Harry Potter lore has never been kind to Hufflepuffs, resulting in it being the least popular House in-universe and in the real world (despite there being plenty of diehard Hufflepuff fans). Part of this is because Hufflepuff is known for its loyalty and hard work, which are relatively boring traits compared to Grffindor's bravery, Ravenclaw's wisdom, and Slytherin's ambition. It is also said that Helga Hufflepuff took in the "leftovers" that don't fit into the other three houses, which has the impact of raising their prestige at the cost of Hufflepuff's. And even though they have Cedric Diggory, Hufflepuffs are often overlooked in-universe, especially during Harry Potter's time. Luckily, Hogwarts Legacy has a chance to correct this and runs away with it, but yet the longtime habit of the fanbase still sees Hufflepuff get overlooked.
Although the Sorting Hat can and will choose a House for the Hogwarts Legacy player, many instead choose which house they want to be in. Since launch, the most popular and best houses in Hogwarts Legacy have remained rather stagnant, but a PC shake-up saw some houses shift around. Yet, despite even time being on Hufflepuff's side, they remain at the bottom of the totem pole.
Hogwarts Legacy Gives Hufflepuffs the Best Exclusive Quest...
Perhaps knowing Hufflepuff would be overlooked, it receives the best exclusive house quest in Hogwarts Legacy. A portrait of Eldritch Diggory, an ancestor of Cedric Diggory, will task players with solving the murder of Richard Jackdaw, with them being whisked away by another figure to the prison of Azkaban. Not only is this prison incredibly popular lore-wise, but it has a heavy influence over the story.
Joining Hufflepuff is the only way to visit Azkaban, and it is the only way to see the Expecto Patronum spell, as well as Dementors, in Hogwarts Legacy. This is a huge draw for fans of the franchise, and yet, it seems the general disdain for Hufflepuff undermines even this amazing quest.
But Hufflepuff Remains the Least Popular House in Hogwarts Legacy Across Platforms
At launch, Slytherin took over as the most popular house in Hogwarts Legacy, with Gryffindor following in second, Ravenclaw taking third, and Hufflepuff being left to last. Now, this is to be expected because of Hufflepuff's history and the mystery around the game. However, once the Azkaban exclusive quest became public knowledge, one would assume Hufflepuff would rise through the ranks. This is not the case.
Recently, this order of Hogwarts Legacy houses has slightly shifted on Steam (though it remains the same on PS5 and Xbox Series X). Slytherin remains in first, Ravenclaw has climbed into second place, Gryffindor fell into third, and yet Hufflepuff still remains last. The bad part is it's not even close. Slytherin more than doubles the percentage of Hufflepuff, and the gap between third and fourth place is the biggest gap in the ratings.
- Slytherin - 27.6%
- Ravenclaw - 22.9%
- Gryffindor - 21.3%
- Hufflepuff - 13.5%
Now, there are some factors to consider. This Hogwarts Legacy data is derived from the achievement associated with reaching a certain story point with these houses, so it could be skewed by those who have played multiple times or those who didn't get that far in the game. The upcoming Xbox One and PS4 launch could change the order there, while the Switch will have even more data and time to adjust this. But across multiple platforms and a significant shift in popularity, Hufflepuff remains last.
In comparison to Azkaban, one House sees players visit the Forbidden Forest to fight some monsters, one involves finding Olliver's lost wand, and the other involves rotten meat and a trip to the graveyard. They all pale in comparison to Hufflepuff's quest. Ultimately, it says something about engagement in the Harry Potter franchise when popular perception and house favoritism outweigh the coolest exclusive quest in Hogwarts Legacy. Perhaps Hufflepuff members were wrong to point the finger at Harry Potter in the books, given this is their "treatment" a hundred years prior.
Hogwarts Legacy is available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, with PS4 and Xbox One versions launching May 5 and a Switch port releasing July 25.
