https://gamerant.com/hogwarts-legacy-modern-day-sequel-game-harry-potter/Hogwarts Legacy looked to the past for its story, but modern day being explored in a future game could also wield huge benefits in tone.
Harry Potter has skyrocketed in popularity since the film adaptations of the beloved books, but in the gaming space it hasn't enjoyed as much success. A handful of tie-in experiences couldn't save it from being largely unremarkable, but Hogwarts Legacy changed that with a wonderful recreation of the titular school and its magical surroundings. The setting was both faithful and fresh, and the gameplay and combat was fluid, making battles and exploration around Hogwarts equally exciting.
Hogwarts Legacy made the decision to put players into a late 19th century version of the castle, meaning that a lot of the area looks different to what fans know. However, it does a good job of building on the norms of Harry Potter to carve out a niche of its own, and the same could be replicated if it takes the time period in the opposite direction. A modern day-set project has its benefits, and could juxtapose the 2023 game to show how historic Hogwarts truly is.
A Modern Hogwarts Legacy Game Would Show the Setting's Scale
Setting Hogwarts Legacy in the late 1800s was a stroke of genius, as it got out of the way of the films and books' timeline, giving it the freedom to take its narrative and characters in a number of different directions. It didn't have to adhere to any pre-existing story beats outside a few lore tidbits along the way. Because of this, the personalities and goings-on in the school struck a good balance between familiar and new, something that will ensure the game stands alongside other Harry Potter products rather than replaces them.
To bring gamers in the opposite direction time-wise and set a title in modern day would compliment the people and locations in Hogwarts Legacy, as it would give the world a sense of scope and history. Crafting characters who descend from Professor Fig or Professor Sharp would be fun to see, and knowing that the castle is largely unchanged in those years would make it all the more impressive knowing that generations of people have passed through its halls. The 1800s-set game and a modern counterpart would be contrasting in timeframe, but work together to give the world much more life.
A Modern Game Could Explore Harry Potter's Legacy
Though Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has a lot of history prior to Harry Potter's arrival, a modern-set game could place Harry and his friends in that history, and look at them from an entirely new perspective. It could be interesting to roam around a setting after Harry, Hermione, and Ron's heroic deeds, and see their impact on the school, its students, and wizarding culture at large. Viewing Harry in the same light as people like Godric Gryffindor or Albus Dumbledore who massively shaped the wizarding world would be fascinating.
Grand Theft Auto goes from the time-pieces of Vice City and San Andreas to the modern day of Grand Theft Auto 5 seamlessly; this feat could be replicated by Hogwarts Legacy, delving into two periods to give the space a sense of history and immense scope. The change could serve to elevate the characters that inhabit the setting, and give fans of the Harry Potter license a peek into post-Potter life at Hogwarts without affecting or leaning on the story told in the 1800s in Hogwarts Legacy. The series has more to give, and the IP's world-building means the timeline is vast, and compelling.
Hogwarts Legacy is out now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, with a Switch version releasing on November 14.
