Hogwarts Legacy Delayed Until 2022 To 'Give Game The Time It Needs'

The Hogwarts Legacy, has been delayed until 2022 according to title's official Twitter . Hogwarts Legacy was originally slated for a multi-platform release sometime in 2021, and was announced at the PlayStation 5 event in September 2020, with previous gameplay footage having leaked in 2018 without a name attached to the project.

Not much is currently known about the development of Hogwarts Legacy, but what fans do know points towards a large under-taking that has the potential to deliver on the Harry Potter video game license in a way few other projects have. Hogwarts Legacy will be set in the late 1800s and will follow a currently nameless student enrolled at Hogwarts, with players able to select their house and attend classes. The game has been described as open world and will at least allow players to explore Hogwarts, Hogsmeade Village, and the Forbidden Forest, while it will also have a morality system implemented in some fashion. All of these elements have immense potential given the property they're being married to, so it's safe to say any updates about Hogwarts Legacy are ones to watch.

The official Hogwarts Legacy Twitter posted an update on the game earlier today, stating that it would "like to thank fans from around the world" for their excitement regarding the open-world Harry Potter game. The message states that the developer intends to give Hogwarts Legacy "the time it needs" before following up with the announcement that the game will release in 2022. While it isn't framed as a delay in the statement, the game is being pushed back approximately a year.

Most notably, the announcement shies away from actually calling the delay as such, instead stating a new release date without using the language that's become common among the many hiccups video game development often experiences. Regardless of the exact language, though, the reason for the Hogwarts Legacy delay is made clear: the ambitious project needs time. Given the general reception of rushed projects in the industry, it's likely fans won't be too upset over the announcement if it means a better game comes out on the other side, though 's multiple delays are at least cause for concern that it's not necessarily indicative of a quality title emerging on the other side of pushbacks.

Hogwarts Legacy is an exciting project from WB Games via its Portkey Games label, and fans of the property have long been eager to experience an open-world Harry Potter adventure. While a delay is certainly unfortunate, especially with so many top-tier titles without solid release dates yet, it's likely a necessary one that will help ensure the quality of the game lives up to the immense expectations Hogwarts Legacy's design has given it.

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Source: Hogwarts Legacy/Twitter

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.

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