It is no secret that the Harry Potter series is one of the most successful franchises of all time, dominating the book and film industries. So, of course, with a massive franchise, it is inevitable that the Harry Potter franchise would enter the highly-competitive video game industry. While Harry Potter games have existed in the past, in the form of LEGO games and movie tie-ins, the announcement of Hogwarts Legacy in 2020 promises an immersive experience in the wizarding world of Harry Potter.

While fans are yet to see the actual gameplay of Hogwarts Legacy, the game is being developed as an open-world experience where players can live their dreams of being a student at Hogwarts while exploring other areas such as the Forbidden Forest and Hogsmeade Village. Through this concept alone, it is apparent that Hogwarts Legacy will feature a vast and immersive world. However, given that developers are adamant that the game will launch this year, one can't help but wonder if Hogwarts Legacy is traversing the same path as CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk 2077.

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Is Hogwarts Legacy On Track To Follow Cyberpunk 2077's Mistakes?

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At the moment, the exact status of Hogwarts Legacy's development is mainly shrouded in mystery, given that Avalanche Software still hasn't given players an update on where the game currently stands. However, with everything revealed so far, it is no secret that the goal the developers are trying to achieve in Hogwarts Legacy is no easy task.

It is worth remembering that in 2020, Cyberpunk 2077 was the game to watch. Unfortunately, given its rushed development, Cyberpunk 2077 was ridiculed for all its bugs and issues, which were more prevalent in the game's console versions. What made things worse is how CD Projekt Red overhyped Cyberpunk 2077 with various features and gameplay mechanics, which failed to materialize during launch. Most players would agree that the demise of Cyberpunk 2077 could be traced to two mistakes committed by CD Projekt Red: rushing the game's development and failing to manage fan expectations.

Earlier this year, WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar reassured fans by dispelling rumors that Hogwarts Legacy is being delayed to 2023. In a tweet, Kilar revealed that the company is focused on releasing "highly anticipated games" in 2022, and while the tweet did not mention Hogwarts Legacy by name, a photo of the game is attached to the post. However, while a promise of a 2022 launch may be good news to players, several red flags suggest Hogwarts Legacy may be steering close to the path that CD Projekt Red took during Cyberpunk 2077's development.

First, the only preview players have seen of Hogwarts Legacy is the announcement trailer released a couple of years ago. There is no detailed gameplay footage of the game nor a new trailer that would give players a better look at what to expect. Given that publisher Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is confident that a 2022 release date is achievable, the lack of any new promos for Hogwarts Legacy is concerning. Toward the end of January, a rumor popped online claiming that a new Hogwarts Legacy trailer was about to be unveiled alongside its release date. Unfortunately, this hasn't materialized at the time of writing, and succeeding rumors claim that the developers scrapped the trailer.

How Hogwarts Legacy Can Learn From Cyberpunk 2077's Mistakes

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Game development is a complex art, and there isn't an exact formula that would guarantee a game's success. However, given that Avalanche Software has the opportunity to learn from CD Projekt Red's mistakes, the studio should be aware of whether it needs to fight for more time in development if Hogwarts Legacy warrants it. Of course, this is easier said than done, given that developers and publishers must also consider the business side of things. It is no secret that developing video games cost money, and its profit margins continue to decrease the longer it takes a game to launch.

However, learning from Cyberpunk 2077, rushing a game to meet a deadline could also lead to a much bigger disaster. It is worth noting that CD Projekt Red's stocks plummeted after the Cyberpunk 2077 disaster, with the studio just settling a $1.85 million lawsuit. This loss doesn't even consider the studio's damaged reputation, affecting its current and future IPs. Lastly, a rushed development also goes hand-in-hand with living up to what players want, which is even more challenging for Avalanche Software given Harry Potter fans' enormous expectations with Hogwarts Legacy.

In the end, the development of Hogwarts Legacy may be going well and is on track for a 2022 release date. It is possible that Avalanche Software still isn't ready to show anything now and is likely setting the game up for something big in the coming months. However, with the lack of updates, one can't help but think otherwise. If Hogwarts Legacy isn't ready to be shown ten and a half months before its supposed release, then maybe Avalanche Software should reconsider and delay the game again into next year.

Hogwarts Legacy is set to release in 2022 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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