According to two anonymous sources, a AAA Harry Potter game is currently in the works and is expected to release later next year for current and next-gen platforms. If true, this would be the first Harry Potter game released for consoles since Harry Potter Kinect back in 2012.
For those unfamiliar, rumors of a new Harry Potter game have been circulating since 2018, where the premise revolves around an open world, RPG style of gameplay. Since then however, there has been no major updates, nor any news regarding a return to Hogwarts. Despite being based on a widely successful franchise, Harry Potter games have historically struggled to succeed, with the latest attempt being a mobile game that fell well short of its potential. Additionally, with the series' author, J.K. Rowling, recently kicking up hateful controversy and falling out favor with many of series fans, it is believed by some that studios are distancing themselves from the Harry Potter IP.
According to a report by Bloomberg, two Avalanche Software employees currently working on the game - who have requested to remain anonymous - stated that there has been discussions around how to handle the J.K. Rowling-centered backlash. With so many Harry Potter games failing to find success, it is likely that the performance of this game would determine any future additions to the franchise, which is a massive amount of pressure to have on top of having to handle such a beloved series. Additionally, due to the ongoing pandemic, the game was already set to be delayed before Rowling fell under fire, so the game will not likely be announced publicly until later this year, if not the next.
Currently, Avalanche Software has prioritized the release of another Batman game, which is also currently in development and is said to be announced in a digital event called DC Fandome, sometime in August. For now it seems there are no plans to cancel the Harry Potter RPG, and the game is still on track to be released sometime next year. But understandably, with the series creator being so closely linked to everything Harry Potter, and Covid-19 hindering the release of so many games, the developers are proceeding with caution.
When something becomes as popular as the Harry Potter, it brings with it an expectation of greatness. This series has so many passionate fans, who so desperately want a game that will provide them with a memorable experience in the wizarding world. Avalanche Software understands this passion, but on top of that, they understand that there is a great deal of pressure on their shoulders to get this right. The timing of a release can hold a great deal of influence over a games performance, so if they believe that holding off on an official announcement is for the best, then it is in the player's best interest to believe them. Harry Potter is a series that holds a massive amount of potential, especially in video games. If the rumors that this game will be an open world RPG are true, then this might finally be the game that does The Boy Who Lived justice.
Source: Bloomberg
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