Hogwarts Legacy is probably one of the most controversial video games on the market right now, and for good reason. While some elements of the game try to directly oppose the hateful views of the source material's creator, there's no denying that J.K. Rowling's presence can be felt throughout the game, and there's plenty of controversial content still in the game that's more than worthy of criticism. That said, Hogwarts Legacy is performing very well sales-wise, and its reviews tell a similar story.
Hogwarts Legacy's first round of reviews was, for the most part, very high, with scores mostly hitting eights and nines. Currently, Hogwarts Legacy sits at an impressive 85 on Metacritic for its PS5 version, and that's a feat not many thought the game could achieve. With such high reviews, Hogwarts Legacy has the potential to be one of the biggest next-gen system sellers of the last few years.
Hogwarts Legacy's Reception Could Cause a Rise in Next-Gen Console Sales
Despite all of the valid criticisms, Hogwarts Legacy has reviewed very well across the board, and now that fans have gotten a hold of it, the user scores are just as, if not even more positive, with the PS5 version of the game currently sitting at a 9.1 user score on Metacritic. For the most part, those that are still fans of the Wizarding World are absolutely loving the game, and the fear of missing out is what might drive others to go out and finally drop the cash on a shiny new console.
Hogwarts Legacy is currently only available for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC. While PS4 and Xbox One versions of Hogwarts Legacy are coming, fans won't be able to get their hands on them until April 4, and Nintendo Switch users have to wait even longer, until July 25. For those desperate to play the game, those extra two months are going to feel like an eternity, with the fear of missing out only growing stronger the more people post about the game over the next few weeks.
For those that were on the fence about buying a next-gen console and are big Harry Potter fans, Hogwarts Legacy's timed exclusivity might be enough to finally push them over the edge and get them to buy a PS5 or Xbox Series X. Additionally, many fans will likely want to play Hogwarts Legacy in its best iteration, and the next-gen versions are guaranteed to offer the best experience of the lot, with reduced load times, better framerates, and better visuals all-round.
While it isn't definite, the previous generation ports of Hogwarts Legacy may not run all that well. Right now, the PC version of Hogwarts Legacy is experiencing some fairly severe technical issues, and that's likely to be multiplied on previous-generation hardware. Hogwarts Legacy's loading times are already a little temperamental even on next-gen hardware, with the game taking a few seconds before letting players open up a door in the castle, so it's fair to assume that they'll be much worse on PS4 and Xbox One.
For those fans that want the best experience while playing Hogwarts Legacy, a next-gen console is simply necessary, and this lengthy gap of time between the two release dates might be enough to sway some fans into buying a next-gen console primarily for Hogwarts Legacy. Of course, there are plenty of other factors that go into buying a new console as well, such as other exclusives and features like Game Pass, but Hogwarts Legacy could be that final straw for many fans.
Hogwarts Legacy is available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. PS4 and Xbox One ports release on April 4, and the Nintendo Switch version is arriving July 25, 2023.
