It took a long time for the Hogwarts Legacy release date to be finalized after its unveiling in 2020. We’ve come a long way and the Hogwarts Legacy release date will be upon us in a couple of months. For the uninitiated, Hogwarts Legacy is a Harry Potter game with role-playing elements and some pretty impressive graphics.
The game is set in the wizarding world of Harry Potter but won’t feature the title characters. You’ll be making up your wizard or a witch, and adventuring around in not only Hogwarts but also surrounding areas.
Hogwarts Legacy’s release date is February 10, 2023. It is releasing for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One consoles. The game is also slated to be released on Nintendo Switch but it’s going to launch at a later date.
Hogwarts Legacy Release Date
The game was originally slated to release in the holiday of 2021 but saw several delays before settling on a final date. The first delay pushed the release date to April 2022, then pushed it to holiday 2022, and now finally, it’s releasing on February 10, 2023.
Hopefully, this will be the final delay, and we will get our hands on the wands in February. Fans of Harry Potter games have been starved for a very long time and Hogwarts Legacy seems to be exactly what they were craving.
Hogwarts Legacy Platforms
Hogwarts Legacy is releasing on almost every major platform. It is a cross-generation game so it will be available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC. The game is also slated to release on the Nintendo Switch at a later date.
That covers almost every gaming platform so fans regardless of their preferred medium can enjoy the wizarding world of Harry Potter.
The Story
In Hogwarts Legacy, you’ll make your own customizable character and join the school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You are also joining late and will join in the fifth year. Just like usual Harry Potter fashion, you also hold the key to an ancient secret that threatens to tear the wizarding world apart. This is an exciting start to the story straight off the bat, especially for the fans that loved the original “chosen one” story in the books.
Your character is also capable of manipulating ancient magic that’s shrouded in mystery. The main story will follow the mystery of why the ancient magic is back again and who is trying to control it. The plot seems to be far away from the events of the books, which may disappoint some people.
The story is also set in the 1800s, so it’s set way before the adventures of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Naturally, we won’t see the title characters in the story in any capacity as they weren’t even born then.
Hogwarts Legacy doesn’t follow the books and will waive its own story.
Embark on a dangerous journey to uncover a hidden truth of the wizarding world
Warner Bros. Games
The developers are making a totally untold story that will have a dangerous villain to tackle. “It’s such an honor to work on such an amazing franchise and the team is dedicated to delivering an authentic Wizarding World experience that both Harry Potter and RPG fans will enjoy”, stated the Studio General Manager at Avalanche studios, John Blackburn.
The Gameplay Loop
Hogwarts Legacy is an immersive open-world action RPG set in the world of Harry Potter. You’ll make your own custom character and embark on a magical journey. The players will be able to unlock new abilities and master new spells. They’ll also have the opportunity to hone their combat skills and get aid from their loyal companions.
Hogwarts Legacy is a single-player action RPG. There is no co-op or online play available in the game.
The main gameplay is about making your character stronger and stronger and going on your own adventures in the open world. Once you’ve used the extensive character creator, more on that later, you’ll be able to drop into your house. There are four houses to select from; Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and Ravenclaw so you’ll have a choice to make.
From there you’ll be taking classes and making new friends as you continue the year. There is a social feature in the story that allows you to make bonds with fellow students. They can teach you exciting new spells or even come with you on adventures. So making your own magical gang of friends is possible in the game.
During school hours, you are bound to educational activities. Learning new spells and charms, attending classes, and brewing new potions is the name of the game here. Thankfully, all the subjects shown are exciting and as wizards don’t need Advanced Calculus to graduate, we won’t have any trouble passing the classes.
Learning new spells and charms is important too, as anything you learn will help you in combat and puzzle-solving. The game also has dark magic and unforgivable curses for you to cast.
The Combat
There are a number of ways you can use spells and potions during combat. There are offensive spells that also include some dark magic. That’s a sign of a true RPG, letting us go to the dark side and outright kill foes with Avada Kedavra.
All spells aren’t offensive either, there is a Shield spell that you can use to block incoming attacks. There are also stunning charms that counterattack enemies. The combat also allows you to chain powerful spells and even deploy finishers to make quick work of your foes.
