Hogwarts Legacy has finally given Harry Potter fans the ability to explore a fully realized Hogwarts to their heart's content. It may be the closest that fans will ever get to actually attending Hogwarts, and it will likely not be the last time. Hogwarts Legacy has proven very successful critically and commercially, and that will no doubt lead to more adventures within The Wizarding World. While there is a strong possibility that sequels will stay within the confines of Hogwarts, Avalanche Software has the potential to do something very different with this series.
Hogwarts is not the only wizarding school in Harry Potter, but the franchise has not really given viewers a good look at any of the other ones. There have been brief mentions of other schools, and members of some of the schools competed in the Triwizard Tournament. Outside of that, the other schools have been relatively absent from the story. That could all change if Avalanche was willing to take a risk by bringing Hogwarts Legacy around the world to brand-new new locales, and hopefully expand this franchise in whole new ways.
The WIzarding World is Filled With Magical Schools to Explore
The story of Harry Potter primarily takes place at Hogwarts and its surrounding area. It follows Harry's journey from being a first-year to his explosive battle against Voldemort in his seventh-year. This magical journey is what pulled readers to the series in the first place, and many fans have been yearning for the ability to attend Hogwarts ever since. Avalanche Software finally delivered on that dream with Hogwarts Legacy, and the Harry Potter fan base seems to be loving the game.
Hogwarts Legacy has given players the fantasy of attending the titular school, and its success will likely spawn sequels. While Avalanche Software could continue to explore Hogwarts, that concept may get stale after a little while. There are only so many stories that the studio can tell within the school's walls, and there are only so many new areas that it can add. Each game will pretty much have the same exact open-worlds, and each entry may not feel that different from the last. Exploring Hogwarts more is not necessarily a bad thing, but Avalanche could do so much more with its new series.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire gave viewers a small look into the greater Wizarding World through the introduction of the Triwizard tournament. The students of Hogwarts were joined that year by students from two other European wizarding schools; Durmstrang Institute and Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. The introduction of these schools helped expand the series past its Hogwarts-centric tale, and the Fantastic Beasts series expanded it even further by exploring countries outside the United Kingdom. While viewers have gotten brief looks into other parts of the world, the series has still stayed relatively Hogwarts-centric.
The Wizarding World has yet to show fans a school that is not Hogwarts, and Avalanche Software could change that. Instead of setting the Hogwarts Legacy sequels at Hogwarts, each entry could go to a different school. Players could explore the United States wizarding school in Ilvermorny Legacy, they could take a trip to one of the Triwizard tournament schools in Durmstrang Legacy or Beauxbatons Legacy, and the series could even take a trip to Africa's wizarding school in Uagadou Legacy. Each game could finally show off these schools in all their glory, and it could go a long way in fleshing out this franchise even more.
There are so many schools within the Harry Potter franchise that could serve as great settings for future Hogwarts Legacy games. While it is very unlikely that Avalanche will take the series past Hogwarts, it would be really cool if it did. It could be a great way to explore new corners of this world, and it would give the studio virtually limitless freedom with the stories that it wants to tell within this iconic franchise.
Hogwarts Legacy is available for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S. It's in development for PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
