Harry Potter fans are rejoicing. Today’s State of Play presentation focused entirely on Hogwarts Legacy, with a whopping 14 minutes of PlayStation 5 gameplay footage stirring the semi-dormant fandom into a frenzy. This is the first sizeable amount of information revealed since the game was announced in September 2020.
Players will be tasked with discovering more about a mysterious power set to destroy wizardkind, but before doing so, education is needed. Fans of the book series will start their life as a 5th year Hogwarts student sorted into one of the four houses, and will attend classes, participate in duels with fellow students, brew potions, tame beasts, and master unique combat abilities. Players will be able to explore Hogwarts at their leisure, solving puzzles and discovering all of the secrets the castle is hiding.
Along with Professor Figg, students will try to find out whether rumors of an impending goblin uprising are true. This will have players exploring beyond the Hogwarts grounds, fighting dark wizards, and embarking on quests far darker than what is seen in the Harry Potter films or books. Friends you make at school can accompany you on quests, with each having their own diverse backstories.
Players can level up their talents and abilities in whichever way best suits their playstyle. Gear is improvable and items can be purchased or crafted. Of course, you’ll be able to ride on a broomstick to get around the world quickly–and, as the footage shows, a Hippogriff.
See the full presentation below:
The team at Avalanche Software discussed the upcoming title after the gameplay presentation, offering insights regarding the game’s creation. The title is described as being made by Harry Potter fans at heart, and the devs were intent on blending familiar elements from the established lore with new and exciting surprises and characters.
Hogwarts Legacy will take place a century before the book series during the late 1800s, and players will be allowed to choose their Hogwarts House and attend classes. The title is completely open-world and will include notable locales like the Forbidden Forest and Hogsmeade Village.
Legacy will include a morality system, and characters will be highly customizable. The reveal trailer for the game has been viewed over 28 million times.
The game is being published under Warner’s Portkey Games label and was originally scheduled to be released in 2021. Hogwarts Legacy will be released for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. No release date has been specified, though the presentation promises that Legacy will release this holiday season.