There are dozens of spells to choose from as well, making the wand-based combat fun to see. We haven’t played the game yet so we don’t know how the combat feels in the hands. So far what we’ve seen looks very promising. Developers Portkey Games have done a good job of making wand-based spell-slinging combat look fantastic with plenty of visual effects and lights.
Hogwarts Legacy is an RPG so in true RPG tradition, there are talents, skills, and upgrades to be unlocked. You level up by completing missions and killing enemies. You also level up your abilities by using skill points. The skill tree looks detailed enough and will keep you engaged in activities for a while. You can also loot gear, craft it or outright purchase it in the game. We don’t think this is going to be a looter shooter (speller?) but that is to be seen.
You’ll have other tools at your disposal too. You can drink brewed potions to heal, amp up your defense, or have certain immunities. You can also summon plants and animals to aid you in the fights. There is even a stealth system that allows you to sneak up on enemies for a quick takedown.
The Locations on Hogwarts Legacy Release Date
Avalanche says that Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world game so we can expect several locations to make an appearance. From the obvious to the not so obvious and of course, the developers must’ve made some new locations to fill the open world in. The developers also put emphasis on passing seasons throughout the school year changing not only the insides of the school but the outside environment and activities as well.
Hogwarts – Hogwarts Legacy wouldn’t be called Hogwarts Legacy without the school set inside a castle. You’ll be spending a lot of time inside taking classes, roaming the corridors, making new friends, and exploring the castle.
Forbidden Forest – The forbidden forest is the main fixture right outside the castle. The reveal trailer shows a student fighting against the enemy wizards in the forest. The forest is dark and gloomy, and we are sure we will encounter some otherworldly creatures there.
Hogsmeade – The village of Hogsmeade is also going to be in the game. Some of the stories will take place there and you can go on trading in the village. From buying ingredients for potions to outfits for your character, there’s a lot to discover inside the small village.
The Room of Requirement – The Room of Requirement will act as your home base, hidden away from others so you can relax and study. You’ll also be able to grow plants, collect magical beasts, and brew potions in the room. It is truly going to be a room that fulfills your requirements, living up to its name.
The Characters and Character Creation
There are a lot of new faces to be seen in Hogwarts Legacy. Perhaps we will run into some faces that are too young to recognize as well. One thing is for sure though, there won’t be Harry Potter, Ron, or Hermione in the game. Thankfully, the adventure doesn’t have to be a lonely one.
You can find Natsai Onai, a Gryffindor that’s a fan of justice. Poppy Sweeting, a Hufflepuff that has a kind heart, and Sabastian Sallow, a Slytherin that’s looking to break rules. There might be more companions to be found but these are the ones introduced for now. You can talk to them, make them friends, and even take them on adventures with you.
There is also a robust character creator in the game that allows you to make your own custom character. You can choose from gender, and race, and even assign voices as you like. This leaves room to make your character any way you prefer.
Pre-order and Exclusive Content
There are three versions of Hogwarts Legacy ready to be preordered. There is also a preorder bonus.
Preorder Bonus – All preordered versions will come with an Onyx Hippogriff Mount. Folks who preorder on the PlayStation will also receive Felix Felicis potion recipe.
Standard Edition – This version gets you the base game. If you are on the PlayStation platform, you’ll also get an exclusive quest.
Deluxe Edition – This version gets you the base game, 72 hours early access, The Dark Arts pack that includes Thestral Mount, the Dark Arts Battle Arena, the Dark Arts Cosmetic set, and the Dark Arts Garrison Hat.
Collector’s Edition – The Collector’s Edition will include everything in the Deluxe Edition and have a life-size figurine of a floating magic wand with a book base, a steel case, and Kelpie Robe which is a cosmetic DLC.
The developers have confirmed that if you want to get the Dark Arts pack after you’ve purchased the standard version, you’ll be able to do so.
They also confirmed there won’t be any Microtransactions in the game. A healthy sign but we’ll have to wait and see if it pans out accurately or not.
Conclusion:
Hogwarts Legacy is shaping up to be a game worthy of your time, even if you aren’t a big Harry Potter fan. The game is releasing soon and will hopefully be in a polished and stable state. We will keep you updated about further developments.
What house will you be joining come the Hogwarts Legacy release date in February? I’ll be going for Ravenclaw for my first playthrough. Do tell us in the comments!
