The announcement of a 10-year-spanning Harry Potter series on Max has been an interesting topic of conversation lately. On the one hand, fans believe it is too soon for a Harry Potter reboot, and there are obviously fans of the IP who are upset at the fact that J.K. Rowling is an executive producer on the series. This means that she will continue to reap the rewards of the IP for at least a decade longer with a new interpretation that is said to closely adapt her original books. On the other hand, though, fans seem worried about what this might mean for the Wizarding World’s Hogwarts Legacy.
It would be terrific for this new Harry Potter series to afford playful nods and references to Hogwarts Legacy now that there is a large chunk of 1800s lore established by the game. Having references to Hogwarts Legacy would mean that there could potentially be ways for the series to tease a Hogwarts Legacy sequel, or there could be simple nods to Ancient Magic and certain events of the game. Otherwise, Max’s Harry Potter could choose to ignore Hogwarts Legacy entirely, sticking to the books exclusively while Hogwarts Legacy remains in the past.
Max’s Harry Potter Series May Not Have Any Effect on Hogwarts Legacy
If the Harry Potter Max series is an adaptation of the books, there should be no definite impact on Hogwarts Legacy due to them taking place in two separate eras. There are obviously lore and experiences from Harry Potter that dip backward into the past, but no details have been so groundbreaking as to potentially rewrite events from Hogwarts Legacy or retcon anything it proposed as its own original narrative within the canon.
That is the only concern regarding this new series, though it seems as if Harry Potter would need to go out of its way in order to erase anything from Hogwarts Legacy. Of course, Hogwarts Legacy did introduce a transgender character and is therefore at least minorly in opposition of Rowling’s hateful transphobic advocacy. It will be interesting to see if Rowling’s role as an executive producer further buries any sort of representation or inclusivity in her new series.
Either way, if Hogwarts Legacy is completely ignored by Harry Potter, that would seem to be the most ideal course of action. This way, Hogwarts Legacy could receive sequels and spin-offs that are still stuck in its 1800s era and continue to carve out an original narrative that can be isolated from Harry Potter. It is true that fans love the IP itself and everything that holds nostalgia from Harry Potter, but it is refreshing to see a unique take on the Wizarding World that can cleave itself apart from Harry Potter’s iconography. Having a custom character in a past era was a huge part of that, but traditional Hogwarts house tropes were still too stereotypical.
It makes some sense because of what Hogwarts houses are like in the present day, but Hogwarts Legacy would do well to find more ways to iterate on the IP. If for no other reason, Max’s Harry Potter series could be a great way to encourage other Wizarding World games in the next decade, even if the IP is always inevitably going to be attached to Rowling at the hip. Only time will tell how much one will affect the other.
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.
