News of a brand new Harry Potter RPG has left fans of the books, movies, and now aging game series wanting more as a cryptic tweet only manages to hint at the possibility of the new title having been planned for the recently canceled E3 conference. Not much is known about the game, but some have speculated that it will be the first AAA-game related to the Harry Potter franchise.
The confirmation came shortly after E3 was officially canceled, as it was revealed that Warner Bros. Games was planning to announce a number of new games this summer. Among the list of potential new announcements included a brand new Batman game, as well as the new Harry Potter title, meaning whatever Warner Bros. Games had in store would have likely been the highlight of the show.
However, exciting news aside, the introduction of another new Harry Potter game raises a few questions, such as what the new title’s story will be about and especially where it will take place. Until Warner Bros. eventually finds a new time to reschedule the canceled E3 press conference and make the official announcements they intended to make before, it’ll like remain shrouded in secrecy. That being said, if Warner Bros. really wants this new Harry Potter title to stand out against the crowd, it should certainly consider keeping the new game out of Hogwarts, which fans have become all too familiar with.
Hogwarts is Overplayed
It’s easy to overlook how often Harry Potter content continues to re-explore Hogwarts, especially considering how long the wizarding school is where the original book series took place. However, at this point, Hogwarts has appeared in movie tie-in games, Lego sets, and even real world theme parks. At this point, even unrelated titles like PS4’s Dreams has a Hogwarts thanks to how prevalent the massive fan appreciation for the Harry Potter series is.
It’s true that Hogwarts is beloved by fans, yet there’s nothing new that can be explored by sending players through the castle and into wizarding school again. That being said, if the new Harry Potter game is an RPG that allows players to customize their characters, this may be a good chance to see the school from a perspective other than Gryffindor. However, even with a slightly new perspective, there is little new to show fans of the single most iconic place from the Harry Potter series.
New Content has left Hogwarts Behind
The Harry Potter universe is constantly evolving thanks to new movies and plays, along with lore reveals on Pottermore and JK Rowling’s Twitter habits. In fact, the Wizarding World has become so big that some of the best performing media from the series has had little to nothing to do with Hogwarts. One prime example that comes to mind is the Fantastic Beasts series that delves into the deeper past of the Harry Potter universe and both explored and established whole different magical governments and school systems.
From the realm of games, the latest title to include ‘Harry Potter’ in the title is Niantic’s, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. Much like other Harry Potter media like Fantastic Beasts, this title takes players out of Hogwarts to show the wonders that exist outside the castle and throughout the rest of the Wizarding World. Releasing last year, Niantic’s latest title is still receiving updates, like the recent Portkey reward rotation, keeping players engaged with aspects of Harry Potter that don’t center around the titular character.
Extend choices to schools instead of houses
If the rumors about this new Harry Potter are true, it is thought to contain RPG elements, which can mean a number of things. Elements from the genre often take the form of loot drops, as well as character customization and leveling, sometimes through character creation and other times through changing equipment and abilities. In that case, if Warner Bros. wants to get the best out of one of the world’s most popular IPs, leaning on the elements of some of the best RPGs of recent years is a sure way to make the most out of the opportunity.
This could mean that the new title may want to let Harry Potter players choose more than their Hogwarts house and instead pick the school that their characters will learn from. Even the book has a number of schools to choose from, like Durmstrang and Beauxbatons that appear in the Tri-Wizard Tournament from Goblet of Fire. Although, many American fans would likely enjoy the chance to get a closer look at Ilvermorny, the American wizarding school.
Morality Decisions
Some RPGs have given players the opportunity to play games as nice or as mean as they want, with most players choosing kinder options in games like Mass Effect and Fable, even when being evil can have its perks. However, being given the choice can at the very least give a game a level of replayability, a lasting feature that often builds some of the most dedicated fan bases. Giving these decisions in a Harry Potter title could give players a never before seen insight into the minds of dark wizards and Voldemort’s Death Eaters.
Up until now, many of the spells seen in the Harry Potter universe have been mostly a utility, with very few being useful in a combat scenario. This likely wouldn’t be too well received from players looking to play a AAA-game, even if it is within the Harry Potter universe, where most good wizards tend to avoid combat. Giving players the chance to use Dark Arts, and possibly even the forbidden curses, first hand might be one of the best ways to explore the otherwise unexplored corners of the Wizarding World.
All in all, there is plenty of potential for a Harry Potter RPG to deliver a fascinating new look at the extended universe beyond the original books. However, if Warner Bros. really wants to make the most out of their investment, staying away from Hogwarts might be the best way to go with the new title.
The Harry Potter RPG is rumored to be in development now.
