The Harry Potter franchise has been able to engrain itself in pop culture in a way that not many other series have. Through books, movies, games, and even plays, Harry Potter has been a formative story for many people. Hogwarts Legacy looks like it will build on this even more by delivering a Harry Potter experience that fans have been wanting for years. By putting players into the role of a witch or wizard that is independent of the main cast of characters that Harry Potter fans know, Hogwarts Legacy has the potential to be one of the most memorable installments in the franchise.

With this potential also comes opportunity, and it’s something that Hogwarts Legacy needs to capitalize on. Despite Hogwarts Legacy’s absence from The Game Awards, it still has a reliable fan base to fall back on, but when it releases this might not be enough. Hogwarts Legacy will need to take risks to be successful, and even more so, it will need to address key parts of the Harry Potter universe. As fantastic as the books and movies are, they still have grey areas and pieces of lore that need to be filled in. The best way to do this would be an interactive experience, one where fans can make decisions and learn about the world of Harry Potter by being present in it.

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Hogwarts Legacy's Lore

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As a video game, Hogwarts Legacy has the potential to do this. There is a lot of material readily available to use as inspiration, but much of it is just that. The perspectives given in Harry Potter are limited by its characters, with the wizarding world often hidden by the veil that separates it from muggles. Even with all the creatures in the Hogwarts Legacy reveal trailer, there are more aspects of the franchise that the game will need to address if it wants to stand out. At its core, Hogwarts Legacy will need to be Harry Potter adjacent, using the foundations that it’s been provided, rather than being a true-to-heart adaptation of anything already in the franchise.

Using this approach could let Hogwarts Legacy grow beyond just a single game, and also give players a lot to look forward to in the future. It’s no secret that Harry Potter games have had success in the past, with everything from board games, to Lego titles, to Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. Still, many fans are looking for palatable ways to fill out the wizarding world they’ve come to love, but still feel they do not know. With Hogwarts Legacy, this can be done in some of the series most important locations, while also delivering lore that fans are aching to learn about.

The castle of Hogwarts itself is a mystical place that is massive in size, but it’s only one part of the environment. Rather than allowing players to travel periodically around its campus and the surrounding landscape, Hogwarts Legacy should seek to flesh out its world in ways similar to titles like Skyrim and The Witcher 3. Nooks and crannies should be filled with both small and large pieces of lore, with magic hidden around every corner. Even though staples from the first Harry Potter movie like the invisibility cloak might not fit into the events that transpire within Hogwarts Legacy, that doesn’t mean other key pieces of lore can’t be present.

Incorporating smaller pieces could also lead to more substantial magical artifacts finding their way into the game in the future. There are a lot of magical items that would be great to see in Hogwarts Legacy, and building up to them could inform players of their past beyond the most significant names that fans already know. This could pave the way for DLC and help Hogwarts Legacy’s longevity, allowing it to prosper as a singleplayer experience.

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The Harry Potter Universe

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Simultaneously, Hogwarts Legacy should also be looking to Harry Potter’s future both in games and as a franchise. Rather than being a single title, it should develop a series that builds on the characters and decisions that players make. Fans who want to be Dark Wizards in Hogwarts Legacy should see consequences for their actions and the role they play in the game. Likewise, positive actions should also feel like they influence the wizarding world.

Cataloging fantastic beasts like Newt Scamander, or traversing through the Forbidden Forest like Hagrid, could be great ways to do this. While small starts, they would provide avenues to further flesh out everything that players learn within the main story of Hogwarts Legacy. This could be developed even more in future installments or dedicated pieces of DLC, allowing fans to go as deep into the Harry Potter universe as possible.

The mythical locations of Harry Potter should be thoroughly explored and used to create a playable universe that can grow beyond Hogwarts. Seasonal events and Holidays can set the mood for the game, but it should do more than just provide nostalgic fan service. Hogwarts Legacy should feel like it’s making a conscious effort to fill the universe of Harry Potter out, rather than simply residing in it.

Harry Potter's Future

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There’s also a lot outside of the wizarding world of Harry Potter for the game to do, and Hogwarts Legacy has an opportunity to push the franchise in a new direction socially. The sad true legacy of Harry Potter weighs on many fans, but whether or not players can separate the art from the artist, Hogwarts Legacy needs to push the series forward in a positive way. Baby steps won’t be enough to keep it out of the shadow that it’s in now, but already, changes have been made.

Hogwarts Legacy character creation options are another step for games in general, and show that there’s some dedication to this idea, but it’s still just a step. How characters are treated and discussed may ultimately decide how many fans feel about the game. Changing the image of the Harry Potter franchise isn’t something that can be done in one go, but if Hogwarts Legacy is just the beginning, then it will be able to tackle problems one at a time, while also making the franchise a richer experience.

Hogwarts Legacy releases in 2022 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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