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The moment the reveal trailer of Hogwarts Legacy was released back in September 2020, fans got excited to get their hands on the game.
The upcoming Wizarding World's RPG is a childhood dream of countless Potterheads who have grown up with the trio in the original saga. The State of Play gameplay reveal has only furthered that interest.
Fans have been clamoring for more information and trailers exploring the world of Hogwarts Legacy that they will be stepping into. They have already experienced two versions of the Potterverse - one in the books and one in the movies. WB Games Avalanche has promised a fresh new experience in their game for players to enjoy.
This article will trace five things that fans would love to see in Hogwarts Legacy inspired by the movies and five that they would gladly do without.
5 movie-inspired aspects fans would love to see in Hogwarts Legacy
1) Locations like the Forbidden Forest and the Great Lake
The developers have confirmed that locations beyond the castle walls will be available in the game for players to explore, including Hogsmeade and the Forbidden Forest.
Fans are already privy to a number of iconic shops that are likely going to appear in Hogwarts Legacy through social media posts and an ASMR video that was posted recently.
Places like the Forbidden Forest and the Great Lake were filled with magical beasts and all sorts of dangers that the trio had to deal with during their time at Hogwarts. The very first movie showed them going into the Forbidden Forest and coming across a dead unicorn, and even meeting centaurs.
Over the course of eight movies, the Forbidden Forest was showcased a number of times. The Great Lake was also heavily depicted in the fourth movie with its Merfolk family. Given the stated focus on magical beasts, fans will be elated to explore both these locations with all their added dangers.
2) Choosing wands
Potterheads will remember the iconic scene when Harry Potter finally laid hands on the wand that would become his. The clip introduced viewers to the notion that wands choose their witches and wizards, and these quasi-sentient magical objects have variable elements like length, types of wood, and wand cores.
Viewers were treated to a number of well-known wands, like that of Potter's, Tom Riddle and the legendary Elder Wand. Fans have also been hoping to have a similar experience at Ollivanders where there will be various types of wands that will be available.
3) Layered professors with their unique nuances
The Harry Potter world was filled with magnificently realised professors, the good, the bad and the grey, who enriched the narrative in more ways than one. Albus Dumbledore, possibly the greatest wizard of all time, was the mastermind behind it all.
McGonagall was strict but devoted to her students and would put their welfare above all else. There were plenty of others and each of them were brought to life exquisitely by the actors. Hogwarts Legacy, set in 1890, will have a fresh crop of professors who will tutor the protagonist.
The gameplay reveal has already showcased some of the new professors, one of whom Potterheads already know is Professor Cuthbert Binns. Players will also have a detailed relationship with Professor Fig, who will help the protagonist in deciphering the resurgence of Ancient Magic and the impending goblin rebellion.
4) Quidditch
One of the most in-demand mechanics from the players across discussions on social media that they want to see in Hogwarts Legacy is the popular wizarding game, Quidditch. The official FAQ mentions broom flights and broom races but does not go as far as to mention if the sport will be a part of the game.
Quidditch matches were one of the most exciting parts of the earlier movies, especially with Harry's adventures as the seeker. The sport also reflected the rivalry between the Hogwarts houses. Fans hope to see the developers add the mechanic when the game finally comes out.
5) The grandeur of Hogwarts and the common rooms
The movies have done an exemplary job in bringing to life the centuries-old gothic structure from the pages of the novels. Each iteration has managed to capture the majesty of Hogwarts, which a large number of students call their second home. The common room was a comfortable place for the students of each house to spend their time.
The March gameplay reveal showcased the classrooms, passageways, stairways and the hall of Hogwarts in remarkable fidelity. The developers have stated that the sentient building will have its own secrets and puzzles that players will get to engage in. Fans also got a look at all four common rooms that reflected the theme and the style of each house.
Potterheads will hope that Hogwarts Legacy's castle will properly capture the magic and beauty of the ones in the movies that they grew up with.
5 things from the movies that players will not miss
1) To not include characters from the original saga
Hogwarts Legacy is set more than a century before the original saga and thus will reportedly not feature most of the popular characters, including Harry, Ron or Hermione. It is unlikely, but there is a possibility that a young Albus Dumbledore may appear in the game. He started his schooling at Hogwarts in 1892.
The decision to move away from the already-explored timeline and characters is a great decision. It allows the developers to chart their own course and bring to players an experience that they have not had before. Introducing these characters later in the game via hook or crook will undermine the originality that WB Games Avalanche is attempting to bring to the fore.
2) The unquestioned representation of house elves and goblins
Hogwarts Legacy has found itself in hot waters with its association, or lack thereof, with the controversial author of its world, J. K. Rowling. WB Games has repeatedly mentioned that the author was not involved in writing the story. However, her controversial comments towards the transgender community have still harmed the game's reputation.
Another issue that has cropped up ever since the gameplay reveal was shown is the representation of goblins and house-elves in the game. The movies did not subvert the marginalised position afforded to these beings and took it for granted. The game has already shown house-elves working in Hogwarts, something that the movies shied away from.
Moreover, goblins were mistreated and oppressed by the wizarding community at large. Their rebellions were largely borne out of their anger towards the "discrimination and prejudice" shown "toward their kind by wizards and witches," according to the Harry Potter wiki.
Hogwarts Legacy is perched in the perfect position to introduce a nuanced representation of both these species during the course of the gameplay.
3) A similar story rather than a fresh one
Regarding the story of Hogwarts Legacy, the official website states:
"Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world, single-player, action role-playing videogame (RPG) set in the 1800s wizarding world. The story has players experiencing life as a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry like never before, as they live the unwritten and embark on a dangerous journey to uncover a hidden truth of the wizarding world."
WB Games Avalanche has promised that players will be able to experience the life of a student as they get to write their own legacy in the annals of the wizarding world. A repetition of the stories already told in the movies will dampen any such experience.
4) Avoid stereotyping the four houses
Another issue that ran rampant in the world of Harry Potter was where the houses were stereotyped and reduced to a couple of characteristics. The students in Gryffindor were brave and courageous, Ravenclaws were intelligent and knowledgable, Hufflepuffs were loyal and hard-working, and Slytherins were cunning and ambitious.
What these kinds of generalisations do is box in the students of each house to embody these characteristics and also the lack of what each of them meant. Throughout the movies, members of the Slytherin house were overtly considered to be evil and Gryffindors to be brave heroes.
Although these broad traits do define each of the houses, Hogwarts Legacy can choose not to reduce them to these stereotypes. Players will be eager to see how the students and companions turn out when the game finally comes out.
5) Properly flesh out the Potterverse in the way the movies could not
Although the movies have done an excellent job at visually recreating the world of Harry Potter as portrayed in the books, the limitations of time and its format mean that a number of other elements fell through the cracks.
Notable examples are the presence of the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare, the background story of the Marauders, and even the presence of Phineas Nigellus Black, who can very well be the headmaster of Hogwarts in the game.
Given the vastness of Hogwarts Legacy, developers can properly choose to flesh out the wizarding world of 1890 that they are creating. The wizarding world is filled with magical lore, secrets and tidbits that a proper RPG can do justice to.
