Do We Really Need Another Hogwarts Legacy?

The magic of Harry Potter is returning to modern consoles, prompting gamers to wonder if Hogwarts Legacy truly needs a sequel. There’s no denying that Hogwarts Legacy delivered a solid experience, with more surprises around every corner than a visit to Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes. However, as fans dive deeper into the game and consider the future of the Harry Potter franchise, concerns arise about whether they’re truly ready to return to the Wizarding World.

There’s a case to be made, debates to be had, and opinions to be shared about whether Hogwarts Legacy needs a continuation. With talk of “Hogwarts Legacy 2” entering development, it’s about time these questions are addressed. Garnering multiple accolades and becoming 2023’s best-selling game, Hogwarts Legacy’s success made a sequel all but inevitable. As of 2024, a second game has been confirmed to be in development, and fans are eager to see where the colloquially named “Hogwarts Legacy 2“ might take them next.

Should Hogwarts Legacy Remain a Standalone Game?

A Hogwarts Legacy Sequel Conjures Up Concerns

There are countless questions and concerns surrounding most modern video game sequels, especially when a title like Hogwarts Legacy soars beyond fan expectations. If there’s an argument against a sequel, it lies in what the first Hogwarts Legacy masterfully achieved and the trends shaping today’s gaming landscape.

With a game entitled Hogwarts Legacy, it’s somewhat ironic that its legacy might dichotomously produce a sequel and not entirely warrant one. Before a Hogwarts Legacy sequel materializes, and fans get their first look at what’s to come, it’s worth considering why some players are already approaching the prospect with the same reaction of downing a spoonful of Skele-Gro.

Most licensed games have a history littered with questionable titles, some of which have become infamous. However, with a vast mythology to explore, a setting people can easily imagine themselves in, and iconography on par with Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings, Hogwarts Legacy’s creators made the wise decision to design an open-world RPG focused on players rather than on Harry Potter himself.

Aside from a few absent features, like Quidditch and the ability to become an Animagus, the game delivered the Hogwarts experience fans had always dreamed of.Hogwarts Legacy’s detailed character creator allowed players to craft avatars that felt personal. Talent trees, side quests, and mini-games enable aspiring wizards to shape their own magical journeys. Moreover, with immersive character interactions and branching storylines, players truly got to “live the unwritten,” starring in their own Harry Potter-inspired adventure.

As a game, Hogwarts Legacy did so much right that it left players feeling fulfilled, making a sequel seem less necessary. Moreover, with Hogwarts Legacy’s DLC, varied gameplay, and infinite replayability as players try to find all of the castle’s secrets, theoretically, like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Warner Bros. Games could continually remaster the game and leave fans satisfied as long as the game was still available.

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When Does Hogwarts Legacy Take Place?

Hogwarts Legacy has been the most successful Harry Potter video game to date, but how does its story fit into the larger Wizarding World timeline?

Just as licensed video games have an infamous reputation, so too does a sequel’s announcement. Games like Hogwarts Legacy are tough acts to follow, and this challenge has only intensified in recent years. Titles like Dying Light 2, Star Wars: Jedi: Survivor, and Subnautica: Below Zero have shown how divisive sequels can be. Franchise fatigue, over-ambition, bugs, and changes to beloved mechanics have all posed real issues for modern sequels as audiences vocalized their opinions.

The recently released Dragon Age: The Veilguard serves as another cautionary tale, with its lighter tone, limited narrative choices, and uninspired enemies drawing criticism for straying too far from the series’ roots. It’s very possible that Hogwarts Legacy could suffer similar issues in a sequel, as developers attempt to improve on a formula that may not need fixing.

What Does a Hogwarts Legacy Sequel Have to Offer?

Many Wonder if Hogwarts Legacy 2 Has a Reason to Exist

It would be unfair to say that no one would be excited about another Harry Potter game or that a sequel couldn’t work. In fact, there are strong arguments for why a Hogwarts Legacy sequel should happen. However, for any sequel to succeed, there must be a compelling reason for its existence, or else there’s a risk of the story growing thin and the gameplay repetitive.

