Summary
Hogwarts Legacyhas earned a great deal of praise for various reasons, not the least of which is the game’s impressive and creative rendition of the titular wizarding school. While the school is intriguing, thelands beyond Hogwarts contain mysteriesof their own, which suggests that a new setting, one that eschews the famous wizarding academy, could be the right choice for the next game.
Despite there being several lore-rich locations referenced in Wizarding World media, it seems that all stories in the broader franchise seem to tie back to Hogwarts. Even theFantastic Beastsfilms, which are the least Hogwarts-centric of the series, can’t seem to resist popping back into the world-famous school. This makes sense in many ways, as Hogwarts was the setting of all theHarry Potterbooks and movies, and is in some ways inextricable from the overall narrative and character of the franchise. Even so, as Warner Bros. considersaltering elements fromHogwarts Legacyin future Wizarding World titles, a new setting away from Hogwarts may be a good idea.
Despite there being many mentions of several other magical schools in the Wizarding World lore, such as Durmstrang Institute and Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, none have received the same attention as Hogwarts
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Where Future Wizarding World Games Could Go
It’s clear that a major draw of the Wizarding World is its focus on academia; while most readers and movie-goers have been familiar with concepts such as wizards, dragons, and magical creatures, theHarry Potterseries was one of the first pieces of popular media to couch them in this more familiar, low-fantasy setting. This decision made the series, alongside spin-offs likeHogwarts Legacy, relatable, charming, and unique, but Hogwarts is well-trodden ground at this point, and a new video game would be the perfect chance to shake things up.
Other Magical Schools
Although there are areas of Hogwarts life that aHogwarts Legacysequel could improve upon, it might be best to leave Hogwarts behind entirely, instead focusing on one of the many other schools referenced in Wizarding World media. Ilvermorny, for instance, is the North American center of magical learning and would open the door to new narrative opportunities, allowing players to explore a different continent. Alternatively, Castelobruxo, Uagadou, and Mahoutokoro are settings that would allow players to explore South America, Africa, and Asia, respectively.
A future game could stay in Europe by taking place at Beauxbatons or Durmstrang, although these options are much more similar to Hogwarts and therefore potentially less interesting. All of these schools, however, provide distinct cultural, geographic, and historical backdrops, which would make for a more unique game in many ways.
Wizarding World video gamesare in a unique position, asHogwarts Legacyhas been better received than the current slate ofFantastic Beastsfilms, which could make the medium of gaming the future of the franchise for now. Rather than playing things safe and rehashing Hogwarts for the umpteenth time, the next game could be the first piece of Wizarding World media to give a full picture of what these other schools look like, breaking new ground for the broader franchise.
Wizarding World Graduates
A focus on a different magical school would be exciting, but perhaps the next Wizarding World game could move past academia altogether, giving audiences a better look at what this alluring world looks like beyond the scope of scholarship. By focusing on adult characters and conflicts, the nextWizarding World game could be darkerand more mature, resonating with a broader audience and telling deeper stories. Again, this would be uncharted territory for the franchise, at least when it comes to video game adaptations, and would thus be worth exploring.
Gaming as a medium offers a great deal of potential when it comes to exploring unique and fantastical locations. For the Wizarding World IP, this potential has been realized in the fantastic adaptation of Hogwarts inHogwarts Legacy, but there is still much more that can and should be explored.
