It’s no secret thatHogwarts Legacywas an unfettered success for Warner Bros. and developer Avalanche Software, becoming the best-selling game of 2023, beating out the likes ofZelda: Tears of the KingdomandCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. In light of this success, it will be interesting to seehow theHogwarts Legacyfranchise moves forward, as a sequel seems all but inevitable.
There are a handful of complicated questions that Avalanche Software has to answer before making the nextHogwarts Legacy, the greatest of which having to do with the protagonist and setting of the game.Hogwarts Legacy 2could adopt the approach of series likeMass Effect, which lets the player import their custom character between entries, though this is obviously predicated on this specific character returning as protagonist, withHogwarts Legacy 2therefore being a direct sequel. There are some downsides to this, like the retreading of old ground and the lack of major loose story threads to follow up on from the first game, but it presents at least one opportunity for interesting storytelling.
Hogwarts Legacy 2’s Protagonist Could Be in a Unique Position
The Hogwarts Legacy Hero Is a Late Bloomer
Possibly in an attempt to cater to an older audience withHarry Potternostalgia,Hogwarts Legacystars a very unique main character. The protagonist, who is customized by the player, is a late arrival to Hogwarts, only awakening their magical powers during their fifth year, which would place them at around 15 or 16, whereas most witches and wizards gain access to their powers at the age of 10, 11, or even younger. This strange phenomenon factors into the story, though it’s not exactly as fleshed-out as one might first assume.
The player-character is, in many ways, an outsider.They are showing up to Hogwarts, a close-knit community, late into their development, while their classmates have all already spent many of their formative years at the school, bonding with their peers and amassing a wealth of memories, both good and bad. This should put the player-character at a disadvantage socially, but this isn’t really touched on all that much in the game. Moreover, their late arrival at Hogwarts raises major questions about their ongoing academic development, which the sequel would need to contend with.
Hogwarts Legacy 2 Would Have to Make Sense of Its Protagonist Dilemma
Assuming thatHogwarts Legacy 2is a direct sequelwith the same protagonist, it will need to establish the rules of their unconventional education. Traditionally, Hogwarts students spend seven years at the school, but a late-arrival fifth-year would only have three years of education, and cramming seven years' worth of schooling into this truncated timeline is a dubious prospect. It’s more likely that the protagonist would be held back for one to three years to continue their education, opening the door to an interesting dynamic between them, their professors, and their fellow, younger students.
Perhaps this could lead to the main character assuming more of a leadership role. After all, they aren’t being held back for a lack of ability or academic excellence (though they don’t spendmuch time in class inHogwarts Legacy). Rather, it’s their unique circumstances that landed them in this unusual position.
Alternatively, and perhaps more on-brand for theHarry Potteruniverse,Hogwarts Legacycould feature some sort of time-travel mechanic that allows the protagonist to squeeze in extra study time and classes. This would allowHogwarts Legacy 2to experiment with its premise, while side-stepping narrative issues related to the protagonist’s age. Plus, there’s a precedent for academics-related time travel inHarry Pottercanon, as Hermione Grainger time-travels for this purpose inThe Prisoner of Azkaban.
Hogwarts Legacy
WHERE TO PLAY
Hogwarts Legacy is an immersive, open-world action RPG set in the world first introduced in the Harry Potter books. For the first time, experience Hogwarts in the 1800s. Your character is a student who holds the key to an ancient secret that threatens to tear the wizarding world apart. Now you can take control of the action and be at the center of your own adventure in the wizarding world. Your legacy is what you make of it.Explore an Open WorldThe wizarding world awaits you. Freely roam Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, the Forbidden Forest, and the surrounding Overland area.Be the Witch or Wizard You Want to beLearn spells, brew potions, grow plants, and tend to magical beasts along your journey. Get sorted into your house, forge relationships, and master skills to become the witch or wizard you want to be Experience a New Wizarding World AdventureExperience the wizarding world in an unexplored era to uncover a hidden truth from its past. Battle against trolls, Dark Wizards, goblins, and more as you face a dangerous villain threatening the fate of the wizarding world.
