Hogwarts Legacy has been highly anticipated, as it promises to allow players to immerse themselves in the life of a Hogwarts student in their fifth year. Players will be able to attend classes, make friends, and explore the castle's nooks and crannies. There will also be plenty of mystery afoot, as well as dangers from a Dark Wizard named Victor Rookwood who has aligned himself with a Goblin named Ranrok who is leading a Goblin Rebellion.

At Gamescom 2022, gamers got another glimpse of Hogwarts Legacy, and it appears that the mysteries that await gamers are far deeper than initially expected. Furthermore, it seems that dark magic will play a big role in the upcoming game. Though the game has been delayed to 2023, players will be able to pre-order Hogwarts Legacy soon, and it comes in several versions, including a Digital Deluxe Edition which several attractive extras.

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Hogwarts Legacy Could Be a Dark Game

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Hogwarts Legacy made an appearance at Gamescom, providing some consolation to gamers who may have been upset by the recent delay. The trailer focused on the Dark Arts, with mention made of Salazar Slytherin, who is the founder of the Slytherin house. It also discussed the Unforgivable Curses and showed players using the terrifying Crucio curse. Dark Wizards and evil plots will play a large role in the upcoming game, and it appears that players will also have moral choices to make.

An exploration of morality is very welcome, though the trailer does not inspire confidence that the upcoming game will avoid falling into the many traps that the franchise has fallen into in the past. Most notably, there has typically been a good and evil dichotomy established between Gryffindor and Slytherin, with most of the good characters having ties to Gryffindor and most of the bad characters being found in Slytherin. It appears that Hogwarts Legacy may be treading the same ground, as the trailer associates Salazar with the Dark Arts.

What Can Gamers Expect From Hogwarts Legacy Digital Deluxe Edition?

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Hogwarts Legacy will come in a few versions. For fans of physical games, there is the Standard Edition, the Deluxe Edition, and the Collector's Edition. Gamers who want digital games can look forward to the Digital Edition and the Digital Deluxe Edition, which comes with a few intriguing goodies. This includes a Darks Arts Pack featuring a Thestral Mount, a Dark Arts cosmetics set, and a Dark Arts battle arena. It will also come with an Onyx Hippogriff mount, a Darks Arts Garrison hat, and perhaps most enticing, 72 hours early access. This aligns with what prior Hogwarts Legacy leaks had suggested would be featured in the game's different editions.

It had already been confirmed that players will be able to tame and mount magical creatures. Hence, players excited to jump onto a fantastic beast will probably want to consider the Digital Deluxe Edition. Thestrals will be familiar to Harry Potter fans, as they are the frightening creatures that pull the Hogwarts carriages. They are skeletal horses with bat-like wings, though they are invisible to humans unless they have seen death. Hippogriffs are majestic creatures that are also frequently mentioned in the Harry Potter franchise. Although they tolerate being mounted, they demand etiquette when being handled, and they are easily offended. Consequently, it is advised that one bow and wait for them to bow in return before approaching.

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Gamers have known for a while that they will be able to create and customize their character, but the contents of the different editions give a window into some of the customization options that will be available. Players will be able to have their playable character wear different hats and robes, though it is not yet clear whether any items of clothing will grant players advantages. It has also not been revealed whether there will be clothing exclusive to the various houses and if different clothing can be collected through gameplay or purchased at Hogsmeade.

The Dark Arts Pack also suggests that dark magic will be an important element in the game, with the Dark Arts battle arena perhaps serving as a location for players to have duels. Gamers have been speculating about how far the upcoming game will allow players to go on the path of dark magic. A prior trailer depicted the playable character performing the Avada Kedavra curse, which leads one to believe that players may be able to indulge their darker impulses, although it remains to be seen how this could be handled with Hogwarts as an open-world setting.

There Are Plenty of Options for Gamers

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Gamers with extra money to spring will likely want the Collector's Edition, as it has a $300 price tag, though its extras are quite enticing. It comes with all the Deluxe Edition contents, with includes a Thestral Mount, a Dark Arts cosmetics set, and a Dark Arts battle arena, as well as 72 hours early access. It will also feature an in-game Kelpie robe, a steelbook case, and most interestingly, a life-size floating ancient magic wand with a book base. The wand floats using magnets, although the book base needs to be plugged into an outlet to make the levitation possible. Though the use of electricity makes it feel like muggle technology, the effect is nevertheless magical.

The early access bonus available in the special editions may be worth considering for fans who are disappointed by the delay and wish to minimize their wait as much as possible. It may also be attractive to gamers looking to get a head-start on a game that appears to be extremely large and contain several mysteries. The bonus mounts that come with the special editions are also enticing regardless of whether gamers love the mighty Hippogriff or have macabre taste and prefer a Thestral.

Hogwarts Legacy is scheduled to release on 10 February 2023 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, with a Nintendo Switch also in development.

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