It is no secret that the Harry Potter franchise is one of the biggest names in fantasy. Not only have fans spent hours reading the books and enjoying the films, but gamers were also recently treated to both Hogwarts Legacy and Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions. On top of that, there is countless merch, massive theme parks, and endless Harry Potter content for them to explore. However, what comes next for the Wizarding World may be a bit uncertain, especially for the video games.
After the Fantastic Beasts series failed to impress, Warner Bros. Quickly got to work rebooting the entire Harry Potter franchise as a TV series. It remains to be seen if said TV show ends up being a success, but even if it is, future Harry Potter games may be in a bit of a tough spot. There will be a ton of different interpretations for said games to choose from, with the best option likely not being entirely clear. And if the games choose wrong, then they may not be able to repeat the success of Hogwarts Legacy.
Hogwarts Legacy 2 Will Have to Choose Between Two Warring Philosophies
Hogwarts Legacy 2 could one-up its predecessor in many ways, and when it comes to difficulty balance, a tough decision has to be made.
Harry Potter Games Face an Uncertain Future
There Are Countless Directions Harry Potter Games Could Take
Because of the success of Hogwarts Legacy, Warner Bros. Is forging ahead with all sorts of new experiences within the Wizarding World. Along with the hotly anticipated sequel, there are calls for a new LEGO title, and Warner Bros. Has said that Harry Potter is one of the main franchises it wants to focus on going forward. While that can lead to some fantastic adventures, it is not entirely clear what sorts of games will emerge from that plan.
As of now, there are already many different interpretations of Harry Potter that a game could follow. For starters, it could simply adapt the original film franchise that helped make the series as big as it is today. Alternatively, games could follow in Hogwarts Legacy's footsteps and exist in that version or period of the Wizarding World. If a studio would rather make its own mark, then it could feature its own interpretation of the novels. And if that was not enough, a future game could be set within the TV show canon or follow the characters introduced in Fantastic Beasts.
Not Every Line of Harry Potter Media is Created Equal
As the new TV reboot nears, it would make sense for Warner Bros. To deliver a game set within that version of the story to help hype it up. However, many fans that grew up with the films may have little interest in exploring a title set within the new canon because it is not their version of the story. On top of that, the game might not have much to offer those looking for a more original interpretation like Hogwarts Legacy. If the title attempts to appease all of these audiences, then it too could fall flat by failing to find a strong identity.
All of these different versions mean that future video games may have a hard time picking a direction. In contrast, the likes of Star Wars try to ensure that all of its games remain within the main canon. Any game outside said canon has been deemed as Legends, with all future mainline games since Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm being set firmly within the main story. While that still results in many different genres and experiences, all the games tend to adhere to the same set of rules or aesthetic. Regarding Harry Potter's future, those rules and aesthetic principles are not entirely clear.
There is also a chance that Harry Potter simply follows in Marvel or DC's footsteps. Many of those games tend to be separate and feature original interpretations of the iconic characters, with only some of them spawning their own franchises. Given the differences in Hogwarts Legacy and Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions, that may be exactly what is happening. However, based on the franchise's extensive video game history, it seems like adapting the live-action projects is quite possible too. Only time will tell.
Hogwarts Legacy
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 84 /100 Critics Rec: 88%
- Released
- February 10, 2023
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Avalanche Software
- Publisher(s)
- Warner Bros. Games
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Cross-Platform Play
- Hogwarts Legacy doesn't have crossplay or crossplatform support
- Cross Save
- you can freely use your saved data between each console as long as you are connected to the internet and signed into the same account where the saved data was created
