Hogwarts Legacy has become one of the most anticipated games of 2023, and for a good reason. Read on to find out everything we know about Hogwarts Legacy so far, including details on release dates, platforms, character creation, combat and exploration.

What is Hogwarts Legacy?

Hogwarts Legacy is a single-player action-adventure RPG set in the magical world of Harry Potter. Players will take on the role of a young witch or wizard attending the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the 1800s, roughly 100 years before the events depicted in the Harry Potter books. As a student in Hogwarts, you will attend classes, master up to 20 different spells, make friends, and explore the vast school and the surrounding areas, including Hogsmeade village and the Whispering Forest. In addition to being a student at Hogwarts, you must battle against a mysterious dark force threatening to destroy the Wizarding world.

Hogwarts Legacy release date and platforms

Hogwarts Legacy releases on February 10, 2023, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC (check out the system requirements here). Preordering the Hogwarts Legacy – Deluxe Edition gives you access to the game 72 hours early, meaning you can start exploring Hogwarts on February 7.

The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of Hogwarts Legacy will arrive on April 4, and the Nintendo Switch version is expected on July 25. The developers needed more time to get the game running smoothly on older hardware, so the decision was made to delay the game on these systems.

Hogwarts Legacy character creation and houses

In Hogwarts Legacy, you play as a unique witch or wizard that you can customize to look the way you want. The game will not feature the most robust character creation system ever seen in video games. However, hairstyles, face shape, eye colour, skin complexion and more can still be adjusted according to player preference. Both male and female characters can be created, which determines whether your student will be housed in the witches’ or wizards’ dormitory.

After character creation, another vital decision awaits – which Hogwarts house will you call home? You can belong to either Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, or Ravenclaw, each house having a gorgeously realized common room where students spend their free time. The common rooms definitely look unique and impressively original. For example, the entrance to the Slytherin common room is hidden behind a huge moving snake, while getting to the Hufflepuff common area requires going through a huge keg. 

In true Harry Potter fashion Hogwarts Legacy features a Sorting Hat ceremony for determining your house. In the game, players can choose which house they wish to belong to. If you can’t wait to get started before the game comes out, you can create an account on the Wizarding World website, where you can get sorted into a house and create your own wand before the game releases. Once the game arrives, you can import your premade decision into Hogwarts Legacy.

Hogwarts Legacy gameplay

Hogwarts Lecagy allows players to get lost in the ultimate Harry Potter fantasy. The massive Hogwarts castle has been beautifully recreated, giving you access to its many classrooms, secret hallways, unique common rooms and much more. You will spend your days exploring the castle and the surrounding areas, which contain smaller settlements and interesting secrets for you to find. Walking from A to B is always an option, but you will eventually unlock a broom, allowing you to fly across the vast map. Playable Quidditch will unfortunately not feature in Hogwarts Legacy, but traversal on a broom is definitely in the game. As you play, you also unlock rideable magical beasts.

You’re a student, so going to study is a must. Attending classes in potion brewing, herbology and defence against the  dark arts raises your stats and teaches you new useful skills and spells that come in handy in combat. You can also complete requests and quests for other students around Hogwarts, and there will even be a secret duelling club in the game where you can put your combat skills to the test. These activities will include companions in the form of teachers and students. The friends you make along the way will give you quests, teach you useful new skills and can also follow you into battle. And not all of them are alive! At least a few famous Hogwarts ghosts will be featured in the game, such as Nearly Headless Nick.

There’s also a management aspect included in Hogwarts Legacy. Players will get access to the Room of Requirement known from the Harry Potter books, where anything you wish for becomes a reality. In the Room of Requirement, which can be decorated as you please, the player can grow different herbs and brew potions, but it also acts as a gateway to different “pocket dimensions”. These are small, entirely customizable areas where you can set down houses, trees and other decorative elements. You can even have your very own zoo of magical beasts.

Hogwarts Legacy combat

In addition to living the student life, you have to face off against a dark mystical threat. The combat in Hogwarts Legacy looks quick and flashy, reminiscent of the later Harry Potter films. You can deal with enemies using up to 20 different spells learned in classes or taught by companions. Spells, which can be added to slots for quick access in combat, are divided into various categories like “control” and “damage”, allowing you to either wipe out enemies or manipulate them to turn the tide of battle. 

The effects of spells can be reinforced with potions brewed in class or by investing XP into one of the spell-casting abilities. Many known spells from the Harry Potter books are confirmed to make an appearance, and using them determines whether you are good-natured or lean more toward using dark magic. Casting Avada Kedavra is possible but definitely not for the faint of heart.

Hogwarts Legacy microtransactions

The Deluxe Edition of Hogwarts Legacy comes with the downloadable Dark Arts Pack, giving you access to new cosmetics, a new rideable mount and a combat-focused dark arts battle arena. Players who purchase the standard edition of the game will have the choice of purchasing the Dark Arts Pack for an additional fee. Other than that, Hogwarts Legacy will not feature any microtransactions whatsoever.

What does Hogwarts Legacy gameplay look like?

The developers have released a number of gameplay videos showcasing Hogwarts Legacy in action. Check out the 34-minute deep-dive below to get a better overview of how the game works.