A Hogwarts Legacy player has discovered a small historical inaccuracy within the game. With Hogwarts Legacy now in its short Early Access period, small details from the game like this are beginning to emerge.
Though the game is finally on its way to release, the path to this point has been tough for developer Avalanche Software. J.K. Rowling's series of transphobic statements have made much of the discourse online surrounding the Harry Potter franchise difficult. Even the subreddit for Hogwarts Legacy had to ban any discussion about J.K. Rowling. Many fans are making their feelings known online, while others are simply not buying the game in protest. While the developer has done its best to distance itself from Rowling and her comments, for many the Harry Potter name alone is enough to put them off while she stands to profit, directly or indirectly.
The Reddit post points out the inaccuracy, which relates to an in-game globe. On the globe in Hogwarts Legacy, Prince Charles Island is discovered and mapped. However, the game takes place in 1890, and the discovery of the island didn't happen in real life until 1948. Now that the game is available for players to play, fans are noticing plenty of small details like this. Every environment seems to be filled with hand-placed detail, with places like Gryffindor's common room shown particular love in Hogwarts Legacy.
One fan in the comments of the post made a point worthy of discussion, saying, "Wasn't discovered and mapped by muggles, you mean." While it's unknown if this explanation was part of Avalanche Studios' intentions, the reasoning works. If the Wizards are able to fly around the planet, they certainly could've discovered Prince Charles Island earlier than anyone else. However, this could just as easily be an innocent oversight on the developer's behalf. Prior to the game's release, fans spent months speculating on their theories for the game like this, including one that speculated about Merlin's involvement in Hogwarts Legacy. Now that the game is out there, fans are finally seeing which of these theories turned out to be correct.
To the relief of many fans of the franchise, Hogwarts Legacy released to critical acclaim. The series has struggled in the video game space, with many of the better titles being released over two decades ago for the original PlayStation. And with the indefinite hiatus of the Fantastic Beasts films, Harry Potter desperately needs a hit. Early rumblings suggest that Avalanche Software has created the perfect environment for a successful title, with the game being the best way for fans to fulfill their Wizarding World fantasies. If the game does end up being successful, fans are surely set to see a Hogwarts Legacy sequel in the coming years.
Hogwarts Legacy launches February 10 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, April 4 for PS4 and Xbox One, and July 25 for Nintendo Switch