The Harry Potter universe has undergone some significant expansions in the last decade or so. While the world of the books was always vast, fans were only shown a small slice of it through the seven main novels, before the property was extended with prequel films, periphery books, and stories focused on different characters and settings within the Wizarding World. Now Harry Potter: Hogwarts Legacy is on the horizon, and it will be taking players to a point in time not often explored within the franchise – the late 1800s. There may be some familiar faces and well-known locations, but for the most part Harry Potter: Hogwarts Legacy will be treading new ground.
Some fans may be familiar with certain events in the history of Harry Potter, even if they've not been directly shown in the series and its various media before. Foundational events like the Goblin Rebellions that took place sporadically between the 17th and 19th centuries were mentioned in the books and will be important in the upcoming Harry Potter: Hogwarts Legacy, but other significant events might not be quite so well-known. The Wizarding World is full of fascinating lore, with a history that has shaped the communities that fans have come to love and will undoubtedly have an influence on the game.
The Founding Of The Ministry
The Ministry of Magic was probably one of the most important institutions in the world of Harry Potter. It was not only the main governing body of the magical community but also served a vital function within the plot of the books and was an important tool in Voldemort's rise to power. The British Ministry of Magic was founded in 1707 and was one of the only institutions that linked the Wizarding World with the Muggle one, as each Minister of Magic worked with the British Prime Minister to secretly ensure cooperation between the two communities. The Ministry will undoubtedly show up in some form in Harry Potter: Hogwarts Legacy, probably to hinder the hero with its excessive bureaucracy and red tape.
Azkaban Becomes A Prison
Another element of the Harry Potter world that is just as famous as the Ministry of Magic is Azkaban, the harrowing prison where many famous faces found themselves like Bellatrix Lestrange, Sirius Black, and even Hagrid for a brief stint. The island fortress far out in the North Sea was constructed hundreds of years ago, but it only became a detention facility in 1718. The prison was infamous not just for its remote location and bleak look, but also for its terrifying guards – the Dementors. Its legacy of despair and madness seems fitting considering how the fortress' first resident in the 15th century, Ekrizdis, practiced Dark magic and lured muggle sailors to the island to be tortured.
The Very First Daily Prophet
The Daily Prophet is another mainstay of the Harry Potter franchise, with the newspaper stirring up trouble with fear-mongering reports and gossipy articles about Harry and his friends throughout the books. The paper began publication in 1743 and was the primary source of news for the Wizarding World of Great Britain for centuries. It was often used by the Ministry to print the institution's own carefully curated propaganda, particularly when anxieties were running high about Voldemort's possible return, and the Ministry was keen to quash such rumors.
Events Across The Pond
The majority of the Harry Potter franchise focuses on Great Britain and centers on Hogwarts in particular, but that doesn't mean the Wizarding World wasn't just as active in other places. With some of the more recent films exploring what life was like for magical folk in North America, the franchise has branched out to show other elements of Harry Potter's world. Although not quite as famous as its British counterpart, the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was founded in 1627 and educated several key American characters in the franchise. Quidditch was also introduced to North America during this period, and for the first time since the game's founding, non-European teams were allowed to compete in the Quidditch World Cup.
Hogwarts Legacy is scheduled to release holiday 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.