There’s no question that the Wizarding World as it’s presented in Hogwarts Legacy is brimming with potential, which will hopefully be fully realized with future entries in the series. Given the success of the first game, it’s virtually unimaginable that there won’t be a Hogwarts Legacy 2, but its existence shouldn’t preclude other, more experimental video games in the Harry Potter world.
Naturally, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is among the most essential elements of the Harry Potter mythos—perhaps the most essential element, depending on what one is coming to the series for. The school’s importance to the franchise is the main reason why Hogwarts Legacy aims to provide a fantasy set within it rather than without it, and while there’s a good deal of potential in the idea of a sort of magical school simulation game series, there’s just as much potential in the idea of a game set outside the realm of teenage life. Indeed, future Wizarding World games could be even better suited to a non-Hogwarts story.
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An Auror Spin-Off In the World of Hogwarts Legacy Could Work Wonders
Aurors Are the Wizarding World’s Version of Law Enforcement
There might be some loose ends for Hogwarts Legacy 2 to tie up, and there’s certainly a lot of room for improvement from the first game, but maybe a better option could be to present something wholly new within the Harry Potter universe. After all, Hogwarts students don’t simply vanish upon graduation: they get jobs and find their place in magic society.
One such job, and arguably the most exciting one, is that of an Auror, or a magic law enforcer. Aurors are often described by fans as “magic cops,” but they are a lot more akin to an FBI or MI6 agent, traveling throughout magical civilization and stopping dark wizards from accomplishing their evil deeds. It’s not hard to imagine how a spin-off starring this sort of character could expand the world of Hogwarts Legacy, as players could set off on appropriately high-stakes missions without the inherent restrictions that the Hogwarts setting presents. Put plainly, a game that allows players to assume the role of an Auror could let them engage with all sorts of Wizarding World locales, characters, and concepts, not just those that involve Hogwarts.
An Auror Spin-Off May Be a Better Fit for Hogwarts Legacy’s Action-RPG Gameplay
Of the many criticisms of Hogwarts Legacy, issues with the setting and story premise seem to be relatively common. After all, it’s rather strange that the game presents itself as letting players be a Hogwarts student when most of its gameplay actually takes place beyond the school’s walls. Moreover, the combat-and exploration-centric structure of the game is closer to a typical action-RPG like The Witcher or Assassin’s Creed Origins than a school-based one like Persona or Bully.
But such a design philosophy would be a natural fit for a game where players assume the role of an Auror. Exploring ancient ruins, fighting all manner of dark wizards, and investigating grand mysteries are all activities more appropriate for a magical FBI or MI6 agent than for a 16-year-old student. Plus, playing as an Auror would be a nice way to build on the abilities offered in Hogwarts Legacy, as filling the role of an elite magical operative would naturally open the door to more advanced spells and other magical powers.
Many of the elements that players want Avalanche Software to improve upon from Hogwarts Legacy—more RPG mechanics, a social system, and better school-life features—could effectively be side-stepped with this kind of spin-off, as it could be more believably action-oriented and not take place in a school. This theoretical game would probably never replace a proper sequel to Hogwarts Legacy, but it could be a great way to diversify the modern spate of Harry Potter video games.
- Franchise
- Harry Potter
- Released
- February 10, 2023
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol
- How Long To Beat
- 26 Hours
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Yes, Hogwarts Legacy is Verified on Steam Deck
- X|S Optimized
- yes
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
- Cross Save
- you can freely use your saved data between each console as long as you are connected to the internet and signed into the same account where the saved data was created
- Cross-Platform Play
- Hogwarts Legacy doesn’t have crossplay or crossplatform support