Harry Potter fans are still recovering from yesterday’s Hogwarts Legacy State of Play. The stream showed over 14 solid minutes of in-depth gameplay, and most wannabe wizards agree that this is the game we’ve all wanted for two decades. Boasting a massive open world and countless ways to explore Hogwarts and beyond, the dev team is made up of diehard Harry Potter fans–and it shows.
When something looks this good, however, gamers start to feel that sinking feeling in their stomach. What if something goes wrong? What if it gets ruined in some way? What if they add NFTs or some pay-to-win nonsense? Rest easy, because the developers at Avalanche have promised that no microtransactions will be included in Hogwarts Legacy. That’s one less thing to worry about.
Many players began speculating that microtransactions might be coming when the title’s in-game currency, Moonstones, was revealed. These are used to upgrade gear, and it wasn’t too far of a leap to imagine that this could quickly become an issue if not handled right. The 2018 mobile game Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery had microtransactions of the worst kind, and fans don’t want to see that happen again.
Avalanche community manager Chandler Wood took to Twitter to make a statement that cannot be misconstrued.
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. Players can level up their talents and abilities in whichever way best suits their playstyle.
The game is being published under Warner’s Portkey Games label and was originally scheduled to be released in 2021. Hogwarts Legacy will now be released for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S this holiday season. No exact release date has been specified.
