into the Harry Potter universe.
Hogwarts Legacy will be a chance for Harry Potter fans to craft their own adventure in familiar locations from the series, stepping away from the timeline of the books and films to tell an original story in the 1800s. First officially revealed back in 2020, Hogwarts Legacy was originally expected to release in 2021 but it's since been delayed to 2022. When it does launch, it’ll be playable on PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PS4 and PC.
Since the announcement of Hogwarts Legacy’s delay, we’ve actually heard very little about it but that will change this year, when more news has been promised. Fans are getting excited about the game regardless and there are plenty of rumors and speculation to delve into. Keep reading to find out everything we know and suspect about Hogwarts Legacy ahead of its release.
[Update: Despite rumors of an impending delay, Warner Bros has reiterated a 2022 release date for Hogwarts Legacy. Read on to find out more.]
Hogwarts Legacy: cut to the chase
- What is it? An RPG title based on the Harry Potter franchise, set in the 1800s
- When can I play it? TBC 2022
- What can I play it on? PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, PC
Hogwarts Legacy release date
When Hogwarts Legacy first leaked, Bloomberg reported that it would come to next-gen consoles in 2021. However, the start of 2021 saw an official delay to 2022, as publisher Portkey Games confirmed more time was needed to get the game in tip-top shape.
While the game was first announced at a PS5 event, it will be coming to the Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One, as well as PS4 and PC. It remains unclear if the PS5 version will have any kind of timed exclusivity.
Hogwarts Legacy trailer
We only have a single trailer so far, which was shown off at Sony's September 2020 PS5 price and release date reveal. It does, though, show off some magically next-gen environments, with fantastical creatures, plenty of wand-action, and hints at a mysterious power that your avatar holds…
Hogwarts Legacy gameplay and setting
Hogwarts Legacy is going to be an “immersive, open-world RPG” set in the wizarding world of the 1800s – specifically Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
According to the description of the game on its official website: “Your character is a student who holds the key to an ancient secret that threatens to tear the wizarding world apart.” Having received a late acceptance letter for Hogwarts, the player discovers that they possess the ability to possess and master Ancient Magic. “Only you can decide if you will protect this secret for the good of all, or yield to the temptation of more sinister magic,” the description reads.
Hogwarts Legacy will see players creating and customizing their own characters, creating potions, mastering spell casting, upgrading their talents, making allies and battling Dark Wizards to “decide the fate of the wizarding world”. Players can also expect to come across fantastic beasts and visit both new and familiar locations, such as including the Forbidden Forest and Hogsmeade Village.
A morality system is also rumored to play a role in the game and the official FAQ certainly indicates that players will have to make decisions as they play, stating “players will also encounter missions and scenarios that will pose difficult choices and determine what they stand for.”
Hogwarts Legacy news and rumors
WB reaffirms 2022 release date amidst delay rumors
Following a report from journalist Colin Moriarty on his Sacred Symbols podcast that Hogwarts Legacy “is not coming out this year, and that it’s in some sort of trouble”, the official Warner Bros. Brazil Twitter account has reiterated the game’s 2022 release date in a thread of the company's upcoming video game releases. The tweet is not a direct response to the rumors but does suggest that the game is still on track for release this year.
A blog post on the Wizarding World website also has Hogwarts Legacy down to release in 2022, although it doesn't provide any new information on the game. In line with Warner Bros’ reiteration of a 2022 date, leaker AccountNGT, who has accurately reported on the game in past, has stated that they believe the delay rumors are untrue, saying development is progressing smoothly and that they expect Hogwarts Legacy to release in Q3 (July – September).
#HogwartsLegacyNow that the 2023 rumor has been debunked by several official sources I can post this tweet ;ICYMI: As I said a few weeks ago, according to my info, Hogwarts Legacy will be released on Quarter 3 of this yearThe development is going well.January 18, 2022
More details coming in 2022
Amidst the rumors that there’s a new Hogwarts Legacy trailer coming soon, developer WB Avalanche has spoken out to say that there won’t be any updates on the game until sometime in 2022.
Tweeting out a Happy Holidays message on December 16 2021, the development studio said it’s looking forward to sharing “more news and updates on Hogwarts Legacy next year.” When exactly in 2022 we can expect these updates remains unclear.
Happy Holidays from the Avalanche team! We’re excited to share more news and updates on Hogwarts Legacy next year. pic.twitter.com/f1rBcJf91ODecember 16, 2021
Rumors of a trailer coming soon
There could be a new trailer for Hogwarts Legacy on its way soon if a recent report on Twitter is to be believed. According to leaker, AccountNGT (who recently flagged details on Star Wars Eclipse before its official announcement) a new trailer can be “expected very soon”.
