A new episode of Sony’s PlayStation State of Play showcases character customization as well as a variety of spells, missions and locations to discover in Hogwarts Legacy.
Wielding powerful ancient magic and compatible with the Houses of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin, the new fifth year of Hogwarts in the 1800s will be forced to uncover the hidden truth of the wizarding world. Throughout the adventure, players will develop their character’s abilities by mastering powerful spells, brewing potions, and collecting magical plants as they face deadly enemies. Along the way, they will meet new friends to accompany them, interact with professors, and face dangers that could jeopardize the future of wizards.
- Alan Tew, Game Director: “Magic is everywhere in the wizarding world, and the mischievous nature and reality of the rules that govern it could well be the source of a dark and unexpected mystery that will test the resources of those who stand in its way. But it’s equally important to let players relive the many memorable moments, big and small, that fans grew up with and know inside and out: participating in the Sorting ceremony in the Great Hall, exploring the secret rooms hidden within the walls of Hogwarts. and pretend to be someone else thanks to the Werewolf; or protect innocent people from a fearsome troll, dodge the flames of a spiked Magyar and fly a hippogriff through the air (…) We wanted to give players new places to discover, show them what lies around and beyond the Black Lake, whether they meet witches and wizards whose houses dot the landscape that stretches beyond Hogsmeade, and find out what other untold secrets Hogwarts holds or scattered across the Highlands. We’ve had to choose countless times between the universe and the gameplay, and sometimes even the differences that exist between each movie and the novel it’s based on. We wanted to take a fresh look at the magical world of gamers and prioritized the gaming experience over being faithful to the books or movies; but describing our work in this way is far from reflecting how much attention we have paid, down to the smallest detail, to preserve authenticity and ensure that every reference is instantly recognizable to players. We had the opportunity to tell a lot of stories in the magical world. One of them stood out. Many Harry Potter fans once imagined what it was like to receive a letter, nervously waiting for the Sorting Hat’s decision and pushing open the doors to the Hogwarts classrooms. Above all, we wanted to allow fans to finally write their own story in their own way within the world’s most beloved school of wizardry. Only an action-RPG in the open world could allow us to realize all our desires. Your story deserves to be as exciting as the story of other heroes of this world. If you start with the fifth year, it means that you are completely free to choose your adventures and the topics you want to explore. If you’re in the 1800s, that means no other heroes will overshadow your legend. And if we have created a completely new storyline, it is so that the conflict that torments you never leaves you with a sense of déjà vu.“ write your story in your own way within the world’s most beloved school of wizardry. Only an action-RPG in the open world could allow us to realize all our desires. Your story deserves to be as exciting as the story of other heroes of this world. If you start with the fifth year, it means that you are completely free to choose your adventures and the topics you want to explore. If you’re in the 1800s, that means no other heroes will overshadow your legend. And if we have created a completely new storyline, it is so that the conflict that torments you never leaves you with a sense of déjà vu.“ write your story in your own way within the world’s most beloved school of wizardry. Only an action-RPG in the open world could allow us to realize all our desires. Your story deserves to be as exciting as the story of other heroes of this world. If you start with the fifth year, this means that you are completely free to choose your adventures and the topics you want to explore. If you’re in the 1800s, that means no other heroes will overshadow your legend. And if we have created a completely new storyline, it is so that the conflict that torments you never leaves you with a sense of déjà vu.“ to be as exciting as the story of other heroes of this world. If you start with the fifth year, it means that you are completely free to choose your adventures and the topics you want to explore. If you’re in the 1800s, that means no other heroes will overshadow your legend. And if we have created a completely new storyline, it is so that the conflict that torments you never leaves you with a sense of déjà vu.“ to be as exciting as the story of other heroes of this world. If you start with the fifth year, it means that you are completely free to choose your adventures and the topics you want to explore. If you’re in the 1800s, that means no other heroes will overshadow your legend. And if we have created a completely new storyline, it is so that the conflict that torments you never leaves you with a sense of déjà vu.“
- Boston Madsen, Head of Environment: “We created the Hogwarts that we as fans have dreamed of exploring. I think that anyone who has read the books, artist or not, has formed their own image of Hogwarts. Sure, there are must-see places like the Great Hall, the clock tower, or the infirmary, but you’ll also discover brand new places like the kitchens that are constantly buzzing with activity. I myself felt like a student during the development of the game, and I can tell you that I still have to deal with places that I did not know existed.”
- Moira Squire, Writer: “Like Harry before them, players will experience the feeling of being in a new school of wizardry where they don’t know anyone. And just like Harry, the character they embody has a bit of infamy from the start due to the fact that he starts his schooling in his fifth year and that he survived… Seeing the extent of magic kept secret by the wizarding world, even in the eyes of his peers, Runnrok looked for this intimidating power. His view of the world is corrupted by his hatred of wizards, making his alliance with Victor especially fragile. Once Rannrok gets his hands on what he wants, nothing and no one can stop him and the wizarding world will be doomed.”
PlayStation State of Play: Behind the scenes and gameplay of Hogwarts Legacy
Hogwarts Legacy will release later this year on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC.