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Hogwarts Legacy

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Hogwarts Legacy
Front cover of the video game Hogwarts Legacy showing a single figure facing away from you towards Hogwarts castle.
Developer(s)Avalanche Software
Publisher(s)Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment[A]
Director(s)Alan Tew
Producer(s)James Cabrera
Artist(s)Jeff Bunker
Writer(s)Moira Squier
SeriesWizarding World
Harry Potter
EngineUnreal Engine[1]
Platform(s)
Release
February 10, 2023
  • PS4, PS5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
  • February 10, 2023
  • Nintendo Switch
  • TBA
Genre(s)Action role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Hogwarts Legacy is an upcoming action role-playing video game, developed by Avalanche Software and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment under its Portkey Games label, using the Unreal Engine. The game is set in the Wizarding World universe, based on the Harry Potter novels and film series including Fantastic Beasts. The game is slated to be released on February 10, 2023 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. The release date for Nintendo Switch will be revealed at a later date.

Plot

Hogwarts Legacy is set in the 1890s and follows a student starting at Hogwarts in the fifth year.[2] The player character, who holds the key to an "ancient secret that threatens to tear the wizarding world apart", is capable of manipulating a mysterious ancient magic, and will need to help uncover why this forgotten magic has suddenly made a resurgence and the ones that are simultaneously trying to harness it. The player is able to interact with characters previously seen within the Wizarding World franchise including Nearly Headless Nick, The Fat Lady, and Peeves. The player character will also be introduced to new characters such as Professor Eleazar Fig, acting as a mentor figure to the protagonist. Antagonists featured in the game include Ranrok, the leader of the Goblin Rebellion, and Victor Rookwood, the leader of a group of Dark Wizards.[3]

Gameplay

Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world single-player action-RPG. Players will be able to attend classes at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry including Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, and Potions. Familiar locations from the Harry Potter franchise will be explorable such as the Forbidden Forest, Diagon Alley, and Hogsmeade Village.[4] Other areas as yet unseen visually in other media include the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw common rooms.[5] Progressing through the game will see the interior and exterior of the castle change visually to match the seasons.

During character creation the player is able to choose their appearance, house, and gender. Players will be able to customize their character's voice and body type.[6] Level progression will allow the player to access and upgrade different spells, talents, and abilities. The game will also feature environmental customisation elements; players will be able to modify the Room of Requirement as they level up through the game.[7]

The player character will learn to cast various magical spells, brew potions and master combat abilities. As players progress, they will be able to develop their own special combat style.[8] Players can also acquire combat items, either through trading or crafting, which may be used to harm enemies or apply buffs to the player. Players will be able to tame, care for, and ride different magical beasts including hippogriffs and thestrals. Dragons, trolls, acromantulas, graphorns, mooncalves, fwoopers, kneazles, and nifflers are other interactable magical creatures. Some creatures can be used in combat such as use of the Mandrake to stun enemies.[9]

Player characters will be able to establish friendships with interactable NPC characters. As players grow these relationships, these schoolmates will become companions who can accompany players on their journey, expand their abilities and offer unique dialogue options as players learn their stories.[10]

Development

The game is currently being developed by Avalanche Software, which was acquired by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment from Disney in January 2017.[11][12] In the same year, Warner Bros. established a new publishing label named Portkey Games, which was dedicated to managing the Wizarding World license.[13] According to Warner Bros, franchise creator J. K. Rowling is not directly involved in the game's development.[14]

The game is being built using the Unreal Engine.[1] Gameplay footage had leaked in 2018.[15]

Hogwarts Legacy was announced at a PlayStation 5 event in September 2020, with initial plans to be released for Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S in 2021.[16] However, it was delayed twice, first to 2022, and later to February 10, 2023.[17][18]

On March 17, 2022, PlayStation released a State of Play video on YouTube which is dedicated to Hogwarts Legacy. The showcase features an official first look at gameplay along with insights from Avalanche Software.[19][20] A Nintendo Switch version was also confirmed.[21]

Reception

Controversy

In February 2021, a series of social media posts published by Avalanche Software and Hogwarts Legacy lead designer Troy Leavitt received widespread criticism. Online media outlets reported on the content of his YouTube videos such as "In Defense of John Lasseter" and "In Praise of Cultural Appropriation" as well as those showing support for the controversial Gamergate harassment campaign.[22] Following the controversy surrounding his social media activity, Leavitt left Avalanche Software and the Hogwarts Legacy project, though he states that this was unrelated to the controversy. Warner Bros. declined to comment.[23][24][22]

Following the release of the first gameplay trailer in March 2022, the game received criticism for basing it in the Goblin Rebellion era of the Wizarding World history with the game's story-line focusing on the player suppressing a goblin rebellion. The Wizarding World lore surrounding goblins has often been accused of being based on known antisemitic tropes.[25][26] The core of the criticism spurred from the beliefs that the game's core message was that the minority goblin group should be considered the enemy for rebelling against their oppressor and fighting for freedom and equal rights.[27][28]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Published under the Portkey Games label.

