Hogwarts Legacyhas a lot ofHarry Potterfans excited. Even though there have been games based on the franchise for years, none have seemed to scratch the itch of really being a wizard in the universe ofHarry Potter. WithHogwarts Legacy, many fans see an opportunity for their wildest dreams to come true as their character attends the legendary school of witchcraft and wizardry.
WithrumorsHogwarts Legacywill release after the nextFantastic Beastsmovie, some fans might be worried they’ll have to wait until 2023. However, a more reasonable and likely release time forHogwarts Legacyis the back half of 2022. This would giveHogwarts Legacyplenty of time to capitalize onFantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore’s post-release hype, and coincide the time of year thatHarry Pottertends to see its popularity as a franchise increase.
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Hogwarts Legacy’s Rumored Release Date
IfHogwarts Legacywaits until September or October of 2022 to release, it could find itself in a prime position to keep fans interested and capitalize on some of the busiest times for games. Many major titles pick this period before the holiday season to release, withNovember being a great time for people looking to play something new. Fall is in the northern hemisphere is also prime time forHarry Potterfans with Hogwarts nostalgia.
With the originalHarry Pottermovies connected to fall, Halloween, and the holiday season, waiting until just before then to releaseHogwarts Legacycould help with the game’s commercial success, especially consideringthe shutdown ofHarry Potter: Wizards Unitecould leave a void. In the United States, it isn’t uncommon for television networks to runHarry Pottermarathons around this time of year, and a media environment full ofHarry Potterwould keep the game on people’s minds. Simultaneously, it would create a window for fans to get comfortable with the game before the holidays.
Since November and December also have sales geared toward people looking to purchase gifts, establishing a community just before the season starts could bode well forHogwarts Legacy’s future. It would allow players dedicated to the Harry Potter franchise a chance to get comfortable with the game and sell their friends on its content. With the right amount of time separatingHogwarts LegacyfromFantastic Beasts 3, it could theoretically create a perfect storm to keep players engaged.
Release times aren’t selected randomly, and while many gamers prefer the artistic aspect of games, they do still need to make money. Strategic release dates are nothing new, and even thoughHogwarts Legacyisn’t likely to use Unreal Engine 5it still looks ambitious, and should aim for the best immediate market performance coupled with longevity. One of the best ways to attempt both is with a strong fall release date.
Emphasizing this are some open-ended comments from Warner Bros. general manager Rachel Wakley, who has previously highlightedthe April release ofFantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledorewith a confirmation thatHogwarts Legacywould release after. While the statement doesn’t give an exact day, previous updates confirmed the push to a 2022 release window. It doesn’t mean another delay won’t happen, as the global pandemic has taken a toll on every industry, but it seems likely fans won’t have to wait longer than a year.
Everyone wants a concrete release date that will confirm the anticipated game as early as possible, as being excited for long periods can be an exercise in patience.Hogwarts Legacywas originally delayed in January, soon after its reveal, and it would make sense that if the decision was being made once again it would happen sooner than later. It wouldn’t necessarily mean anything bad, as games take a lot of time and effort to make, but fans should look to next fall as the most likely time to begin exploring the maze-like halls of Hogwarts for themselves.
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Legacyis believed to release in 2022 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
