I’ve Lost All Hope For Hogwarts Legacy 2

How did you feel when WB revealed a AAA Wizarding World RPG? When Hogwarts Legacy hit the shelves and you got to experience your own adventure at the legendary school of witchcraft and wizardry?

Exhilarating, wasn’t it? I felt the same way. But now, I’ve lost whatever hope I had for this universe.

WB Says AAA Is Volatile But Suicide Squad Flopped, Not Hogwarts

Last month during a quarterly earnings call, WB revealed its views on the state of its recent game. Yes, I’m talking about Suicide Squad. The company admitted to the title underperforming way below expectations which set it up for a tough year ahead. Now to me, that sounds like a project being a flop, not generating enough revenue, and not lining the investor pockets with profit.

Warner Bros. Wants To Shift Away From “Volatile” AAA Console Games, Lean Into Free-To-Play And Mobile
byu/Turbostrider27 inGames

On the other hand, Hogwarts Legacy shattered records and kept achieving new milestones throughout 2023. Earlier this year, it was reported that the game sold over 24 million units around the globe. If that’s not proof enough, it was crowned the biggest UK physical launch of last year along with being in the top sellers during Black Friday ’23. That’s just a modicum of everything Hogwarts Legacy achieved throughout the year. 

So how exactly is the AAA market volatile? The answer is people in suits playing the blame & deflect game. 

It’s a known fact that bad games won’t live up to expectations nor will they generate revenue. When you’re in a business where the fate of your product is being driven by the consumer, what should you prioritize more? The consumer, the investor, or a balance between the two? Suits have ingrained themselves in the industry so a balance is your best bet; in the best-case scenario, it would be the consumer instead.

The players want a good game. It’s that simple but the fact is, WB isn’t giving its playerbase what it wants. Look at Gotham Knights, Suicide Squad, the recent revelation that the company wants to go “always online,” and now this news. If I had to guess, WB is desperately trying to get a hit live service title and failing miserably. But on the other hand, Hogwarts Legacy had a phenomenal run. 

That said, I looked into the organization’s recent history. Turns out that WB needs to pay a pretty hefty debt to AT&T which is why cash flow is being prioritized. From what I understand, and I could be wrong, this may be a prominent factor in driving the always online push but I digress. 

The fact of the matter is, be it single-player or live service, you just have to listen to the audience and be honest about the craft to get results. Misplaced intentions and insulting your playerbase won’t get you anywhere. 

Hogwarts Legacy Was A Masterpiece

I still remember the extent of controversy that surrounded Hogwarts Legacy as it drew closer to its release date. After the travesty that was Forspoken, joining the sorting hat ceremony was the next big thing on my list. Needless to say, countless people around the globe shared that sentiment.

After all, despite its flaws, Hogwarts Legacy was a masterpiece. I’m not going to undermine how utterly disgusting it performed on PC; it still managed to shine through. Last I checked, only Elden Ring managed to pull it off—a game so good that you can’t help but look at the bigger picture. 

Harry Potter games have existed for decades. The entire movie franchise has tie-in entries but none of them managed to capture the Wizarding World’s charm like Hogwarts Legacy did. Honorable mention to the LEGO series because those are always fun to play.

Hogwarts Legacy was the first proper adaptation that masterfully weaved the Wizarding World with the video game medium, resulting in the RPG that gained widespread critical and commercial acclaim. Quick note, even with all that praise under its belt, Ranrok’s boss encounter was fairly underwhelming compared to everything else on offer.

I still find it hard to believe how Hogwarts Legacy broke through the walls Elden Ring built around me, allowing me to thoroughly enjoy a brand-new game. When I say FromSoftware ruined gaming for me after its magnum opus, I’m being serious. Throughout 2023, I only played 3 new games: Resident Evil 4, Armored Core 6, & Hogwarts.

Mind you, two of those had some sort of value attached from past experiences. Hogwarts Legacy was the only entirely fresh adventure that I sat through from start to finish and enjoyed every second of it.

So with all that high praise, you must think I’m bound to be excited for the sequel, yes? Well…

Hogwarts Legacy 2? I Have Zero Expectations At This Point

After everything that’s happened in recent years, I just can’t get myself on the hype train anymore. Hogwarts Legacy is a gem. As I type this sentence, I’m contemplating my return to the Wizarding World for another dive into its offerings.

At the same time, Gotham Knights, Suicide Squad, and WB’s recent statements keep running in my head. I don’t see how a company hellbent on cracking the live-service code, deflects the consequences of its failings by claiming AAA to be a volatile space and wants to move towards mobile apps can facilitate the creation of something as phenomenal as the Arkham series & Hogwarts Legacy.

Hogwarts Legacy 2 Is Probably Going to Be Live Service – WB Says AAA Console Market Isn’t Enough
byu/Kaladinar inHarryPotterGame

Not to mention the way it patented the Nemesis system only to leave it on a shelf to collect dust. You know, that system would work exceptionally well in Hogwarts Legacy but I digress. With all the latest happenings, I don’t see how the sequel to one of 2023’s highly successful single-player games will be anything but dumpster fire.

With that said…

Conclusion

I’d like to add that there’s always a chance for the unexpected to happen. Perhaps a live-service Hogwarts Legacy sequel might actually have a respectful design, devoid of predatory & deceptive monetization. Maybe WB will take inspiration from Helldivers 2 and learn from the disgraceful example of Suicide Squad.

Is that peak optimism or naivety? Only time will tell. Fingers crossed.