As the newly-revealed Hogwarts Legacy gameplay footage has shown us, this Potter prequel will offer you plenty of ways to tailor your journey through the wizarding world, with players able to customise their character’s appearance and send them into the Hogwarts house of their choice.

So, what do we know about Hogwarts Legacy and its release date? Keep on reading to learn all we know about this exciting wizarding adventure.

When is the Hogwarts Legacy release date?

The Hogwarts Legacy release date will take place in the holiday season at the end of 2022, the developers have confirmed, with pre-orders being available now at the likes of GAME and Argos.

Although an exact date or month has not yet been confirmed, a December release right next to Christmas would make perfect sense to us, considering the connection between Potter and the yuletide festivities that was hammered home in each of the books/films.

What do we know about Hogwarts Legacy gameplay?

The team from Warner Bros Games, which will publish Hogwarts Legacy under its Portkey Games label, revealed a 14-minute gameplay video on Thursday 17th March 2022, during one of Sony’s PlayStation State of Play live-stream events.

To watch the Hogwarts Legacy gameplay footage for yourself, you can check out the video below. Make yourself a cup of tea, grab a chocolate frog, and prepare to be amazed! The developers from Avalanche Software have certainly been busy.

It looks like there will be plenty of combat opportunities in the game, with the video above showcasing an array of fights where the player can use various spells, environmental aids and magical plants to overcome their enemies with clever combos.

You’ll also be able to explore various hidden areas of Hogwarts itself, as well as venturing out into the grounds and even going as far as Hogsmeade village. Players will stumble into dangerous dungeons as well as finding puzzles that may have been placed by Merlin himself.

Players will be able to upgrade their magic spells and improve their abilities using a series of skill trees, and you will also be able to visit the Room of Requirement to pick up handy items. You’ll even be able to make your own den-like area that’s tailored to your own tastes, which seems like a nice touch.

One thing you shouldn’t expect is Hogwarts Legacy multiplayer, with the developers recently ruling out the idea and stressing that this is a single-player game.

Can I pre-order Hogwarts Legacy?

Pre-orders have indeed begun for Hogwarts Legacy. GAME and Argos are just two of the places you can head to in order to make sure you get a copy of the game on release day this winter. We’d expect more retailers to add their product pages nearer the time.

In terms of the Hogwarts Legacy price, it looks like the next-gen version will set you back £69.99 GBP, while the previous-gen version is expected to go for £59.99. The differences between the two will probably include faster loading times and better graphics for the next-gen version.

What platforms can I get Hogwarts Legacy on?

Hogwarts Legacy will be available on next-generation consoles the PS5 and Xbox Series X, as well as the PS4 and Xbox One, with a PC release also confirmed. A Hogwarts Legacy Switch release has been confirmed as well. There’s no sign of a Google Stadia or Amazon Luna release, though, so bad luck if you were hoping to play on those platforms.

What is the Hogwarts Legacy story?

As per the official synopsis: “Experience Hogwarts in the 1800s. Your character is a student who holds the key to an ancient secret that threatens to tear the wizarding world apart. Make allies, battle Dark wizards and decide the fate of the wizarding world.”

So it’s Hogwarts, but set a long time before anyone had ever heard about Harry Potter. Also, while this is inspired by the stories we have all been reading for many years now, JK Rowling herself is not involved in the game and it is not a new story from her.

From the recent gameplay video, we know that the player-character will have a customisable appearance and you will be able to pick their gender. This protagonist will have access to a mysterious lost magic that no one else can use, and they will join Hogwarts late as a fifth-year student.

During the game, your character will get drawn into conflict with Dark Wizards, as well as investigating rumours of a goblin rebellion. You’ll have plenty on your plate, then, as well having to keep up with school classes and catch up to your more experienced classmates.

What spells and abilities will be in Hogwarts Legacy?

Here are the confirmed spells and abilities that will be in Hogwarts Legacy – more will likely be announced as the release date nears.

• Accio – The power to pull things towards you.
• Avada Kedavra – A spell that kills!
• Descendo – Lift an object and hit it into the ground.
• Diffindo – Cut things into pieces and rip them apart.
• Disillusionment Charm – Want to be cloaked? This is the spell to use.
• Expelliarmus – Disarm your enemy or knocks any object out of the other person’s hands.
• Incendio – Lights an object on fire.
• Lumos – Form a sphere of light to see in the dark.
• Petrificus Totalus – Leaves an opponent immobilised.
• Protego – Forms a shield and deflects spells and weapons sent your way.
• Reparo – Restore broken items.
• Stupefy – Stun foes for a short period of time.
• Wingardium Leviosa – Let’s you float!

