Avalanche Software could likely air a couple new gameplay showcases for Hogwarts Legacy releases in February, and it would still have a lot of content that fans would not get to see. In its nearly fifteen-minute State of Play gameplay reveal, Hogwarts Legacy introduced features that players will indulge in. Each mechanic seems thoroughly considered and faithful to fans’ Harry Potter nostalgia, which is perhaps its biggest hurdle in terms of iterating on an iconic IP, but Hogwarts Legacy also pushes the envelope with regard to how large of an open-world action-RPG it intends to be.
Hogwarts' castle needs to be full of intrigue and whimsy to be satisfying for fans of the franchise. Hidden secrets will hopefully be abundant, and student NPCs having their own minor tasks for the player is a great way to establish connections between other classmates and companions. Traversal through different regions has only been briefly shared before Hogwarts Legacy’s most recent gameplay showcase, but this new showcase in particular has revealed that Floo Network points of fast travel may be paramount as the map continues to extend past what fans have expected from it.
Hogwarts Legacy’s Map May Be Larger Than Fans Anticipated
It has never been a secret that Hogwarts Legacy would have a fully explorable open-world setting that branches out beyond the confines of the castle itself. The castle is obviously a remarkable and important part of the experience, but Avalanche Software expands upon that with its inclusion of Hogsmeade.
More information about Hogwarts Legacy’s Hogsmeade has trickled in with each new gameplay showcase, revealing that many of the resources and items players need can be purchased from unique shops located there. This on its own would probably be enough of an open world for players to explore, but the game’s map stretches out much further. The recent gameplay showcase that Avalanche Software aired immediately hopped into open-world traversal, demonstrating that players can mount their broomstick or hippogriff at a moment’s notice.
The protagonist was flown out a great distance, winding through trees in a dense wooded area before sailing above bodies of water and tiny hamlets where other NPCs can be found. If fans previously believed that their exploration would be wholly encompassed between the castle and Hogsmeade, this showcase was proof that there will be much more to the map that they can explore.
Hogwarts Legacy’s Castle Seems Like a Footnote on the Open-World Map
The castle itself has only been briefly toured with different transitional segments cut or omitted during the original gameplay showcase. It still seems large and immersive, but the castle may now seem like only a small portion of the map overall. The player is flown back toward the school in the second gameplay showcase and fans could see the castle out in the distance, representing how far they can travel away from it and still have meaningful gameplay interactions.
It will be interesting to see how much time players spend in Hogwarts Legacy’s castle grounds compared to the mountainous lands that envelop it. If classes are not strictly mandated as part of Hogwarts Legacy’s core gameplay loop, or if seasonal transitions offer a leisure period where players are encouraged to explore more, it will be fascinating to see what subplots and interactions could be found out at the corners of the map.
The Forbidden Forest is also a unique question mark in terms of how much of it players can traverse, and regions such as this may be home to more fearsome creatures that players may want to return to when they have more powerful spells. Either way, Hogwarts Legacy’s open world is looking highly ambitious in terms of its scope and scale.
Hogwarts Legacy launches on February 10, 2023, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X, on April 4 for PS4 and Xbox One, and on July 25 for Switch.
