Hogwarts Legacy: A Game That Surpasses the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Highlights

Unlike the Harry Potter books and movies, video games have the opportunity to shift their focus away from a singular antagonist like Voldemort.

Hogwarts Legacy has the potential to surpass the original source material by taking a fresh approach to its villains. This could mean introducing new threats in each game or gradually developing a new antagonist while keeping them shrouded in mystery.

Since its debut in 1997, the Harry Potter book series quickly became a sensation in the UK, and with the subsequent release of the movies, it gained immense popularity in the US as well. The magical world depicted in the Harry Potter series was brought to life like never before, captivating audiences upon its initial release and maintaining a strong presence in pop culture for the following decade. Despite the series officially concluding in 2011, it has remained one of the most beloved franchises, evident in the success of spin-offs like Hogwarts Legacy.

Hogwarts Legacy Can Have a More Unique Approach to Its Villains

Grossing an impressive $1 billion and boasting a staggering 15 million copies sold, Hogwarts Legacy has taken the gaming industry by storm as the current front-runner for the title of best-selling game of 2023. Despite the presence of upcoming highly anticipated releases, it seems highly unlikely that any will be able to rival its overwhelming success. While not without flaws, Hogwarts Legacy has undeniably demonstrated the strong demand for a fully immersive Harry Potter gaming experience. In fact, it has the potential to surpass its original source material, as video games have the unique ability to accomplish feats that movies and books simply cannot replicate. One aspect in which Hogwarts Legacy could potentially outshine Harry Potter is the creation of a captivating and formidable antagonist.

Throughout the entire Harry Potter series, there is only one central antagonist who stands out: Lord Voldemort. Right from the beginning, Voldemort plays a crucial role in Harry Potter's journey, remaining a powerful force throughout the series. While not fully revealed until the fourth installment, Voldemort is consistently alluded to, manipulating his loyal followers to carry out his dark plans and regain his full strength. By the time Voldemort chillingly resurfaces in Goblet of Fire, fans are already well aware of the immense danger he poses, leading to a thrilling race against time to ultimately defeat him.

Lord Voldemort's portrayal as a captivating antagonist is largely attributed to Harry Potter's gradual approach towards him. The careful buildup of this menacing character enhances the impact of his eventual unveiling. However, there are drawbacks to this method. In the initial half of the Harry Potter series, fans are primarily informed about Voldemort's malevolence, which, although effective in certain instances, becomes somewhat monotonous. Many fans favor Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban because it introduces a mysterious threat that maintains personal connections with Harry while being entirely unique.

In contrast, Hogwarts Legacy has the potential to adopt a completely different approach to its villain. By featuring a new threat in each installment instead of focusing on a single antagonist gradually, the game can explore diverse villains from various periods within the Wizarding World. This approach would not only maintain the freshness of the game's narrative but also provide players with a distinct adversary to confront in each game.

If Hogwarts Legacy still aims to capture the essence of a growing threat similar to Voldemort, it could achieve that by maintaining that character's presence in the background. Instead of making them the primary antagonist in every game, Hogwarts Legacy could develop one villain behind the scenes, showing up only in a few selected cutscenes or through references in collectibles and character conversations. This way, Hogwarts Legacy can still deliver a significant villain reveal in the future while keeping fans engaged with various main antagonists throughout the journey.

Hogwarts Legacy is currently available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, with a Switch version set to release on November 14.