The Exciting Future Awaits Hogwarts Legacy: Breaking Free from the Shadows of the Past

Hogwarts Legacy broke new ground by exploring the history of its titular school, unlike other Harry Potter games. However, future follow-ups shouldn't limit themselves to the series' past and canon. With the original story having reached its conclusion, most new content has been set in the past, except for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. But Hogwarts Legacy's future should not be confined to history.

Revisiting the past events and history of Harry Potter will only restrict the potential for storytelling, especially in the series' games. A good open-world RPG needs to offer plenty of activities, discoveries, and learning opportunities for players. This means that future Hogwarts Legacy games should have the creative freedom to expand. If Hogwarts continues to be the setting, it would be best to explore a more contemporary time period to avoid overlapping with characters' parents like Voldemort and Harry, historical events, and other elements.

Hogwarts Legacy Would Be Stuck Reliving the Past

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Given that Harry Potter exists in a fictional parallel world based on reality, incorporating magical elements into the timeline must consider actual historical events. This means that any new stories set in the past face significant challenges. Nevertheless, the extensive canonical history established by the series, including additional spin-off materials like Quidditch Through the Ages and The Tales of Beedle the Bard, has contributed to creating a cohesive narrative. Hogwarts Legacy, while maintaining continuity with Harry Potter's history, introduces its own unique narratives, events, and characters.

However, if Hogwarts Legacy is the first of many Harry Potter games that depart directly from the books, there will be limitations in terms of potential if these games continue to be set within the established historical framework. As these games approach the present day, they will inevitably overlap with existing events and characters from the Harry Potter universe, such as the Marauders, Tom Riddle, or Dumbledore. This not only imposes constraints on the types of stories these games can explore but also diminishes the impact of these stories. In essence, players' prior knowledge reduces the stakes of the storytelling process due to predictable narratives and plot armor.

A Modern-Day Hogwarts Legacy Sequel Has Potential

A potential future Hogwarts Legacy game could take place in a post-Voldemort world, where fear of the dark lord no longer holds sway and allows for the flourishing of magic. The franchise may have treaded cautiously to avoid tampering with the satisfying conclusion of its titular character and his companions, or perhaps due to uncertainties in creating a new protagonist to carry on the series. However, a Harry Potter RPG effortlessly bypasses this obstacle by allowing players to become their own main character.

Furthermore, in a Hogwarts Legacy sequel without Voldemort, the Wizarding World's fate could be influenced not only by a player-controlled protagonist but also by a fresh antagonist. This would provide an excellent opportunity to introduce multidimensional villains, with their motivations expanding beyond simple world domination. For instance, drawing inspiration from the history of witch trials in Harry Potter, a human villain might be driven to utilize modern technology to exterminate all magical beings, using muggle students as undercover agents within Hogwarts.

Due to its anachronistic nature, a Hogwarts Legacy sequel has the potential to capitalize on missed opportunities presented in the book series. While Pottermore explains the absence of technology in the magical world, such as smartphones and the internet, as inconsequential compared to magic, incorporating real-life technology could enhance the gameplay experience by integrating the two worlds. For instance, a social media platform could be introduced to allow players and NPCs to connect, thereby deepening the lore, characters' backgrounds, and introducing new quests. Additionally, Harry Potter's print media, like The Daily Prophet and The Quibbler, could be transitioned online, resembling the dark web and accessible only to magic users.

Harry Potter's Stuck Between The Future and The Past

Speculating about a return to Harry Potter's modern-day setting may be premature, which is why any continuation of Hogwarts Legacy may also be set in the past. The franchise faces more than just uncertainty about where to take an adult Harry and his companions. Any future book, movie, game, or other content would come under intense scrutiny. To avoid the risk of disappointing fans with new canon, new Harry Potter content delves into its own history to minimize the potential harm to the overall series if it fails.

However, this doesn't necessarily spell trouble for future Hogwarts Legacy games, as there is still time before it catches up to the present day. While it may impose certain limitations on the game, allowing Harry Potter fans to witness characters like Dumbledore, Tom Riddle, and others as Hogwarts students could provide fresh insights into their origins. Alternatively, a Hogwarts Legacy sequel could delve into darker storylines by intertwining them with real-world events like WWI and WWII, presenting the perspectives and experiences of wizarding students during muggle wartime.

Hogwarts Legacy is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, with a Switch release scheduled for November 14, 2023.