Highlights

  • Hogwarts Legacy surpassed sales expectations and satisfied fans.
  • A sequel is likely, with potential improvements and a possible multiplayer mode.
  • The Vivarium feature could be improved by implementing multiplayer, learning from Pokemon.

Hogwarts Legacy was one of the most anticipated games of 2023, and while it had a few notable drawbacks, it surpassed sales expectations while also satisfying fans' hopes. Those who have become accustomed to Harry Potter and its compelling characters had previously been left waiting for a game that felt wholly original and not just a film tie-in or a half-baked spin-off. Avalanche Software delivered on its promises.

A sequel to Hogwarts Legacy feels like more of a case of when than if. It seems like an inevitability that Hogwarts Legacy 2 (or whatever it's called) will attempt to step up to the plate and make those improvements that the first game needed. One addition that would make it stand out would be the implementation of some kind of multiplayer mode. It might seem tough to find a way to seamlessly fit the component into the systems and gameplay loop of Hogwarts Legacy, but there's one area of the game where it could take cues from somewhere very unexpected: Pokemon.

Hogwarts Legacy Slytherin Character In Class
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Hogwarts Legacy 2 Needs to Step into Student vs. Student Rivalries

Hogwarts Legacy's eventual sequel has an opportunity to cash in on a narrative concept that was underbaked in the first game.

Hogwarts Legacy's Vivarium Was Interesting, but Unimportant

Hogwarts Legacy let fans play out their dream scenarios, be it choosing a house, attending magical classes, or becoming the hero of a Harry Potter story. It adhered to what the IP does best, and the Room of Requirement was another avenue where it remained faithful to the source material. Players could customize the area to their preferences, and stock up on essential items, but perhaps its main attraction was the Vivarium, a place where magical beasts could be stored after being collected in the open world. It was a fun side activity away from the main campaign, but while it was another thing to do, it felt largely hollow in substance.

Hogwarts Legacy was the highest-selling game of 2023, having sold 22 million units in the calendar year.

There just wasn't much to do with the beasts once collected, save for some light maintenance that felt more like a chore than a pleasure. There were limited variants of each beast, meaning that on a gameplay level, it just felt like another collectible in Hogwarts Legacy, which is already littered with similar features. Instead of dropping it entirely, Hogwarts Legacy 2 should look at how this feature can be improved on, and how it can find a way to justify its existence. Multiplayer could be that key, and Pokemon could be the best template for Avalanche to use.

Pokemon Could Hold the Key to Hogwarts Legacy 2's Success

Using the multiplayer feature to trade Pokemon isn't the main aim of each game in the esteemed monster-collecting series, but it is a significant motivator and a worthwhile activity that feels as important as the main campaign. It's a whole different reason to purchase each new title as there's more to collect and a new Pokedex to fill out, giving players a chance to become connected to those they have caught, and seen grow and evolve.

Hogwarts Legacy would do well to take the same fundamental idea, but perhaps go even further with it. Discovering new magical beasts that are different in appearance, behavior, and statistics would make each one feel unique. Like the rest of the Room of Requirement, the Vivarium in Hogwarts Legacy could be something to carefully curate, rather than simply add to for no real reason.

Hogwarts Legacy is Full of Fantastic Beasts

The Fantastic Beasts series of films has shown that there is more potential for the wizarding world's creatures and beasts, meaning that such a feature wouldn't necessarily feel out of left field in Hogwarts Legacy 2. Trading beasts using multiplayer would serve as a complimentary feature to Fantastic Beasts, a film series that struggled to gain traction, as well as an essential component of whatever is next.