With Hogwarts Legacy 2 on the way, Avalanche Software has a chance to take the series in a cool new direction. That said, it seems somewhat unlikely that we will see any significant changes to the setup for Hogwarts Legacy 2, especially if we are expecting to see the game in the next few years. This is somewhat of a shame since there is potential for the Hogwarts Legacy games to do things that the Harry Potter franchise never did.

Although it may seem silly to suggest a game titled Hogwarts Legacy, it would be great to see the series take a step back from Hogwarts itself. While one could argue that the first Hogwarts Legacy game already strayed too far from the titular school - basing much of its action in the surrounding areas - it’s also true that the Harry Potter series has pretty much milked the setting dry. Taking Hogwarts Legacy 2 to a new setting would be a massive change for the series.

Leaving Hogwarts Behind Would Change Harry Potter Video Games

Harry Potter Video Games Rarely Leave The School

Pretty much every Harry Potter video game takes place in Hogwarts. Before Hogwarts Legacy, we had a series of movie tie-in games that all took place at the castle. Even Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions starts with Hogwarts as the first playable location, despite being one of the games with the most potential to move the setting elsewhere. This is a missed opportunity, as plenty of other settings would be cool to explore in Hogwarts Legacy 2.

For one thing, Hogwarts isn’t the only magic school in the world of Harry Potter. Durmstrang, Beauxbatons, and Ilvermorny are probably the schools that have been the best developed and would all make interesting new settings for a video game. This would allow the franchise to keep the basic setting of being in a wizard school without having to constantly retread the same ground as previous games. That said, if the Harry Potter franchise is any indication, the Hogwarts Legacy games will continue to be set in the same location.

Hogwarts Legacy 2 Follows A Long Tradition

Most Harry Potter Media Focuses On Hogwarts

It isn’t just Harry Potter video games that have difficulty getting away from Hogwarts. The castle is the main setting for six out of the seven Harry Potter books and still features heavily in the seventh. Even the Fantastic Beasts films, which were meant to show us the Wizarding World outside Hogwarts, couldn’t resist returning and fueling audiences’ nostalgia for the main location of the Harry Potter series.

Fantastic Beasts may also present a solid reason why Harry Potter properties are afraid to leave Hogwarts behind. Aside from a few scant locations like Diagon Alley or the Ministry of Magic headquarters, the Harry Potter franchise doesn’t have a lot of unique locations. Because wizards need to stay hidden from the non-wizarding world, stories told in this fictional universe are somewhat limited in where they can go. The Fantastic Beasts franchise also showed some problems with straying from that rule.

It seemed somewhat clear that the franchise (or at least J. K. Rowling) didn’t know how to expand the Wizarding World beyond the scope of Hogwarts in a satisfying way.

At the end of the first Fantastic Beasts film, all of New York City needed a mind wipe just to explain how people didn’t know wizards existed (which was later sloppily retconned in the second film). The second Fantastic Beasts film also raised uncomfortable questions about wizards' responsibilities to the wider world when the film’s villain’s motivation was to stop World War 2. It seemed somewhat clear that the franchise (or at least J. K. Rowling) didn’t know how to expand the Wizarding World beyond the scope of Hogwarts in a satisfying way.

For Better Or Worse, Hogwarts Is Here To Stay

Hogwarts Is The Only Successful Setting For Harry Potter So Far

It seems likely that Hogwarts will remain the setting for Hogwarts Legacy 2, especially given its possible release window. It was announced in November that Hogwarts Legacy 2 would coordinate storylines with the Harry Potter TV series, which is set to debut in 2026. If Hogwarts Legacy 2 will be coming out around the same time, then it seems unlikely that Avalanche will be building an entirely new setting for the game.

I’m of two minds about this. While Fantastic Beasts showed me the Wizarding World's limitations in telling stories outside a magic school, I would like to see a new setting for a game in this universe. I think the solution of setting a Harry Potter game at a different wizarding school is perfect since it would be a similarly contained environment but still a change from always going to Hogwarts.

While it would be nice to see Hogwarts Legacy 2 take place in a new setting, I don’t expect it to happen. If the series does stick with Hogwarts, I would at least like to see it add in some more life-sim elements to make the setting feel closer to how it did in the original series. That said, I wouldn’t be too disappointed if it were exactly like the first game, and then I could just not buy it.

Editor’s Note: Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling has been accused of transphobia by those in the LGBTQ+ community. Although not directly involved in the development of Hogwarts Legacy, Rowling does stand to earn royalties from the game. We would like to reiterate our for trans rights and that trans identities are valid. services are listed below for trans people impacted by discussions of transphobia.

In the USA:

• Trans Lifeline : (877) 565-8860
• The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

In Canada:

• Trans Lifeline : (877) 330-6366
• Youth Line : 1-800-268-9688

In the UK:

• Switchboard : 01273 204050
• Mermaids : 0808 801 0400