The upcoming Hogwarts Legacy can be said to be one of the most highly anticipated video games to fall under the Harry Potter franchise, with the game intending to portray the familiar world of the IP in huge scale and detail. With its open-world setting, the title is predictably aiming to cover massive amounts of content both inside and out of the wizarding school of Hogwarts.
In Hogwarts Legacy, the player will take control of a fifth-year Hogwarts student, making the player character around 15 years old. Due to this, there are some elements of gameplay that could be a slippery slope for Avalanche Software to approach, and the malicious nature of the Unforgivable Curses would definitely fall into this category.
A History of The Unforgivable Curses in the Harry Potter Universe
While many of the spells that are portrayed within the Harry Potter universe are lighthearted in their utility, there are several spells that fall under a much more ominous level of categorization. Three spells, in particular, are considered to be the most potent tools for the Dark Arts of magic, being collectively known as the Unforgivable Curses.
Perhaps the most well-known Unforgivable Curse is Avada Kedavra, otherwise known as the Killing Curse. As the name suggests, this spell will instantaneously end the life of any living creature it is cast upon, earning it significant notoriety and stigma as one of the most powerful and sinister spells in existence.
The second Unforgivable Curse is Crucio, or the Torture Curse, which can be wielded by the caster to cause excruciating physical pain against a living target. Given the level of malicious cruelty behind the spell's purpose, it is clear why it remains so feared. Imperio is the last Unforgivable Curse, granting the caster total control over a victim and their actions when successful.
These three spells are forbidden for common use within the Harry Potter universe, with it being a severe crime to do so that is punishable by a life sentence in the imposing prison of Azkaban. Given the severity of these curses and the implications of using them, their presence in the upcoming Hogwarts Legacy has already raised many pertinent questions.
Why the Protagonist Using Unforgivable Curses in Hogwarts Legacy Poses Moral Questions
Perhaps surprisingly, all three Unforgivable Curses have been confirmed to appear in Hogwarts Legacy, and all of them can be cast by the player character. This element of Hogwarts Legacy has already been used by many to typify the holistic and open experience that the game will provide, but there are some overt caveats to having the Unforgivable Curses in the release that stand out.
Of course, an immediate question can be raised as to how a Hogwarts student is able to master and wield these curses, especially without facing swift and severe punishment for using them. While this could potentially be explained away within the story of Hogwarts Legacy, a point of contention remains in the confirmed young age of the title's protagonist.
At 15, many fans have already raised their concerns over the prospect of such a young character being given free rein to murder or torture others. While many applaud the game's ambition in allowing the player to define their own morals and actions, it is clear that the use of the Unforgivable Curses in Hogwarts Legacy is stoking the fires of controversy quite significantly in the name of total player freedom.
Hogwarts Legacy releases on February 10, 2023, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, on April 4, 2023, for PS4 and Xbox One, and on July 25, 2023, for Switch.