References

  1. ^ a b "Awesome Unreal Engine-powered games of 2022". YouTube. January 6, 2022. Archived from the original on January 16, 2022. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
  2. ^ "Q What is the original story of Hogwarts Legacy?". Archived from the original on March 25, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  3. ^ "Hogwarts Legacy: Your first look at extended gameplay". Archived from the original on March 27, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  4. ^ Breslin, Richard (November 2, 2020). "New Harry Potter RPG Will Have a Morality System". GameByte. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  5. ^ "Hogwarts Legacy - Official Behind the Scenes 4K". Youtube. March 18, 2022. Archived from the original on March 27, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  6. ^ Schreier, Jason (March 2, 2021). "Harry Potter Video Game Will Allow Transgender Characters". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  7. ^ "Q hat is the Room of Requirement?". Archived from the original on March 25, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  8. ^ "Q: Can players customize their character in Hogwarts Legacy?". Archived from the original on March 25, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  9. ^ "Hogwarts Legacy - State of Play Official Gameplay Reveal". March 17, 2022. Archived from the original on March 17, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2022 – via YouTube.
  10. ^ "Q Will players establish friendships in Hogwarts Legacy?". Archived from the original on March 25, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  11. ^ Statt, Nick (September 16, 2020). "Hogwarts Legacy is an open world Harry Potter game coming to PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC". The Verge. Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  12. ^ Takahshi, Dean (January 27, 2017). "The DeanBeat: How Warner Bros. rescued Avalanche Studios after Disney buried it". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on May 8, 2021. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  13. ^ Grubb, Jeff (November 8, 2017). "Warner Bros. Interactive conjures up Portkey Games to oversee Harry Potter licence". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on January 19, 2018. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  14. ^ Stephen, Bijan (September 17, 2020). "Warner Bros. reassures fans that J.K. Rowling isn't directly involved with new Harry Potter game". The Verge. Archived from the original on May 8, 2021. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  15. ^ Wade, Jessie (October 2, 2018). "Harry Potter RPG Leaked Gameplay Has Fans Freaking Out". IGN. Archived from the original on September 25, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  16. ^ Dornbush, Jonathon (September 16, 2020). "Harry Potter RPG Hogwarts Legacy Announced, Confirmed for PS5". IGN. Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  17. ^ Schreier, Jason (January 13, 2021). "Warner Bros. Delays Harry Potter Video Game Until 2022". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on January 16, 2021. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  18. ^ LeBlanc, Wesley (August 12, 2022). "Hogwarts Legacy Delayed To February 2023". Game Informer. Archived from the original on August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  19. ^ "Live the Unwritten in Thursday's Hogwarts Legacy State of Play". PlayStation.Blog. March 14, 2022. Archived from the original on March 15, 2022. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  20. ^ "Hogwarts Legacy - State of Play Official Gameplay Reveal PS5, PS4". YouTube. PlayStation. March 17, 2022. Archived from the original on March 17, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  21. ^ Romano, Sal (March 17, 2022). "Hogwarts Legacy adds Switch version, launches this holiday; new details, gameplay, and screenshots". Gematsu. Gematsu. Archived from the original on March 18, 2022. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
  22. ^ a b "Hogwarts Legacy Lead Designer Used To Run Anti-Social Justice YouTube Channel". Kotaku. February 22, 2021. Archived from the original on March 25, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  23. ^ "Hogwarts Legacy developer leaves after controversy over reactionary YouTube videos". The Verge. March 5, 2021. Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  24. ^ "Hogwarts Legacy: Troy Leavitt Explains Decision to Leave the Project [Updated]". Kotaku. March 15, 2021. Archived from the original on March 25, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  25. ^ Jackson, Gita (March 25, 2022). "Hogwarts Legacy Imagines a Harry Potter Without JK Rowling". Vice. Archived from the original on April 3, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  26. ^ Di Placido, Dani. "The 'Harry Potter' Anti-Semitism Controversy, Explained". Forbes. Archived from the original on March 27, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  27. ^ "Did Hogwarts Legacy Seriously Just Make The Anti-Semitic Goblins The Villains?". The Gamer. March 19, 2022. Archived from the original on March 25, 2022. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  28. ^ "Hogwarts Legacy accused of using an anti-Semitic trope with goblin plot". Daily Dot. March 21, 2022. Archived from the original on March 22, 2022. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
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