Hogwarts Legacy is nearing its official release date, and Avalanche Software has been sharing much more gameplay in the past while. Two gameplay showcases have recently aired with developer commentary to help explain certain mechanics and features that fans see, including the ins and outs of the Room of Requirement, what flight traversal in Hogwarts Legacy’s open world looks like, and how Unforgivable Curses can be used in combat. It is fair to assume that a lot more is left for players to learn about in Hogwarts Legacy, and one point of intrigue was teased in the latest showcase.
Hogwarts Legacy’s second gameplay showcase touched upon a lot of exploration that fans will have to indulge in, whether that is freely flying around Hogwarts’ grounds, navigating the Forbidden Forest, or personalizing the Room of Requirement’s cosmetic delights. However, it also concluded with a tiny cutscene sequence, and the implications it makes are difficult to discern based on what happens. That said, Harry Potter fans may instantly associate this cutscene to the theatrical depiction of Tom Riddle’s diary, and some fans believe they already know who this particular book belongs to.
Hogwarts Legacy’s Showcase Tease Echoes Tom Riddle’s Diary
This Hogwarts Legacy tease shows a tiny room featuring a lonesome book. Loose pages all fly into the open book as the protagonist approaches and interacts with it. Then, a cutscene begins where the protagonist notices shadows swirling around him, before he and the shadows are sucked into the book, with the book closing shut afterward.
This tease seems to suggest that whatever this cutscene alludes to will be explained in a future gameplay showcase, but there are already notable connections to Harry Potter lore that fans may instantly associate this incident with. In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry obtains Tom Riddle’s diary and begins to see words appearing on otherwise blank pages communicating with him.
Harry is also eventually absorbed into the diary, and if this is being intentionally referenced in Hogwarts Legacy then it is possible that the player could experience the memories of the book’s author. Because pages are seen being absorbed into the book, players may unlock this sequence once enough of Hogwarts Legacy’s field guide pages are found. It is also possible that this scene sets up something completely different in terms of narrative or gameplay, but the parallel is unlikely to just be the developers teasing fans.
Hogwarts Legacy’s Showcase Tease May Be Connected to Merlin
There are some large implications tying ancient magic and the protagonist of Hogwarts Legacy to Merlin himself. Now, some fans believe this showcase’s tease to have revealed Merlin’s book of ancient magic secrets. Several fan theories connect Merlin to the game in a large role, such as the possibility that Hogwarts Legacy’s protagonist could be Merlin’s descendant. If Merlin is intertwined this deeply in the narrative, linking the protagonist to the ancient magic that they learn about and wield, it would be rather likely that the showcase tease’s book could belong to Merlin as well.
This would be a fantastic way to connect with deep-cut Harry Potter lore that is not explicitly entangled with popular iconography, making Hogwarts Legacy’s 1800s atmosphere even more refreshing. Interestingly, the room below where the book appears in this tease seems to have a Pensieve, which would add another layer of fantastical intrigue if it truly is one of these magical items and if players are eventually able to use it.
Hogwarts Legacy launches on February 10 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X, with PS4 and Xbox One versions coming on April 4 and the Switch version launching on July 25.