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Hogwarts Legacy trailer

Revealed at the PlayStation 5 showcase event, fans of the wizarding world were instantly excited when the familiar locations came into view during this game’s first trailer. While you wait for the precise Hogwarts Legacy release date to be revealed, check out the gorgeous-looking trailer for yourself below.

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This month the Wizarding World film franchise is celebrating a major anniversary. The famous boy wizard Harry Potter made his big-screen debut 20 years ago when the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone premiered in November 2001. While J.K. Rowling’s books were already a worldwide phenomenon, the visual representation has taken things to a whole new level, inspiring video games, theme park attractions, and cosplays. What’s more, even though the last Harry Potter film was released ten years ago, the franchise is still going strong, with the Fantastic Beast series still ongoing, and an upcoming HBO Max series. There’s even a quiz show coming up proving just how intense Harry Potter fandom really is.

To celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the first Harry Potter film here is my ranking of all ten of the Wizarding World films. The movies here will be ranked from worst to best. For the record, I don’t think any of these films are bad, but some are significantly better than others.

So without further ado, Accio Top-Ten List.

10. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

This film already had a lot going against it due to controversial casting choices. Unfortunately, a weak story couldn’t save it. While an entertaining film, it’s a major letdown from its predecessor. The story is all over the place with more twists and turns than a pretzel. A potentially complex and compelling character is introduced only to get killed off fast, a twist is revealed at the end that seems suspicious to the point of jerking the audience around, and it feels like we’re heading into dark territory way too quickly for a fairly new series.

Perhaps all this craziness will make sense after Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is released in 2022 and I’ll appreciate this film more. But until then, this film is a bit messy, but entertaining nonetheless.

9. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

I also like to call this one Harry Potter and the Evidently Dead Barber. But I digress.

All the Harry Potter films deviate from the source material in some way, but this one is particularly notorious. Seriously, where were Dobby and Winky? While the tri-wizard tournament scenes are pretty compelling and breathtaking, this film has the least character development of all the movies. The deepest glimpse into a character we get to see is Ron being a jealous jerk for the first half of the film, and eventually, that gets quite annoying. The first PG-13 film and the one that marks the turning point into the darker and more mature section of the series, this film had a lot to accomplish. Unfortunately, it just ends up being forgettable.

8. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

This is possibly the most divisive film in the series, with some absolutely loving it and others considering it joyless and depressing. I’m unfortunately in the latter category.

There’s a lot to like in the film. Luna Lovegood is introduced, the scenes with Dumbledore’s Army are excellent, and the battle between Dumbledore and Voldemort is magnificent. But unfortunately, there’s a hurdle in this film I can’t get over: Harry is a pain in the neck in this film. I understand he’s got a lot going on in this movie, but he’s so short-tempered and grouchy in this film that he doesn’t feel like Harry at all. Sorry, but I can only take so much of Harry having a stick (or wand) up his butt for an entire film.

Still, the film is well-made and well-acted. Imelda Staunton put intense work into bringing the evil and loathsome Dolores Umbridge to life, and Gary Oldman is phenomenal as Sirius Black. And given Harry’s emotional state, you’ve got to give props to Daniel Radcliffe for putting his all into this one.

7. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Based on my favorite book in the series, I wish I could rank this one higher. To its credit, it’s the funniest one in the series, with hilarious moments such as Ron under the influence of a love potion and Harry intoxicated on Felix Felicis. And the scenes where we glimpse into Voldemort’s past are compelling to watch as well. Unfortunately, those moments with Voldemort were much more vast in the books, and the film would have been much better if they hadn’t been taken out. Perhaps that is why we got the fan film Voldemort: Origins of the Heir.

My biggest issue with the film though is the visuals. The film consistently switches between a normal hue, a gray hue, and a green hue. The green hue works in the Pensieve when we see Voldemort’s memories, but it’s annoyingly distracting everywhere else, as is the consistent switching of hues. It’s intended to be artistic, but I just found it irritating.

6. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

This is where I start to really love the films. Of all the Wizarding World films I consider this the most criminally underrated. Yes, it is long and some points in the story are stronger than others, but it’s still thrilling. The special effects and set designs (specifically the basilisk and the chamber itself) are still impressive today, which says a lot considering this film was released in 2002. Honestly, seeing a twelve-year-old go up against a giant killer snake is a tense and exciting battle to watch. And come on… the film has Dobby!!

5. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

I don’t care what anyone says, I love this one. Honestly, I’d always wanted to see what the Wizarding World would be like in America, and I always wanted to get a deeper glimpse into what wizard life after school is like in the films. The four main characters are charming and loveable, with Newt Scamander, in particular, making for a fun and quirky protagonist. But as the name rightly suggests, the beasts really are the fantastic stars of the show. Who doesn’t love those nifflers and Pickett?

Can I just say I hope the future films give us a glimpse into the American wizarding school? The boy in me needs to see this.

4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

This was the first film that pulled that whole “divide the last book into two films” ploy (which some feel should have happened with the other long books). It’s also the only one that did it well. While it’s a bit weird to not have the characters at Hogwarts, that’s sort of the strongest aspect of the film. This film reminds us that it’s really all about the characters, particularly the trio that is Harry, Ron, and Hermione. This film is an intense watch, as we see more clearly than ever that these aren’t the same kids we met in the first film. The seriousness of all they’ve been through and what they have to face has forced them to grow up fast, and emotions and tensions run high as we see them on a journey to find and destroy the Horcruxes keeping Voldemort alive.

Even in all the darkness, there’s some fun to be had. You can’t help but smile when you see Harry and Hermione dancing in the midst of their troubles. And there’s also the reappearance of Dobby, which is awesome considering his omission from the three other films he should have been in.

3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

This film gets a high ranking simply because of its nostalgic and emotional appeal.

Honestly, if you look back on this film after seeing all the other films, it’s hard not to have your heart warmed seeing Harry Potter when he was a wide-eyed young boy learning that he was a wizard and attending Hogwarts for the first time. The first film stands strong as a reminder of the youthful innocence and childlike wonder we all had as kids. Just like all of us, Harry’s life will soon be filled with tragedy and conflict, but that youthful joy he had when he first met Ron and Hermione and entered the Great Hall where he was sorted into Gryffindor still has the power to lift our spirits and awaken our inner child. All of the dated CGI aside (it has been 20 years), Roger Ebert was right to call this one a classic.

2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

The end of a long and powerful saga, Deathly Hallows Part 2 is a complex mixture of fun, excitement, darkness, and sad finality. While the film does feel a bit rushed due to picking up right where the previous film left off, that’s a forgivable flaw given how powerfully this film delivers. The movie is essentially one long battle, but it’s an exciting one and the most action-packed of the series. This is the one where all the main characters we’ve watched grow up truly come into their own. Polar opposites Ron and Hermione finally give in to their feelings for one another, the formerly awkward goof Neville Longbottom becomes an inspiring hero, and Harry completes his journey from boyhood to manhood through endurance and self-sacrifice. The film is full of death and tragedy (Snape’s death probably being the most tragic) which is hard to watch, but once the battle is over, there’s a sense of peace and closure as Harry walks through the great hall. And of course, the “19 years later” sequence allows viewers to say goodbye to these characters knowing they’ve found the peace they were long overdue for.

1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

With all due respect to all the other Wizarding World films, this was an easy choice. Director Alfonso Cuaron created more than a great Harry Potter film. He gave us a fantasy masterpiece.

This film blended the childlike wonder of its first two predecessors with the dark maturity that would be prevalent in all future entries in the series. The young actors truly became comfortable in their roles, and Gary Oldman (Sirius Black) and David Thewlis (Remus Lupin) brought their literary counterparts to life beautifully. Emma Thompson is also hilarious in her performance as the quirky and clearly self-deluded divination teacher Professor Sybill Trelawney. The special effects still hold up to this day, the score is incredible, and the story manages to be both fun, thrilling, and at times scary given the addition of the dementors and a werewolf. While I would have preferred to see the men behind the Marauder’s Map explained, it’s something I can let go of since the film is so masterfully made. This is easily the greatest Wizarding World entry we may ever see.

Do you agree or disagree with this list? How would you rank the Wizarding World films? Which film is your favorite and why? Talk to us in the comments.

