Harry Potter RPG ‘Hogwarts Legacy’ gameplay and release date revealed

The game, developed by Avalanche Software and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment under its Portkey Games label, combines all the lore from over 20 years of books and movies in an incredibly detailed and interactive experience with an all new storyline.

Hogwarts Legacy was first revealed in September 2020, alongside the price and release date for Sony’s PlayStation 5. Initial plans were for a 2021 release, however the game was pushed back to 2022 to give more time for game development.

The 20-minute State of Play presentation featured over 14 minutes of substantial Hogwarts Legacy gameplay captured on PS5, and concluded with some insights from a few members of the team at Avalanche Software, the real witches and wizards who brought the magic of the Wizarding World to life.

The presentation revealed how players can create and customize their avatar as a Hogwarts student, explore the grounds of the magical school, learn spells, brew potions, participate in classes, and engage in combat against mysterious enemies.

Players begin the game as a new student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry 100 years before the events in the Harry Potter series.

In an unusual twist, players start as a 5th-year student behind their classmates' skill level, but with a mysterious ability to harness ancient magic. You'll get sorted into one of the four iconic houses, where you get to interact with classmates, attend various types of classes like Herbology and Defence Against the Dark Arts, learn to cast spells, and even practice your dueling skills. 

Since the entire game takes place in the 1800s, players will not be interacting with students and professors from the Harry Potter books and films. However, there are numerous nods to characters, like Nearly Headless Nick and iconic locations that Potterheads will instantly recognize, including a Room of Requirement for crafting and item upgrades.

“We built the Hogwarts we as fans ourselves wanted to explore,” said Hogwarts Environmental Lead Boston Madsen in a PlayStation blog post follwing the State of Play event. “I think anyone who has read the books, whether they are an artist or not, has built a version of Hogwarts in their heads.” 

As you explore the huge Hogwarts castle, you can solve puzzles to discover dungeons and secret passages, and level up your abilities and spells. You’ll also get to explore locations that were just described in the book, but never before seen in movies like, like the Hufflepuff common room.

That was just a taste of #HogwartsLegacy — your full adventure in the Wizarding World is still to come. pic.twitter.com/Lw84hs1Pdx

— Hogwarts Legacy (@HogwartsLegacy) March 17, 2022

“There are familiar haunts like the Great Hall, clocktower and hospital wing, but also completely new places like the bustling kitchens,” Boston added. “Having felt like a student in these halls myself through the development of this game, I can honestly say there are still areas I come across that I didn’t know about before.”

Players will not be limited to just attending classes in Hogwarts. As a massive open-world RPG, Hogwarts Legacy allows players to explore the sprawling area around Hogwarts, including key locations like Hogsmeade, the Black Lake, The Forbidden Forest, and the surrounding countryside encountering corrupted magical creatures as the game tests your skills.

The game promises to give players the ability to mix and match dozens of spells and build up their own play style. You can build up your character with an upgrade tree that lets you enhance your skills in potion-making, spells, and more. You can also loot or craft gear, and specialize items to fit your play style. 

#HogwartsLegacy Screenshots on PS5 pic.twitter.com/8Ivlk9mpPE

— Hogwarts Legacy News (@HogwartsLegacy_) March 17, 2022

Players will also be able to navigate and travel through the world aboard a broomstick, letting you fly around areas faster. Interacting with fellow students is important, as they can teach you certain spells and skills, and can even accompany you on missions once you’ve unlocked their stories and built up a good relationship with them.

While you’re trying to hone your skills with your classmates in school, a darker story is unfolding just outside Hogwarts school grounds. Your character will attempt to unlock a variety of secrets and mysteries under the tutelage of Professor Fig. 

As seen in the State of Play, as the player, you could end up going down a dark path yourself, and wield dark magic like the unforgiveable curse, Avada Kedavra, to defeat enemies.

“Many fans of Harry Potter imagined what it would be like to receive their own Hogwarts letter, be sorted, and attend Hogwarts. More than anything else, we wanted to allow fans, after all these years, to finally tell their story, their way, at the most beloved school of witchcraft and wizardry. Only an open-world action RPG could capture the breadth of our fantasies.”

Get ready to be blown away by watching the entire State of Play presentation on Hogwarts Legacy below.

Hogwarts Legacy is set to be released during Holiday 2022 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.