The Harry Potter prequel game Hogwarts Legacy has been delayed a second time, according to a tweet from the game’s official Twitter account.
This delay pushes the game’s 2022 launch date to February 10, 2023. In January last year, developer Portkey Games stated that the delay was to ensure the game received “the time it needs.”
Today’s statement echoes that sentiment as the developers once again say the game needs more time.
Anyway, in other news, and for no reason, I hear Two Point Campus is pretty good. There’s also the recent Sims 4 expansion High School Years. There’s also The Sims 4: Realm of the Magic expansion pack and Fire Emblem: Three Houses if you want a bit of extra action and fantasy in your school days video game. While we’re at it, I’m going to throw in Persona 5 Royal because it’s fantastic and counts as a school sim.
Nope, no reason to include some games that’ll scratch the “video game set in a school” itch if putting money in the pockets of an anti-trans misogynist. Instead, it occasionally moonlights as an author hellbent on tanking the last 20 years of goodwill her books have earned and left a bad taste in your mouth.
Hogwarts Legacy is a forthcoming action role-playing video game, designed by Avalanche Software and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment beneath its Portkey Games label, using the Unreal Engine. The game is placed in the Wizarding World universe, based on the Harry Potter fiction and film series, including Fantastic Beasts. The game is slated to be unleashed on February 10, 2023, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Xbox Series X/S. The getaway date for Nintendo Switch will be disclosed at a later date.
Hogwarts Legacy is placed in the late 1800s and follows a student commencing in their fifth year at Hogwarts. The player character, who carries the key to an “ancient secret that endangers to tear the wizarding world apart,” can manipulate enigmatic ancient magic. It will need to help uncover why this forgotten magic has suddenly made a resurgence and the ones simultaneously trying to harness it. The player can interact with characters previously seen within the Wizarding World franchise, including The Fat Lady, Nearly Headless Nick, and Peeves. The player character will also be familiarized with new characters, like Professor Eleazar Fig, who works as the protagonist’s mentor figure. Antagonists featured in the contest include Victor Rookwood, the leader of a group of Dark Wizards, and Ranrok, the chief of the Goblin Rebellion.
Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world single-player action RPG. Players can attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry classes, including Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, and Potions. Familiar spots from the Harry Potter franchise will be explorable, like Diagon Alley, Forbidden Forest, and Hogsmeade Village. Other locations as yet unseen visually in other media include the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw standard rooms. Progressing through the game will catch the interior and exterior of the castle change visually to fit the seasons.
The player can choose their appearance, house, and gender during character design. In addition, players can customize their character’s voices and body types. Level progression will permit the player to access and upgrade additional spells, talents, and abilities. The game will also feature environmental customization elements; players will be able to adjust the Room of Requirement as they level up via the game.
The player character will understand to cast various magical spells, brew potions, and master combat abilities. As players progress, they can develop their unique combat style. Players can also acquire combat items through trading or crafting, which may be used to hurt enemies or apply buffs to the player. Players can tame, care for, and ride different magical beasts, including hippogriffs and the strals. Trolls, Dragons, and Nifflers are other interactable magical creatures. Some creatures, such as the Mandrake, can be used in combat to stun enemies.
A morality system also recreates a role in the game. Player characters will be able to set friendships with interactable NPC characters. As players expand these relationships, these schoolmates will become companions who can accompany players on their journey, develop their abilities and offer unique dialogue options as players learn their stories.
The game is presently being developed by Avalanche Software, acquired by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment from Disney in January 2017. In the same year, Warner Bros. launched a new publishing label anointed Portkey Games, which was dedicated to handling the Wizarding World license. However, according to Warner Bros, franchise creator J. K. Rowling is not directly interested in the game’s development.
Hogwarts Legacy was informed at a PlayStation 5 event in September 2020, with initial projects to be released for Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S in 2021. However, on January 13, 2021, it was reported that the game would be delayed until 2022.
On March 17, 2022, PlayStation unleashed a State of Play video on YouTube earmarked to Hogwarts Legacy. The showcase features an official first glimpse at gameplay and insights from Avalanche Software. In addition, a Nintendo Switch rendition was also confirmed.