There are few fictional properties that have as much of a decorated resume as Harry Potter. Like Star Trek for children of the 60s and Star Wars for those raised in the 80s, the JK Rowling-penned IP found a place in the hearts of youths all over the world in the 2000s. The books spawned eight films, a spin-off franchise in Fantastic Beasts, and a plethora of video game outings including Hogwarts Legacy, which was originally released in February and gave fans of the franchise something they've been dreaming of for decades.
However, it is this medium where Harry Potter has perhaps struggled the most. A smattering of decent games can't seem to escape the lazy, half-baked movie tie-in offerings, so when Hogwarts Legacy was received well, it was somewhat surprising. With the announcement of a fully-fledged TV remake of Harry, Hermione, and Ron's magical adventure in the works at Max, the lure of the wizarding world has resurfaced. While redoing the films for the TV or streaming service space may seem like a smart idea commercially, remaking the games that coincided with the films could prove to be a situation that is best avoided.
The Harry Potter Games Lacked Magic
While games like The Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup are nostalgic for many and had their charm, they were also a product of their time. The early PlayStation systems didn’t have the power to create sprawling worlds and buttery smooth performance, meaning most developers were limited to the same degree. When later films received a game adaptation, the gap between AAA and low-to-mid budget titles was huge, meaning The Deathly Hallows tie-in games, for example, were simply not up to par.
Context could be key with new Harry Potter games, giving fans more insight into the setting, side characters, and subplots that supplement the story being told by the Max series rather than adapting it for a different medium. The success of Hogwarts Legacy got more casual Harry Potter fans into gaming than before, and riding that wave by providing experiences that complement the show could be the smart long-term plan, bridging the gap between games and TV to create a fictional space that can be enjoyed by fans regardless of their preferred platform.
Harry Potter Needs No More Adaptations
The world of Harry Potter is wonderful. Characters are varied, locations splice classic fantasy touchstones, and while the books and films followed one protagonist through a journey that people have become accustomed to over the years, the reality is that it has so much more potential. Between Fantastic Beasts and Hogwarts Legacy, as well as the wealth of lore tidbits that can be found on wizardingworld.com (formerly Pottermore), it's clear that the IP has a lot of potential away from Harry Potter's adventures and antics.
Remaking the film tie-in games would be retreading old ground, not just by reintroducing games that were not brilliantly received, but it would also mean that there is a slim likelihood that the world can be used for more unique stories to be told. It would make sense to branch out into all-new tales instead of leaning on what has worked before, and some that really didn't.
Most importantly, the movies will now become obsolete with a remake series that may not run parallel to it, and remaking the Harry Potter games would also be a redundant endeavor as a result. Fans of Harry Potter and the games medium finally have a reason to be excited, and that has to be reciprocated with something new, even in the shadow of Max's highly anticipated adaptation.
Hogwarts Legacy is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. A Nintendo Switch version releases on November 14.