Adrian Ropp, Head of Story of the studio responsible for the creation of the new Harry Potter game, stated he faced challenges he had never thought possible while bringing Hogwarts Legacy to life.
The game is set at Hogwarts in the 1800s, almost two centuries before Harry Potter goes to school (1991) and one century before Newt Scamander (1908) enrolled.
Due to the need for profound storytelling for the creation of the game, the team needed to think about details such as the life expectancy for domestic elves, how certain character voices would be affected by the Polyjuice Potion, or even if Erumpents are omnivores or not.
‘We take seriously the responsibility of contributing new content to the beloved Wizarding World franchise.’
– Adrian Ropp to the PlayStation blog
Besides the narrative issues, the creators also had to imagine the architecture of Hogwarts and its surroundings, like the Forbidden Forest and the Hogsmeade village, during the 19th century.
‘I like to say that what we are giving fans is something familiar in a way they have never seen‘, promised the director. ‘We embrace what we know and challenge ourselves to expand upon it.‘
The studio head went on to say that working with Hogwarts Legacy had been a fan’s dream come true and a professional breakthrough at the same time. ‘This is a labor of love, and the real magic comes from the dedication and imagination of a team‘, he affirmed.
New Harry Potter game
With its release set for 2021, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Legacy will be available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 4 Pro, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, and PC.
The players will be students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and it will be possible to cast spells, participate in duels, prepare potions, as well as explore the lands of the Castle freely, including visits to the Forbidden Forest, the Hogsmeade Village, and other places.
The main character will be a student who received his Hogwarts letter late and, shortly after arriving at the school, finds out he keeps a secret that may threaten to tear the Wizarding World apart and takes part in a journey between good and evil.
Translated into English by Dimitri Manaroulas and Aline Michel