The first novel in J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” series that has been read and loved by every new generation since its publication is to be auctioned at Christie’s in London.

The first edition of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,” with some errors and signed by the author, is expected to fetch at least $250,000.

The publication is one of 500 hardback copies of the book that were printed in an initial run in 1997. Three hundred of those were sent to libraries.

The one being sold by Christie’s, as part of its upcoming “The Art of Literature: Loan and Selling Exhibition,” is among the other 200.

“There were a few things that they seemed to get wrong in the book production,” Mark Wiltshire, a specialist in printed books and cocurator of “The Art of Literature” exhibition, told Reuters.

“On the back cover, for instance, philosophers, which of course is quite a keyword … is misspelt ‘philosphers’, that ‘o’ that second ‘o’ is missing. Also on page 53, in the list of items which pupils are asked to take to Hogwarts with them, ‘one wand’ is repeated twice.”

While Rowling was unknown at the time, the book about the magical world of witches and wizards went on to become a massive hit around the world, spawning a whole series and a huge film franchise.

“In many ways, this book is the physical manifestation of a magic memory for so many people and that’s what makes it so desirable,” Wiltshire said.

Christie’s “Art of Literature” event is open to the public from June 7-15.

The smallest set in the summer 2022 Harry Potter wave is 76400 Hogwarts Carriage and Thestrals. The set name really sums it up here – other than the minifigures and a very small bit of scenery, a carriage and some thestrals is all you get! Is it a good pocket money pickup? Let’s take a quick look at this set, featuring 2 minifigures and 121 pieces, which will be available starting June 19th for US $19.99 | CAN $24.99 | UK £17.99.

This set is based on a license The LEGO Group has with the Warner Brothers films, not J.K. Rowling directly. The transphobic views expressed by Rowling do not reflect the values of The Brothers Brick or, indeed, those of The LEGO Group. The magical world Rowling created, in which many who felt a bit different could see themselves, meant a great deal to so many people, including those that Rowling now demeans. TBB affirms each individual LEGO fan’s choice to claim a piece of the world for themselves, or to reject it entirely.

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Contents and build

Inside the box are the instructions, a single unnumbered bag, and a loose adult Thestral. The bit of scenery adds some green to brighten up the mix. Let’s not dissemble, though – you’re here for the baby Thestral:

It’s cute! I’m sure it’s going to be popular. But it’s much more a miniaturized adult Thestral, or maybe an adolescent, than the spindly-legged baby with a too-big head wobbling on a tiny neck that we see Luna offer an apple. Those are tough proportions to pull off in a single mold, but the head could have been bigger at least. It’s also not a goat, though of course that’s completely unfair to the element designer. It is a very similar size, though. A paranoid LEGO fan might think we were being taunted a little.

The rest of the set is unremarkable. The carriage is serviceable, able to seat both minifigures, and there are a few greebles. The scenery is also quite basic, offering an impression of a tree. There’s nothing wrong with either of these builds in a low-end set, but neither is a reason to make the purchase.

The Minifigures

The choice of Harry and Luna makes sense for the subject matter, as Luna explains to Harry why he is able to see the Thestrals after Sirius’ death, and they visit a baby Thestral with the apple later. Both minifigures are also unique, though Harry’s printing is a combination of his common dark blue sweater over a Hogwarts uniform with Gryffindor tie, both of which have appeared frequently. Luna’s appearance is quite different from her other minifigures, and is a decent representation of her on-screen outfit. Both have back printing and alternate expressions.

Finished Build and Recommendation

This set is all about the Thestrals. The adult appeared before in 75951 Grindelwald’s Escape, and is a nice mold, with the wings fading from black towards transparent. The baby is of course entirely new, and will undoubtedly receive a lot of interest. If you don’t have many Harry Potter sets, this isn’t a bad one to pick up on a whim. If you’ve been collecting Harry Potter sets, though, the Thestrals on their own come short of feeling like good value at $20, and we recommend passing, or at least waiting until a sale.

76400 Hogwarts Carriage and Thestrals contains 121 pieces and 2 minifigures. It will be available from the LEGO Shop and worldwide starting June 19th for US $19.99 | CAN $24.99 | UK £17.99 or from Amazon. It may also be available from third-party sellers on eBay.

The LEGO Group sent The Brothers Brick an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Check out the gallery for even more images: