Hogwarts Legacy will be taking Harry Potter fans back to school, allowing them to be sorted into one of the four Hogwarts houses before they begin their fifth year at the castle. When players are not attending magical classes such as Potions and Herbology, they can also make friends, explore the castle, tame magical creatures, and hang out in their house common room. There are also dangers afoot, as the Goblins are plotting a rebellion, and they have aligned themselves with a dark wizard named Victor Rookwood.
If it can deliver on its promises, Hogwarts Legacy could be the most phenomenal Harry Potter game to date. However, it should not be a one-off title, and instead, it should be the start of a series of triple-A titles that explore the Wizarding World. Future games could even go beyond Hogwarts, allowing gamers to explore aspects of the Wizarding World they have always had questions about.
The Marauders of Hogwarts
Before Harry Potter and his friends ever attended Hogwarts, there was a group of mischievous Gryffindor students who called themselves the Marauders. The group was composed of James Potter, Peter Pettigrew, Remus Lupin, and Sirius Black, and though they were prodigious wizards, they used their powers for naughtiness most of the time. Nevertheless, the pranksters grew up to become some of the most influential wizards, which has led Harry Potter fans, for ages, to beg for a film or television series which explores Hogwarts during the time of the Marauders.
A future Hogwarts Legacy game could focus on the Marauders, giving players a chance to get more insight into Snape's negative experiences with the gang, Lupin's werewolf sickness, and James' romance with Lily. It would also allow players to finally decide where they stand with each of the Marauders who all reveal themselves to be complex, morally ambiguous characters. Getting to play as one of the Marauders will also open up some powerful magic for players to toy around with.
A Hogwarts Legacy Quidditch Game Would Be Fantastic
It has been confirmed that broomsticks will be present in Hogwarts Legacy. Players will be able to ride broomsticks, attend classes to perfect their flying skills, and even partake in broom races. However, there has been no word on Quidditch in Hogwarts Legacy, and it appears that it will not be present. This would not be unexpected, as many Harry Potter communities and fan groups have begun to distance themselves from J.K. Rowling and her works following her transphobic remarks. Consequently, the International Quidditch Association, which governs the real-life counterpart of the fictional sport, renamed itself the International Quadball Association.
A future Hogwarts Legacy game entirely dedicated to Quidditch would be a stunning addition to the series, as it would provide exhilarating, fast-paced gameplay. It could follow a player's rise to the top, beginning with school matches and eventually building up to the Quidditch World Cup. The ability for Quidditch to carry an entire game has been previously demonstrated with 2003's Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup, and Avalanche Software could do a lot to improve on that foundation. If executed correctly, it could become a sports game phenomenon that competes with other successful sporting franchises.
Thanks to the Wizarding World's complexity, there are plenty more avenues for future Harry Potter games to explore, including games focused on the fantastic beasts, Grindelwald, the giants, and the plight of the House Elves, to name a few. The release of Hogwarts Legacy will likely ignite a strong desire for even more games, and Avalanche Software should take advantage of this. This can be done by not only planning for future titles, but by also ensuring that the upcoming game is stellar enough to spark excitement.
Hogwarts Legacy is scheduled to release on 10 February 2022 on Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
