Harry Potter fans have been lucky enough to enjoy a few great games from the franchise, allowing them to explore the hallways of Hogwarts and play Quidditch. The latest upcoming Wizarding World game, Hogwarts Legacy, promises to be the most immersive experience yet, and gamers will play as students beginning their fifth year at the famed magical castle. When they are not attending classes and making friends, players will also learn more about the Goblin Rebellion being led by Ranrok and Victor Rookwood.
Hogwarts Legacy was originally slated to release during 2022's holiday season, but a recent delay has pushed the game to 2023. According to Avalanche Software, developers need a little extra time to deliver the best experience possible. Delays are not bad if they give developers the space they need to do their best work, though Hogwarts Legacy's delay is suspicious, and it could spell bad news for the game.
Has Avalanche Software Bitten off More Than It Can Chew?
Avalanche Software is not a new player in the realm of video games, and for most of its history, it has made licensed games for Disney franchises. Past titles from the studio include Toy Story 3, Bolt, and games from Rugrats, Cars, Chicken Little, and the Disney Infinity series. Although these games have generally been met with positive reception, they are all games with a relatively small scope and are far smaller than what Hogwarts Legacy is purported to be. Consequently, the upcoming Harry Potter game will be something new for the studio, and while there is plenty that it can learn from its prior games, it will also be treading a lot of new ground.
Open-world games are notoriously difficult to develop, and even large, experienced studios have had trouble delivering experiences that are free of bugs and are immersive enough to satisfy gamers. This was seen with CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk 2077, which the gaming world was excited to play after the studio's success with The Witcher. However, many gamers, especially those playing on last-generation consoles, found the game to be glitchy and lacking many features that were promised, leading to a rather catastrophic launch for the game.
Hogwarts Legacy's delay is worrying, as Cyberpunk 2077 also faced several delays before its release, as developers recognized that there were still a few flaws present. Furthermore, like Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy makes a lot of ambitious promises, and players have been led to believe that they will be able to live the life of a Hogwarts student by attending classes, making friends, joining a house, taming magical creatures, and visiting Hogsmeade. If executed well, it could be the best Harry Potter game to date. However, the studio's lofty goals are concerning, and the recent delay does not inspire confidence.
Is Hogwarts Legacy Afraid of the Spotlight?
Originally, Hogwarts Legacy was slated for a holiday 2022 release date, with many speculating that it would hit shelves in December. This would have been an interesting time for the game to release, as it would have allowed the game to avoid November, which is packed with a host of headlining games, including God of War: Ragnarok and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. At present, there are not too many big games scheduled for December, aside from The Callisto Protocol, which would have allowed Hogwarts Legacy to have the gaming world's attention all month. However, this may not be what developers want.
The game's delay into February 2023 puts it in a far busier period where it now has to share the stage with other titles, including Deliver Us the Moon's sequel, Deliver Us Mars, and possibly Dead Island 2 based on recent leaks. There are also big games such as Starfield and Final Fantasy 16 that are scheduled for the first half of 2023, and they could find themselves releasing around the same time as Hogwarts Legacy. This does not inspire confidence in the game, as it suggests that Avalanche Studio prefers a release period where there is less attention on Hogwarts Legacy, which would mean less scrutiny.
It should be noted that delays are quite normal in the gaming world, and Hogwarts Legacy's delay could genuinely be for last-minute polishing. Gamers have been promised an immersive Hogwarts castle in a game that allows them to live the life of a magical student. If Avalanche Software can deliver, it could spark a very successful series of Harry Potter games.
Hogwarts Legacy is scheduled to release on February 10, 2023 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, and at a later date on Nintendo Switch.
