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| Screenshot from the leaked Harry Potter game trailer |
Apparently JK Rowling will have "very little direct involvement" in the upcoming Harry Potter RPG.
We've known that a massive Harry Potter RPG is on the way for years - and we've even seen leaked gameplay footage - but still nothing has been officially announced.
The untitled Harry Potter game was first leaked back in 2018, and is under development by Disney Infinity devs Avalanche Software. We're expecting an expansive role-playing game with an open-world Hogwarts to explore and the chance to create your very own wizard to play as.
Here’s all you need to know about the new Harry Potter RPG, from possible names to the latest release date rumours and gameplay news.
What Will The Harry Potter RPG Be Called?
The Harry Potter RPG game is yet to be formally announced, so the only people who really know the name are the people working on it. Well, the developers and BBC journalist Lizo Mzimba, if a tweet is to be believed.
Am told this is from a yet to be announced RPG currently titled Harry Potter Magic Awakened, although other titles including Magic Forever are also in the mix. Other Potter games are also thought to be on the way @TomPhillipsEG @ComicBook #HarryPotterMagicAwakened #HarryPotter https://t.co/bgXliE0Hme— lizo mzimba (@lizo_mzimba) October 2, 2018
The BBC entertainment correspondent claims that the upcoming open-world Harry Potter game could be called Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, though other titles including Magic Forever are also being considered internally. This could just be hearsay, but considering the prominent position of the journalist, we imagine that his sources are fairly accurate.
On the other hand, none of those names appeared in a June 2020 leak. A Reddit poster claiming to work for Warner Bros.' marketing department said that instead the game won't have Harry Potter in the title at all, and will instead be called Hogwarts: A Dark Legacy. Still, there's nothing to back up this leaker's claim, so take it with a pinch of salt.
When Will The New Harry Potter Game Be Released?
Sadly, we’ve got no release date – or even a window – in sight just yet.
Though the leaked video features pretty polished gameplay mechanics, Eurogamer’s sources claimed that it’s still “at least a year away from launch” - and that was back in 2018.
Word is that Warner Bros. was planning to show the game off during E3 2020 - but with the show cancelled over coronavirus, we're not sure how that will affect the announcement schedule.
A June 2020 report from Bloomberg cites two people working on the game and claims it is on the way "late next year" - meaning late 2021 - which is probably the most accurate prediction we've had yet.
The same report says an announcement is now due some time after the DC FanDome event in August, and claims that author JK Rowling has "very little direct involvement" in the game - a bit of Warner Bros. damage control in the wake of the writer's transphobic views.
What Platforms Will The Harry Potter Game Be On?
Since the game hasn't been announced, we don't know for sure yet.
The Bloomberg report claims the game will launch on the PS5 and Xbox Series X - which makes sense given the timing - but makes no mention of a PC release, or anything for streaming services like Google Stadia.
We also don't know if a less advanced version of the game will launch on the existing PS4 or Xbox One, or even on the Switch.
Watch The Leaked Trailer
The source of much of the news about the upcoming Harry Potter comes from a leaked gameplay trailer posted to Reddit by user VapeThisBro.
The poster claims that he was shown the video as part of a market research session, and while people were initially sceptical about the authenticity of the video, several other sources have come forward and confirmed that the project is real and is in development at the moment.
What Will The Harry Potter RPG Gameplay Be Like?
While we know nothing official about gameplay, the two main leaks each claim various - often conflicting - details about what to expect.
The first leak claims that the game is set some time in the 1800s, while the June 2020 details instead suggest it will take place in the near future, after the events of the books and even after Harry's children attend and graduate from the school.
Both leaks agree that the game is an open-world third-person RPG where you explore Hogwarts and the surrounding grounds, along with sites like Hogsmead or the Ministry of Magic, crafting potions, mastering spells and discovering magical beasts.
Don’t expect it to be as lesson-oriented as previous Harry Potter games, as the game also includes deep combat mechanics - the later leak suggests there will be both duelling and more fluid fights, with various enemies and multiple antagonists including a former Death Eater.
Both of the leaks claim you play as a fifth year student who has only transferred from another wizarding school, and the first leak says that together with Professor Elezar Fig, you’re tasked with tracking and identifying remnants of an ancient power.
The inclusion of a character creator indicates that this will be a unique story in the Harry Potter universe, though we're not quite sure how it works. The early leak says you’ll be able to choose from one of eight classes, while the later one instead emphasises that your choices in the creator affect your Hogwarts House and thus elements of the larger story.
The 2020 leak adds further details: mini-games for both Quidditch and a magical card game; romance options with fellow students; a dynamic rival system; a five-branched skill tree; and even the chance to play as an Auror in missions after your character graduates from the school.
You can watch the leaked trailer at the link above if you haven’t already, and for those that want to know more, take a look at the alleged blurb for the upcoming Harry Potter game:
“Set in the 19th Century (1800's) Wizarding World, this 3rd person open-world action RPG game centers around your character with unique abilities who has eared (sic) a late acceptance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You are a newly arrived 5th year student to Hogwarts that demonstrates a latent gift for magic with a unique ability to track and identify remnants of a pottant (sic) ancient power.
Upon arrival, strange events begin to materialize In the Forbidden Forrest and trouble begins o (sic) brew within the castle walls. Together with Professor Elezar Fig, you embark on a journey through both familiar and never before seen locations to bring to light the truth behind these mysterious occurrences.
On your quest you will craft potions, master new spells, and discover fantastical beasts. You will battle Dark Wizards, Goblins, and other supernatural enemies and uncover the truth about your destiny – the Fate of the Wizarding World lies in your hands.
Features:
- Journey to Hogwarts to become one of 8 different Wizard types
- Experience Hogwarts, make new friends, uncover new secrets, and change the fate of the Wizarding world.
- Experience a new magic system that creates countless possibilities to master magic.
- Freely explore the Wizarding World for the first time, Choose your house and friends at Hogwarts, and decide to pursue a path of good or evil.
- Create your own witch or wizard, and experience a (sic) all new story separate from the books or films.”
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