Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world adventure game currently in development at Avalanche Software that will take players into the Harry Potter universe.
Hogwarts Legacy will be a chance for Harry Potter fans to craft their own adventure in familiar locations from the series, stepping away from the timeline of the books and films to tell an original story in the 1800s. First officially revealed back in 2020, Hogwarts Legacy was originally expected to release in 2021 but it's since been delayed to 2022.
Since the announcement of Hogwarts Legacy’s delay, we’ve actually heard very little about it. However, Warner Bros. has confirmed that the Harry Potter RPG is still on track to release this year (despite further delay rumors). We expect that, with Hogwarts Legacy due to release sometime this year, we'll start to hear more solid details in the coming months - including whether or not its recently rumored September release window is indeed accurate.
While there may not be much in the way of solid details on Hogwarts Legacy right now, there are plenty of rumors to delve into. Want to know more? Read on for everything we know about Hogwarts Legacy so far.
[Update: Could a September release date be on the cards for Hogwarts Legacy? Read on to find out more.]
Hogwarts Legacy: cut to the chase
- What is it? An RPG title based on the Harry Potter franchise, set in the 1800s
- When can I play it? TBC 2022
- What can I play it on? PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, PC
Hogwarts Legacy release date and platforms
Hogwarts Legacy is due to release in 2022 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PS5, PC and PS4 - though an exact release date hasn't been confirmed.
When Hogwarts Legacy first leaked, Bloomberg reported that it would come to next-gen consoles in 2021. However, the start of 2021 saw an official delay to 2022, as publisher Portkey Games confirmed more time was needed to get the game in tip-top shape.
Despite rumors to the contrary, the Harry Potter RPG is reportedly still on track to release this year. In January, the official Warner Bros. Brazil Twitter account posted a thread of the company's upcoming video game releases, which includes Gotham Knights, Multiversus, and Hogwarts Legacy (all set to release this year). WarnerMedia's CEO, Jason Kilar, tweeted a similar thread, laying out the company's strategy for 2022 and including a picture of Hogwarts Legacy when mentioning the "full slate of highly anticipated games" Warner Bros. has releasing this year.
In addition, a blog post on the Wizarding World website also insists that Hogwarts Legacy is releasing in 2022, as does leaker AccountNGT (who has accurately reported on the game in past) who claimed on Twitter that development is progressing smoothly and that Hogwarts Legacy should release in Q3 (July - September) 2022.
Currently, it sounds like Warner Bros. still intends to release Hogwarts Legacy this year, and while exactly when remains unclear, a recent rumor may have narrowed down the release window further.
Following up on his claim that Hogwarts Legacy will release between July and September, leaker AccountNGT has since claimed that the Harry Potter RPG will release in September, with a trailer on skills and abilities to premiere at a currently unconfirmed PlayStation event to take place in February or March. Though the leaker did caveat this information with: "Take everything I say with a grain of salt until it is confirmed".
This September estimate has been given additional weight by the announcement of a companion art book for the game titled "The Art and Making of Hogwarts Legacy" which is expected to launch in September 2022. This announcement prompted AccountNGT to tweet that a September 1 release date "is looking more and more likely", though nothing official has been confirmed.
Hogwarts Legacy trailer
Reveal trailer
We only have a single Hogwarts Legacy trailer so far, which was shown off at Sony's September 2020 PS5 price and release date reveal. It does, though, show off some magically next-gen environments, with fantastical creatures, plenty of wand-action, and hints at a mysterious power that your avatar holds...
Hogwarts Legacy gameplay and setting
Hogwarts Legacy is going to be an "immersive, open-world RPG" set in the wizarding world of the 1800s - specifically Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
According to the description of the game on its official website: "Your character is a student who holds the key to an ancient secret that threatens to tear the wizarding world apart." Having received a late acceptance letter for Hogwarts, the player discovers that they possess the ability to possess and master Ancient Magic. "Only you can decide if you will protect this secret for the good of all, or yield to the temptation of more sinister magic," the description reads.
Hogwarts Legacy will see players creating and customizing their own characters, creating potions, mastering spell casting, upgrading their talents, making allies and battling Dark Wizards to "decide the fate of the wizarding world". Players can also expect to come across fantastic beasts and visit both new and familiar locations, such as including the Forbidden Forest and Hogsmeade Village.
A morality system is also rumored to play a role in the game and the official FAQ certainly indicates that players will have to make decisions as they play, stating "players will also encounter missions and scenarios that will pose difficult choices and determine what they stand for."
Hogwarts Legacy news and rumors
A September release date?
Recent reports suggest that Warner Bros. Games and developer Avalanche Software could be aiming for September.
Industry insider, AccountNGT, has suggested in tweets that the game is looking to hit a September 2022 release date. Now, The Rowling Library has announced that the game is to get a companion art book titled “The Art and Making of Hogwarts Legacy” in that month, adding fuel to these rumors.
Published by Insight Editions, The Rowling Library states that the current expected release date for the book is September 6, adding, “although it is not confirmed, this publication date could be related to the videogame release date, which is still unknown.”
AccountNGT, in turn, tweeted out this news to say that “a September 1st release date is looking more and more likely”. AccountNGT’s September estimate also lines up with a release window proffered by another prominent insider, Tom Henderson, who claimed in a recent YouTube video that “Warner Bros. is now ready to reveal more on Hogwarts Legacy which is expected to release Q3 to Q4 2022.”
