It is no secret that theHarry Potterseries is one of the most successful franchises of all time, dominating the book and film industries. So, of course, with a massive franchise, it is inevitable that theHarry Potterfranchise would enter the highly-competitive video game industry.WhileHarry Pottergames have existed in the past, in the form ofLEGOgames and movie tie-ins, the announcement ofHogwarts Legacyin 2020 promises an immersive experience in the wizarding world ofHarry Potter.
While fans are yet to see the actual gameplay ofHogwarts Legacy, the game is being developed as an open-world experience where players can live their dreams of being a student at Hogwarts while exploring other areas such as the Forbidden Forest and Hogsmeade Village. Through this concept alone, it is apparent thatHogwarts Legacywill feature a vast and immersive world. However, given that developers are adamant that the game will launch this year, one can’t help but wonder ifHogwarts Legacyis traversing the same path as CD Projekt Red’sCyberpunk 2077.
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Is Hogwarts Legacy On Track To Follow Cyberpunk 2077’s Mistakes?
At the moment, the exact status ofHogwarts Legacy’sdevelopment is mainly shrouded in mystery, given that Avalanche Software still hasn’t given players an update on where the game currently stands. However, with everything revealed so far, it is no secret thatthe goal the developers are trying to achieve inHogwarts Legacyis no easy task.
It is worth remembering that in 2020,Cyberpunk 2077was the game to watch. Unfortunately, given its rushed development,Cyberpunk 2077was ridiculed for all its bugs and issues, which were more prevalent in the game’s console versions. What made things worse is how CD Projekt Red overhypedCyberpunk 2077with various features and gameplay mechanics, which failed to materialize during launch. Most players would agree that the demise ofCyberpunk 2077could be traced to two mistakes committed by CD Projekt Red: rushing the game’s development and failing to manage fan expectations.
Earlier this year, WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar reassured fans bydispelling rumors thatHogwarts Legacyis being delayed to 2023. In a tweet, Kilar revealed that the company is focused on releasing “highly anticipated games” in 2022, and while the tweet did not mentionHogwarts Legacyby name, a photo of the game is attached to the post. However, while a promise of a 2022 launch may be good news to players, several red flags suggestHogwarts Legacymay be steering close to the path that CD Projekt Red took duringCyberpunk 2077’sdevelopment.
First, the only preview players have seen ofHogwarts Legacyis the announcement trailer released a couple of years ago. There is no detailed gameplay footage of the game nor a new trailer that would give players a better look at what to expect. Given that publisher Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is confident that a 2022 release date is achievable, the lack of any new promos forHogwarts Legacyis concerning. Toward the end of January, a rumor popped online claiming thata newHogwarts Legacytrailer was about to be unveiled alongside its release date. Unfortunately, this hasn’t materialized at the time of writing, and succeeding rumors claim that the developers scrapped the trailer.
How Hogwarts Legacy Can Learn From Cyberpunk 2077’s Mistakes
Game development is a complex art, and there isn’t an exact formula that would guarantee a game’s success. However, given that Avalanche Software has the opportunityto learn from CD Projekt Red’s mistakes, the studio should be aware of whether it needs to fight for more time in development ifHogwarts Legacywarrants it. Of course, this is easier said than done, given that developers and publishers must also consider the business side of things. It is no secret that developing video games cost money, and its profit margins continue to decrease the longer it takes a game to launch.
However, learning fromCyberpunk 2077, rushing a game to meet a deadline could also lead to a much bigger disaster. It is worth noting that CD Projekt Red’s stocks plummeted after theCyberpunk 2077disaster,with the studio just settling a $1.85 million lawsuit. This loss doesn’t even consider the studio’s damaged reputation, affecting its current and future IPs. Lastly, a rushed development also goes hand-in-hand with living up to what players want, which is even more challenging for Avalanche Software givenHarry Potterfans' enormous expectations withHogwarts Legacy.
In the end, the development ofHogwarts Legacymay be going well and is on track for a 2022 release date. It is possible that Avalanche Software still isn’t ready to show anything now and is likely setting the game up for something big in the coming months. However, with the lack of updates, one can’t help but think otherwise. IfHogwarts Legacyisn’t ready to be shown ten and a half months before its supposed release, then maybe Avalanche Software should reconsider and delay the game again into next year.
Hogwarts Legacyis set to release in 2022 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