Anyway, things got moving for #HogwartsLegacy today, I'm expecting the trailer very soon.December 14, 2021
Red Kite Games and Sumo Digital helping out
Sumo Digital has announced that two of its studios are involved in the development of Hogwarts Legacy. In a recent Twitter post, Sumo Digital confirmed that Sumo Nottingham and Red Kite Games are both involved in the game and that they’re “hard at work with the teams at Warner Bros. Games and Avalanche Software on a magical new adventure under the Portkey Games label.”
We are very excited to share the news that two of our studios – @RedKiteGames and Sumo Nottingham – are involved in the upcoming Hogwarts Legacy videogame. pic.twitter.com/tNHHv9HyXeDecember 9, 2021
Absent from The Game Awards
It’s been all quiet on the Hogwarts Legacy front for a while which led many to believe that the game might make an appearance at the 2021 Game Awards. However, the event is now over and the game was nowhere to be seen.
According to industry insider and leaker, Millie A on Twitter, “Hogwarts Legacy was last shown over a year ago. It was shown right in the middle of the whole J.K media backlash. The game was victim to that,” adding “WB are being very careful with this game. For now, though, It looks like hesitancy and caution are winning.”
Millie A also went on to retweet a post from LatestPS5 which said that Warner Bros made a “late call” to pull Hogwarts Legacy from the show and replace it with the Wonder Woman trailer that was shown. Instead, the post says, Hogwarts Legacy is “expected to be shown at rumoured upcoming PlayStation event.”
We still don't have a definite date for when the game will next be shown but its release window is still 2022.
Hogwarts Legacy was last shown over a year ago. It was shown right in the middle of the whole J.K media backlash. The game was victim to that.WB are being very careful with this game. For now though, It looks like hesitancy and caution is winning. https://t.co/cCuaR9MYPkDecember 10, 2021
Could the Dark Arts be an option?
Hogwarts Legacy might decide to show the darker side of the wizarding world. In a (since deleted) tweet from Hogwarts Legacy writer DC Allen, a discussion around the game’s potential age rating opened up possibilities for the Harry Potter title to include the book series’ Dark Arts – the forbidden magic that only powerful evil wizards use.
Asked whether or not killing would be possible in the new game, the writer answered (as preserved by Comicbook.com):
“Are they not allowed to kill in 16+ games? I feel like you could fully kill bad guys in Horizon Zero Dawn, it just wasn't bloody. I don't think I can answer your question directly but in the trailer you can see there is a lot of evil occurring in the wizarding world.”
It has, of course, been confirmed that evil opponents in Hogwarts Legacy will use Dark Magic after a PlayStation Blog post from Adrian Ropp, Head of Story at Avalanche, mentioned the game would feature “dueling against a deadly dark witch.” However, Allen’s comment is the first sign we’ve had that the game could make use of more mature themes and methods of attack for the protagonist.
Certainly, there have been mentions of a “morality” system in the game which could also leave the door open for the use of the so-called “Killing Curse”, Avada Kedavra, for players that want to take a walk on the Dark side of magic.
You'll choose your house
It looks like there won't be any kind of elaborate sorting quiz at the start of Hogwarts Legacy. In an FAQ on the game's official website, it's stated that “players can choose their house at the start of Hogwarts Legacy.” There's no details on how the choice will be made or whether houses will be able to be changed at a later point in the game but the page states that more details on this will be available at a later date.
Trans-inclusive character creation
Hogwarts Legacy will feature a transgender-inclusive character creator, according to a report from Bloomberg.
In the report, it’s said that sources “familiar with the game’s development” have revealed that the game will allow players to customize their character’s body type, voice and gender placement for school dormitories.
The sources also say that players will be allowed to choose a masculine or feminine voice, regardless of their character’s body type, and will get to choose whether they want to be a ‘witch’ or a ‘wizard’, with the latter choice placing them in the applicable dormitory and affecting they're addressed by other characters in the game.
According to Bloomberg, this inclusivity is the result of a push by some members of the game’s development team, following controversial comments made by J. K Rowling, the creator of the series.
“As a result, some members of the Hogwarts Legacy development team have fought to make the game as inclusive as possible, pushing for the character customization and even for a transgender character to be added,” the report says. “There was resistance from management at first, the people familiar with the project said, but currently the character customization is included in the game.”
Developed by Avalanche
Avalanche Software (the team behind the Disney Infinity games, NOT the Avalanche Studios behind the Mad Max and Just Cause games) is developing the game. So if you like the studio's work, you're in for a treat – and if you don't, what can we say?
JK Rowling doesn't have much involvement, apparently
According to the Bloomberg report, Rowling doesn't have much involvement in the game's creation and the game's official FAQ states while the game “is inspired by J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World”, the author “is not directly involved in the creation of the game.”
Harry Potter Magic Awakened
BBC reporter Lizo Mzimba tweeted about his knowledge of the project, revealing the mysterious RPG may be called Harry Potter Magic Awakened. He also hinted other Harry Potter titles could be on the way. We now know that the Harry Potter RPG is called Hogwarts Legacy.
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