As September 1 is known as “Back to Hogwarts Day” by Harry Potter fans—that being the day Hogwarts students return to school—it would make sense as a release date for the game. However, at the moment nothing official has been confirmed by Warner Bros. Games or Avalanche Software.
More details coming in 2022
Developer WB Avalanche has spoken out to say that there will be updates on Hogwarts Legacy in 2022.
Tweeting out a Happy Holidays message on December 16 2021, the development studio said it’s looking forward to sharing “more news and updates on Hogwarts Legacy next year.” When exactly in 2022 we can expect these updates remains unclear.
Happy Holidays from the Avalanche team! We’re excited to share more news and updates on Hogwarts Legacy next year. pic.twitter.com/f1rBcJf91ODecember 16, 2021
Rumors of a trailer coming soon
There could be a new trailer for Hogwarts Legacy on its way soon if a report on Twitter is to be believed. According to leaker, AccountNGT (who flagged details on Star Wars Eclipse before its official announcement) a new trailer can be “expected very soon”.
Anyway, things got moving for #HogwartsLegacy today, I'm expecting the trailer very soon.December 14, 2021
Red Kite Games and Sumo Digital helping out
Sumo Digital has announced that two of its studios are involved in the development of Hogwarts Legacy. In a recent Twitter post, Sumo Digital confirmed that Sumo Nottingham and Red Kite Games are both involved in the game and that they’re “hard at work with the teams at Warner Bros. Games and Avalanche Software on a magical new adventure under the Portkey Games label.”
We are very excited to share the news that two of our studios - @RedKiteGames and Sumo Nottingham - are involved in the upcoming Hogwarts Legacy videogame. pic.twitter.com/tNHHv9HyXeDecember 9, 2021
Absent from The Game Awards
It’s been all quiet on the Hogwarts Legacy front for a while which led many to believe that the game might make an appearance at the Game Awards 2021. However, the event is now over and the game was nowhere to be seen.
According to industry insider and leaker, Millie A on Twitter, “Hogwarts Legacy was last shown over a year ago. It was shown right in the middle of the whole J.K media backlash. The game was victim to that". "WB are being very careful with this game. For now, though, It looks like hesitancy and caution are winning," she continued.
Millie A also went on to retweet a post from LatestPS5 which said that Warner Bros made a "late call" to pull Hogwarts Legacy from the show and replace it with the Wonder Woman trailer that was shown. Instead, the post says, Hogwarts Legacy is "expected to be shown at rumoured upcoming PlayStation event".
Hogwarts Legacy was last shown over a year ago. It was shown right in the middle of the whole J.K media backlash. The game was victim to that.WB are being very careful with this game. For now though, It looks like hesitancy and caution is winning. https://t.co/cCuaR9MYPkDecember 10, 2021
Could the Dark Arts be an option?
Hogwarts Legacy might decide to show the darker side of the wizarding world. In a (since deleted) tweet from Hogwarts Legacy writer DC Allen, a discussion around the game’s potential age rating opened up possibilities for the Harry Potter title to include the book series’ Dark Arts – the forbidden magic that only powerful evil wizards use.
Asked whether or not killing would be possible in the new game, the writer answered (as preserved by Comicbook.com):
“Are they not allowed to kill in 16+ games? I feel like you could fully kill bad guys in Horizon Zero Dawn, it just wasn't bloody. I don't think I can answer your question directly but in the trailer you can see there is a lot of evil occurring in the wizarding world.”
It has, of course, been confirmed that evil opponents in Hogwarts Legacy will use Dark Magic after a PlayStation Blog post from Adrian Ropp, Head of Story at Avalanche, mentioned the game would feature “dueling against a deadly dark witch.” However, Allen’s comment is the first sign we’ve had that the game could make use of more mature themes and methods of attack for the protagonist.
Certainly, there have been mentions of a "morality" system in the game which could also leave the door open for the use of the so-called “Killing Curse”, Avada Kedavra, for players that want to take a walk on the Dark side of magic.
You'll choose your house
It looks like there won't be any kind of elaborate sorting quiz at the start of Hogwarts Legacy. In an FAQ on the game's official website, it's stated that "players can choose their house at the start of Hogwarts Legacy." There's no details on how the choice will be made or whether houses will be able to be changed at a later point in the game but the page states that more details on this will be available at a later date.
Trans-inclusive character creation
Hogwarts Legacy will feature a transgender-inclusive character creator, according to a report from Bloomberg.
In the report, it’s said that sources “familiar with the game’s development” have revealed that the game will allow players to customize their character’s body type, voice and gender placement for school dormitories.
The sources also say that players will be allowed to choose a masculine or feminine voice, regardless of their character’s body type, and will get to choose whether they want to be a ‘witch’ or a ‘wizard’, with the latter choice placing them in the applicable dormitory and affecting they're addressed by other characters in the game.
According to Bloomberg, this inclusivity is the result of a push by some members of the game’s development team, following controversial comments made by J. K Rowling, the creator of the series.
“As a result, some members of the Hogwarts Legacy development team have fought to make the game as inclusive as possible, pushing for the character customization and even for a transgender character to be added,” the report says. “There was resistance from management at first, the people familiar with the project said, but currently the character customization is included in the game.”
JK Rowling doesn't have much involvement, apparently
According to the Bloomberg report, Rowling doesn't have much involvement in the game's creation and the game's official FAQ states while the game "is inspired by J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World", the author "is not directly involved in the creation of the game."
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/SJwnBVF
No comments:
Post a Comment