Hogwarts Legacy 2 looks less likely following Warner Bros. shakeup
There are worries that Warner Bros. Interactive could be packing up its Marauder's Map and saying, "Mischief managed," as a proposed gaming shakeup could be bad news for a Hogwarts Legacy sequel. While some thought we'd never see the open-world Harry Potter game, it was worth the wait for many when it finally took flight in 2023.
Despite numerous delays and issues with Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, Hogwarts Legacy defied sales expectations and even managed to dethrone Call of Duty to claim the crown as 2023's best-selling title. Still, it was nowhere to be seen during awards season and failed to deliver the proposed DLC(s) players were waiting for.
Disclaimer: While the creator of the Harry Potter franchise was not directly involved in the creation of Hogwarts Legacy, their comments on social media around transgender people are hurtful and dangerous given the size of their platform.
We’d implore you to read our explainer of the controversy so far, and consider supporting trans rights charities where possible.
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Warner Bros. casts doubt on Hogwarts Legacy 2
Click to enlargeEven before Hogwarts Legacy was released, there was talk about a franchise of games, and after sales of the original went through the roof, we were all expecting Hogwarts Legacy 2 to be given the green light before long. Unfortunately, a shaky start to 2024 has Warner Bros. reportedly spooked and readressing its game of Wizard's Chess.
As reported by GameSpot, Warner Bros Discovery Head of global Streaming & Games J.B. Perrette discussed the company's future at a Morgan Stanley Technology. Notably, Perrette said there will be a push toward free-to-play and live-service games, meaning a move away from games like Hogwarts Legacy.
Perrette explained, "We're doubling down on games as an area where we think there is a lot more growth opportunity that we can tap into with the IP that we have and some of the capabilities we have on the studio where we're uniquely positioned as both a publisher and a developer of games."
Are you ready for a Harry Potter looter shooter?
Click to enlargeGiven the fumbling of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and confirmation that it's fallen short of expectations, it seems odd that WB would want to try and roll this live-service formula out across its catalogue of IPs. For most, the success of Hogwarts Legacy would spur more games in this genre.
Expanding on why the days of the AAA single-player could be done at WB, Perette added, "Rather than just launching a one-and-done console game, how do we develop a game around, for example, a Hogwarts Legacy or Harry Potter, that is a live-service where people can live and work and build and play in that world in an ongoing basis?"
The studio has everything from The Lord of the Rings to The Hunger Games, the Wizarding World to Game of Thrones, and despite plenty of calls for more from these franchises, is anyone really asking for a live-service game set in the Seven Kingdoms?
Instead of Kill the Justice League's live-service complaints being a learning curve for Warner Bros., it seems the entertainment giant is leaning further into this type of game. While Hogwarts Legacy 2 hasn't been hit by an Unforgivable Curse, it's not a good sign when the biggest game of the year isn't big enough for you.
