Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery is a captivating mobile role-playing game that lets players experience life as a student at the famed Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Developed by Jam City, this game immerses players in the magical world of Harry Potter and was originally released on April 25, 2018. For the five-year anniversary, the team is celebrating its success by holding an in-game event hosted by Dumbledore himself.
In a recent interview, Game ZXC had the chance to speak with studio GM Bryan Shaw about Hogwarts Mystery for its anniversary. In the interview, Shaw discussed not only the inspiration and evolution of the game, but also the impact of the game on the Harry Potter community. He also explained why the five-year anniversary of Hogwarts Mystery is so important to the team of developers who worked hard to keep the game thriving. The following transcript has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Q: What was your main goal when creating the game, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery?
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery was the first game to deliver Hogwarts letters allowing players to embark on their own epic adventure in the Wizarding World. Since the setting and characters are from beloved stories, the original goal for this game was to create an immersive, story-driven experience that fans know well and identify with personally. Five years later, it’s clear our players have developed a deep connection to their Hogwarts story, and we’re motivated every day to tell more Wizarding World stories well into the future.
Q: How did you come up with the idea of letting players create their own character and experience life as a Hogwarts student?
At the time, the team looked at how games connected players to Hogwarts; mobile games allowed for a 3D retelling of Harry’s experience and we wondered if there was more we could do to enrich that experience. How fans enjoy Harry Potter on any medium is deeply personal and for some it’s a part of their formative interests. The game is about your Hogwarts story, and so it only made sense to have the player’s avatar be an expression of the wizard or witch they are and strive to be.
Q: How has the game evolved over the past five years since its launch in 2018?
Any of the millions of players that stuck with us over the years can attest that Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery has taken the story through so many twists and turns, fans still look forward to the next surprise, but remain shocked and excited for each development. Imagine if you could put your own touch on your favorite movie, TV show, or book h, expanding your understanding of the fantastical world you know and love, and continuing well past the timeline that any other medium can support. Since its launch, players have been able to build a more fully realized world of fantasy and magic with new features, refreshing the experience regularly.
Q: The game has nearly 78 billion minutes played globally since its launch. What do you think draws players to this mobile phenomenon?
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery has a draw that is rare for entertainment experiences and uncommon at best for established IP. The game is popular globally because anyone can be a witch or wizard, and fans of Harry Potter will learn more about characters and the world they’ve invested so much time into already.
Q: What do you think makes Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery stand out from other mobile role-playing video games?
No other game, studio, or team has the caliber of professional creators that make this experience. The people working on this game believe in it and its mission, and their backgrounds are as unique and varied as the characters they create. We have professional ex-TV writers, seasoned games industry experts, foremost Potter fans, and a rich studio history of creating best-in-class, authentic experiences that make this game truly different. Frankly, no other mobile role-playing video game is supported by a roster quite like ours.
The game itself has unlocked a must-have experience for Potter fans. Working closely with our partners, we’ve created more access to the Wizarding World where players can explore nostalgic locations, learn more about their favorite teachers, and even experience great loss at the hands of dark wizards. The game and story feels lived in with emotional investment beyond upgrade trees and side quests.
Q: How do you think the game has impacted the Harry Potter fandom since its release?
This game has shown that for fans, there’s so much more available beyond the original text. I’m thankful to be a part of it as I really believe it adds a new prism to consider well-trodden stories and IP. To be able to work on a game as successful as this is a gift, but to work on a creative endeavor that pushes sacred IP to new heights? That’s an opportunity anyone who loves making games would fall over themselves to work on.
This game puts fans into the Wizarding World and provides an experience of being a student at Hogwarts from their own perspective. It delivers the core fantasy in a way that few games have achieved.
Q: What do you think has been the key to the game’s success, being the #1 mobile game in more than 40 countries at launch?
Leveraging an incredible brand helps a great deal for awareness, but our game speaks to a global audience on their terms. Representation matters and is a big part of what we feel is important in this Hogwarts experience. Personalization is a part of that as well - players can create the witch or wizard they see as themselves and make meaningful story choices that culminate in the game being more accessible, no matter who you are.
Q: What has been your proudest moment working on Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery?
There are so many moments the team can look back and observe as career achievements. Their work and those moments have opened up more viewpoints, perspectives, and experiences that have allowed fans to really consider the world through their own lens. That’s a source of immense pride for me, personally.
From a development perspective, several gigantic feature releases and marketing/brand integrations have given the game a surreal level of visibility and interest. Perhaps the most memorable moment centered on an incredibly emotional story turn that occurred a couple of years ago. Since some players will data mine our beta builds we knew there was the potential to spoil the story and taking any of the impact out of this particular moment would draw away from what the team had been building towards for years. So, in an effort to counter this, the team coded those story strings with phrases like “birthday” when the actual story was anything but that. When the big reveal was finally released, players were outright shocked, affected even, and watching the community hang on through that with bated breath was an incredible moment for the team.
That said, I believe our proudest moments are yet to come. We’re working on one of the biggest game updates in history that will have players on a journey they won’t expect, but will be glad they joined.
Q: What was the inspiration behind the new in-game event hosted by Dumbledore celebrating the original founding of Hogwarts?
Every year we try to do something special for the game's anniversary. Which House you get sorted into as a student at Hogwarts is such a deeply personal decision for every player - and what better way to explore that than to allow players to learn even more about each House and its Founder?
We love the synergy between celebrating the original founding of the school alongside the 5th Anniversary of our game. Getting to dig deeper into Wizarding World lore is one of the most exciting parts of playing Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery. So, what better way to do so than with a celebration? Plus, who doesn’t love an opportunity to feast in the Great Hall.
Q: What message would you like to send to the players of Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery on its 5-year anniversary?
If you’re a player that has enjoyed the game for any amount of time, thank you! We’re indebted to our fans and strive to continue delivering an experience that surprises and delights you. This is a huge milestone not only for us, but also for you, the fan. We’re working hard to make every day at Hogwarts meaningful and this 5-year Anniversary, we want to celebrate your time at Hogwarts by celebrating its history. We also want you to know that there are some big things in the works that are going to take your Hogwarts experience well beyond the boundary of expectation. We hope to see you playing along in future chapters.
For those considering the game, what are you waiting for? We believe no other game that will deliver on the promise of experiencing what it’s like to be a student at Hogwarts and a witch or wizard in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Start playing now and catch up to some of the big things you’ll no doubt hear more about and can’t miss as a Harry Potter fan.
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery is available on Android and iOS.