Hogwarts Legacy 2 Going Multiplayer Would Be Bad News For…

Summary

Hogwarts Legacy sold 22 million copies in 2023, making it the highest-selling game of that year.
As such, a sequel to Hogwarts Legacy seems inevitable, with hopes for the inclusion of multiplayer to enhance the sequel's gameplay.
However, balancing the highly requested feature of immersive class schedules with multiplayer in Hogwarts Legacy 2 poses a challenge for developer Avalanche Software. As such, both multiplayer and a strict schedule may not be able to co-exist.

Hogwarts Legacy brought players into the life of a wizard studying at the titular school made famous by the Harry Potter franchise. Although there are still improvements that can be made, Hogwarts Legacy was a solid adaptation of the popular fantasy series. An RPG based in the world of Harry Potter has been on the wish list of many gamers for years, and Hogwarts Legacy is a strong start.

Despite the game not still having room to grow, Hogwarts Legacy was still a fantastic success. Hogwarts Legacy wasn't just a solid launch, it was the highest-selling game of 2023. Thanks to that impressive milestone, a sequel to Hogwarts Legacy seems inevitable. If a follow-up title becomes a reality, there are a lot of hopes that multiplayer will be included. It was surprising that the first Hogwarts Legacy didn't embrace multiplayer, as the game seems perfect for it, but this could also throw a wrench in another fan-requested feature; immersive classes and schedules.

Hogarts Legacy 2 Adding Multiplayer Could Squash Class Immersion

Multiplayer Makes In-Game Organization Practically Impossible

There may not be an official announcement from developer Avalanche Software yet, but there are already high expectations for Hogwarts Legacy 2. One of the biggest hopes is that multiplayer will be included this time around, so players can interact with their friends and other players. Experiencing Hogwarts Legacy's quests with other people would make the game more enjoyable overall, so it feels like a given for a sequel to be an online RPG. However, this would really make more immersive class schedules nearly impossible to achieve.

In Hogwarts Legacy, players can attend a handful of classes throughout the game's story, but the act of doing so isn't that immersive. Some players have been requesting the inclusion of more intense class schedules in a second Hogwarts Legacy. Having to attend classes on time and needing to stick to a more strict schedule throughout the game could definitely heighten the immersion of Hogwarts Legacy. However, it ultimately may boil down to Avalanche Software having to choose between more class immersion and multiplayer. If Hogwarts Legacy is multiplayer, then getting an entire ecosystem of players to show up to class on time would be absolute chaos. Plenty of players would prefer to explore on their own terms, which makes multiplayer a more likely evolution than scheduled classes.

Hogwarts Legacy sold an estimated 22 million copies in 2023.

Foregoing a more structured class schedule in Hogawarts Legacy 2 may be the best route overall. So many players would ignore it that it would ultimately make it obsolete, unless it wasn't actually necessary for the game to progress. A strict schedule could be an optional route for players to take, but then again, it could make such a feature seem more pointless overall. The next Hogwarts Legacy has some big choices to make, and between multiplayer and ultimate immersion, extreme realism may be best left on the cutting room floor.

Hogwarts Legacy 2 Needs to Evolve Towards a Larger Player Preference

There may be requests from some fans to make classes and schedules more like real-life school, but that would ultimately isolate a lot of players. One of the biggest draws of Hogwarts Legacy is the game's exploration, and strict schedules would stifle that. As an open-world game, enforcing strict boundaries just doesn't make sense at the end of the day. When comparing the two routes, Hogwarts Legacy 2 having multiplayer would be a much bigger hit than forcing players to hold back for the sake of in-game scheduling.

Realistic class schedules seem like a good idea at first, especially for those who prefer intense immersion, but it's more isolating than expansive. What makes Hogwarts Legacy so interesting is its setting and lore, and the only way to fully experience that is through exploration, which would be even better with other players.

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RPG

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OpenCritic Reviews: Top Critic Avg: 84 /100 Critics Rec: 88%

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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

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Franchise: Harry Potter
Steam Deck Compatibility: Verified
Platform(s): PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC
Genre(s): Action, RPG
How Long To Beat: 26 Hours
PS Plus Availability: Extra & Premium