In the first game, transfiguration professor Matilda Weasley taught students to see the potential in everything. Additionally, as a guardian of the Room of Requirement, she knew people don’t always recognize when something is truly needed until it appears. In pondering a Hogwarts Legacy sequel, it could serve a need the Wizarding World franchise didn’t know it had.

It could be argued that any standalone game needs a sequel as long as there’s a story to tell and room to grow. Hogwarts Legacy still has plenty of stories to explore, as the Wizarding World is packed with history and hidden stories that fans are eager to see come to life. Whether exploring other wizarding schools overseas, diving into the rise of Fantastic Beast’s New Salem Philanthropic Society, or even experiencing past Triwizard Tournaments, the magical universe J.K. Rowling created offers endless narrative possibilities that could be perfect for a second game.

Expanding on these elements isn’t just an opportunity for more adventures; it justifies a sequel by promising to deepen fans’ immersion within the Wizarding World. With improvements in technology and gameplay on modern consoles, a new Hogwarts Legacy title could push the experience even further, evolving beyond what the first game achieved.

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This Inspiring Hogwarts Legacy Character Deserves More Attention

Hogwarts Legacy introduces many new Hogwarts students to the Harry Potter franchise, including Anne Sallow who represents living with chronic pain.

As HBO’s reimagining of the Harry Potter stories revisits familiar ground and the Fantastic Beasts series appears to have prematurely ended on the big screen, Hogwarts Legacy could provide a vital new direction. Even if the second game tied into the Harry Potter reboot, as reports recently suggested, fans still crave variety in their storytelling. The Wizarding World is larger than just “The Boy Who Lived,” and players are always eager to see it from different vantage points.

Hogwarts Legacy holds a unique potential to become an anthology-like experience, embodying the tagline “live the unwritten” by letting players explore stories beyond what’s shown on screen or within the books. If there’s a case for a sequel, it’s that it would allow fans to delve even deeper into the Wizarding World, exploring stories and lore that go beyond what the Harry Potter saga could cover on its own.

Does Hogwarts Legacy Need Its Upcoming Sequel?

There’s a Big Difference Between Want, Need, and Deserve

The debate over the Hogwarts Legacy series is extensive, and, in truth, few video games truly need a sequel. Hogwarts Legacy may not need another game, but that does not mean it hasn’t earned one. Fans might feel just as satisfied with one outstanding title as they would with an entire series. Yet Hogwarts Legacy surpassed its critics, defied expectations, and proved what was possible when true passion fuels a project. The creators have earned another chance to work their magic, and if the first game is any indication, there’s reason to feel optimistic as players prepare to step back into the Wizarding World.

A sequel can mean different things: for some, it’s a symbol of success, justified by the popularity of the original; for others, it offers a second chance to refine and build upon a project they believe in. Regardless, a game sequel is never guaranteed and isn’t always necessary, but what truly matters is whether it’s wanted.

If fans are eager for more and the game’s world supports it, developers can take pride—they’ve accomplished something special. In the end, the question isn’t whether a popular game like Hogwarts Legacy needs a sequel, but whether it can continue to build on a legacy that still resonates with fans.

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Legacy

Hogwarts Legacy is an immersive, open-world action RPG set in the world first introduced in the Harry Potter books. For the first time, experience Hogwarts in the 1800s. Your character is a student who holds the key to an ancient secret that threatens to tear the wizarding world apart. Now you can take control of the action and be at the center of your own adventure in the wizarding world. Your legacy is what you make of it.

Systems

Platform(s)

PC , Switch , PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series S , Xbox Series X

Released

February 10, 2023

Developer(s)

Avalanche Software

Publisher(s)

Warner Bros. Interactive

Engine

Unreal Engine 4

ESRB

T For Teen Due To Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol

How Long To Beat

26 Hours

X|S Optimized

yes

Metascore

84

PS Plus Availability

N/A

Steam Deck Compatibility

Yes, Hogwarts Legacy is Verified on Steam Deck

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Cross Save

you can freely use your saved data between each console as long as you are connected to the internet and signed into the same account where the saved data was created

Cross-Platform Play

Hogwarts Legacy doesn’t have crossplay or crossplatform support

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