Harry Potter fandom reached a fever pitch about 17 years ago and, so far, has yet to abate. In that time, we’ve seen countless Hogwarts-themed games come and go, from movie tie-ins to mobile games. One thing fans have wanted since the very beginning, through, is to be truly unleashed on Hogwarts and the world around it to explore every nook and cranny. If some newly-leaked footage is real, that wish might be on its way to coming true.
The now-removed footage was initially leaked on Reddit by Redditor VapeThisBro (cool name, guy), the footage is off-screen and of a clearly in-development game, but the polish shines through. While we can’t say for sure whether this game is being actively developed or not, it seems highly unlikely that this is fake. The video was allegedly shown to a focus group where participants had been asked not to record but apparently were allowed to keep their phones anyway.
The video is a quick reel of different parts of the game. We see a detailed character creator, some whimsical Potter-esque shots of characters working at benches, interacting with plants, we see the Great Hall. Then we get some gameplay that confirms undeniably that this is Hogwarts, as we see the character casting spells like Leviosa and Reparo, before getting into some serious action fighting goblins and the like.
According to the description, the game is set in the 19th century, and features a magic system that lets you craft spells and potions. It’s said to be an open-world style game with options to pursue good and evil paths through eight different Wizard types. You’ll play as a character who enters Hogwarts as a 5th-year student. You’ll “craft potions, master new spells, and discover fantastic beasts” (and presumably where to find them), as well as fighting goblins and dark wizards.
Rumors went around last year that Warner Bros. studio Avalanche (Mad Max, Just Cause) was staffing up for a Harry Potter game, and it’s possible this is it.
None of this is set in stone. Warner Bros. has already taken down as much of the footage as it can. If it’s real – and signs point to that being the case – this game will be absolutely massive. We’re betting we’ll hear about it sometime next year, though this leak may cause Warner Bros. to officially unveil it sooner. If it’s on the precipice of being canned for being too grown-up, this could be its “Deadpool” moment, where leaked footage forces a big studio to make something. We have our fingers crossed, and we’ll be following this very-possibly-real game as news continues to leak.
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