Highlights
- Hogwarts Legacy exceeded expectations, becoming the biggest game of the year with $1 billion in revenue.
- The sequel may struggle to match the original’s success as fans have already experienced the Wizarding World dream.
- Unless the sequel offers something truly unique, it may not reach the same level of anticipation and hype as the first game.
While players expected Hogwarts Legacy to be a massive hit, many did not know just how big the game would be. It was not only met with strong reviews and won multiple awards, but it also ended up being the biggest game of the year, raking in $1 billion. Because of that, Warner Bros. seems committed to turning Hogwarts Legacy into its own franchise. However, even if the sequel is fantastic, it may have a hard time matching the success of its predecessor.
Hogwarts Legacy was special because it was unlike anything Harry Potter fans had gotten before. Up until then, the video games were all mostly adaptations of the movies, and they seldom let players actually live out their Wizarding World dreams. Luckily, Hogwarts Legacy rose to fill that void, and fans fell in love with it. The sequel will likely do the same thing, however, it may not be as easy a second time. Players have already seen this before, so unless the sequel is drastically improved, they may have little reason to make the jump over.
One Small Touch Could Take Hogwarts Legacy 2’s Brooms to New Heights
Broomstick flying is one of Hogwarts Legacy’s best features, but it could be greatly improved with a relatively minor adjustment.
Hogwarts Legacy 2 Will Have a Lot to Prove to its Fanbase
Hogwarts Legacy 2 Will Not Benefit From Being First
One of the biggest reasons that Hogwarts Legacy was such a success is that it finally engrossed players in the Wizarding World. For the first time in an AAA game, fans were able to make themselves and tell their own Hogwarts story. They created their character, chose their house, attended classes, learned spells, and were given free rein for the entire school. Additionally, they were also able to explore much of the school grounds including Hogsmeade, and Avalanche Software expanded the franchise’s lore considerably with a brand-new story filled with whole new characters.
That blend was exactly what Harry Potter fans have wanted for years. And now that they have it, the next chapter will not feel as new or unique. Hogwarts Legacy was the first to deliver that experience after over two decades of waiting. That anticipation alone helped prop up the game considerably, and that same level of anticipation will likely not follow the sequel. Fans may be intrigued to see where Avalanche takes the franchise next, but unless it is doing something drastically different, that excitement will probably not match the first game’s hype level.
The Sequel May Be Too Similar to Hogwarts Legacy
Hogwarts Legacy also delivered almost everything fans expected from a game like it, so there is not really much further the sequel can go. Avalanche can give players new areas like Diagon Alley or the Ministry to explore, but there is no major reason to deviate from the open world it created already. The studio built a fantastic recreation of the world, and it will likely just carry that over. However, doing so also means that the game may not be that different.
Hogwarts Legacy‘s sequel will most likely tell a different story, yet the open world may be the same at its core. There is only so much that can be added to Hogwarts, and unless the studio is willing to take players to a completely different school, the open worlds may be carbon copies of each other. There is a chance the studio will follow Marvel’s Spider-Man 2‘s example, but unless the new additions and story are worth the price of admission, fans may have little reason to take the leap.
Unless Avalanche Software can deliver players something truly special a second time, the Hogwarts Legacy franchise may have already seen its peak. It was always going to be hard to match the success of the first title, and since the unconfirmed sequel will not be delivering on that same multiple-decade-long wish for a great Harry Potter game, it may be a tall task. But players will have to wait and see if that is truly the case, and if a sequel is made in the first place.
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Legacy
$43 $70 Save $27
Hogwarts Legacy is a game that allows players to explore an open world, including locations such as Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, the Forbidden Forest, and the surrounding Overland area. Players can create their unique witch or wizard character, learn spells, brew potions, grow plants, and tend to magical beasts during their journey. Sorting into a Hogwarts house and forging relationships with other characters enable players to master various skills and shape their characters’ development.
The game features an original wizarding world adventure set in an unexplored era, where players uncover a hidden truth from the past. Challenging encounters await, such as battles against trolls, Dark Wizards, goblins, and a dangerous villain who poses a threat to the fate of the world.
- Franchise
- Harry Potter
- Released
- February 10, 2023
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol
- How Long To Beat
- 26 Hours
- Metascore
- 84
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
