'Hogwarts Legacy' Has Been Delayed Until 2022

Warner Bros. and Avalanche Software have announced that their upcoming open-world title, Hogwarts Legacy, has been delayed into 2022.

The reasoning was that the team requires more time to refine the gameplay experience, and to be honest, we're very on board with this decision. "We would like to thank fans from around the world on the tremendous reaction to the announcement of Hogwarts Legacy from our Portkey Games label," began the bulletin from the game's official Twitter account. "Creating the best possible experience for all of the Wizarding World and gaming fans is paramount to us so we are giving the game the time it needs."

Hogwarts Legacy is set hundreds of years before the events of the Harry Potter series, and offers a range of RPG elements to let the player define their journey from a young student to a powerful magic wielder. They'll be able to choose their Hogwarts house, as well as train in a variety of subjects depending on their approach to their skillset. "Expect Hogwarts Legacy to be filled with all kinds of immersive magic, while your student-character will learn spells, brew potions, tame fantastic beasts, select companions to help them fight off deadly enemies," boasted Avalanche Software when the game was originally announced late last year.

Moreover, players will explore the entirety of the school and its grounds, including the iconic locations of Hogsmeade Village and the dark depths of the Forbidden Forest. If this wasn't enticing enough, the game is in development for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X (and PC and last-gen consoles too) which means we might see seamless loading between these environments, or better yet, a seamless open-world experience. "While you dig deep into the wizarding world's forgotten past - your character will discover an unusual ability that only they possess. Indeed, Hogwarts Legacy will challenge players in all sorts of unexpected ways - including scenarios that will pose difficult choices and determine what they stand for," continued the developer.

There will be a morality system of some sort, progressing as the mystery plays out, though Avalanche Software has been reticent to explain how this will work. We're hoping for a system that lets the player change their stance on a quest by quest basis, like The Witcher 3, but a system that gradually locks you out of a certain outcome dependent on your earlier decisions, like Lord of the Rings: Gollum, also sounds intriguing.

In any event, we're happy that the team has elected to delay the game in order to give it the TLC it requires. It's disheartening, of course, but it only means that fans will have even more to look forward to when Hogwarts Legacy finally launches.

Topics: Hogwarts Legacy, News