Hogwarts Legacyhas been a massive success for Warner Bros., according to recently revealed stats. A Warner Bros. executive spoke aboutHogwarts Legacyduring a recent interview, sharing numbers that demonstrate the game’s enormous popularity and impressive fan engagement.
Developed by Avalanche Software and published by Warner Bros. Games,Hogwarts Legacytakes place in theHarry Potteruniverse during the late 1800s. Players take the role of a new student at the titular wizarding school and quickly become embroiled in the ongoing Goblin Rebellion. Officially, announced in 2020, it is Avalanche Software’s first game since being acquired by Warner Bros. in 2017.Hogwarts Legacyhas seen generally positive reviews for its combat, world, and characters but faced criticism for its side missions and technical flaws.
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Variety interviewed Warner Bros. Games president David Haddad aboutHogwarts Legacyon February 16. According to Haddad, the game has been a massive success, with over 152 million hours played in just two weeks. Haddad also shared some additional stats about what players did in the game. This included growing 393 magical plants, brewing 242 million potions, and defeating 1.25 billion dark Wizards.
According to Haddad,Hogwarts Legacyis also the most successful release to come out of theWizarding Worldin some time. The previous most significant spike in online fan activity followed the release ofFantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwaldin 2018. However, Warner Bros. reports thatHogwarts Legacyweb page views surpassed that spike by 39% in only five days. Unsurprisingly, the publisher was delighted with the game’s popularity, with Haddad predicting a bright future forHogwarts Legacy’s upcoming launches on additional platforms.
The lead-up toHogwarts Legacy’s release was not without controversy. Some felt that the game’s depiction of the goblin rebellion evoked anti-Semitic tropes, an accusation that has followedHarry Potter’s depiction of goblins for some time.Hogwarts Legacywas also contentious due toJ. K. Rowling’s controversial views on transgender people. Some Twitch streamers reported harassment from people who felt that streamingHogwarts Legacyimplicitly endorsed Rowling’s political positions. However, the controversy does not seem to have had a significantly negative effect on the game’s success.
Hogwarts Legacyis part of Warner Bros.’s initiative of investing in AAA games based on some of its most popular franchises. This includes the company’s plans to develop several games based on DC properties, which will serve as tie-ins to Warner Bros.’s revamped DC cinematic universe. The success ofHogwarts Legacymay also open the door for moreHarry Pottergamessomewhere down the road.
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