There are few fictional properties that have as much of a decorated resume asHarry Potter. LikeStar Trekfor children of the 60s andStar Warsfor those raised in the 80s, the JK Rowling-penned IP found a place in the hearts of youths all over the world in the 2000s. The books spawned eight films,a spin-off franchise inFantastic Beasts, and a plethora of video game outings includingHogwarts Legacy, which was originally released in February and gave fans of the franchise something they’ve been dreaming of for decades.
However, it is this medium whereHarry Potterhas perhaps struggled the most. A smattering of decent games can’t seem to escape the lazy, half-baked movie tie-in offerings, so whenHogwarts Legacywas received well, it was somewhat surprising. With the announcement of a fully-fledged TV remake of Harry, Hermione, and Ron’s magical adventure in the works at Max, the lure of the wizarding world has resurfaced. While redoing the films for the TV or streaming service space may seem like a smart idea commercially, remaking the games that coincided with the films could prove to be a situation that is best avoided.
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The Harry Potter Games Lacked Magic
While games likeThe Chamber of SecretsandHarry Potter: Quidditch World Cupare nostalgic for many and had their charm, they were also a product of their time. The early PlayStation systems didn’t have the power to create sprawling worlds and buttery smooth performance, meaning most developers were limited to the same degree. When later films received a game adaptation, the gap between AAA and low-to-mid budget titles was huge, meaningThe Deathly Hallowstie-in games, for example, were simply not up to par.
Context could be key with newHarry Pottergames, giving fans more insight into the setting, side characters, and subplots that supplement the story being told by the Max series rather than adapting it for a different medium.The success ofHogwarts Legacygot more casualHarry Potterfans into gaming than before, and riding that wave by providing experiences that complement the show could be the smart long-term plan, bridging the gap between games and TV to create a fictional space that can be enjoyed by fans regardless of their preferred platform.
Harry Potter Needs No More Adaptations
The world ofHarry Potteris wonderful. Characters are varied, locations splice classic fantasy touchstones, and while the books and films followed one protagonist through a journey that people have become accustomed to over the years, the reality is that it has so much more potential. BetweenFantastic BeastsandHogwarts Legacy, as well as the wealth of lore tidbits that can be found on wizardingworld.com (formerly Pottermore), it’s clear that the IP has a lot of potential away from Harry Potter’s adventures and antics.
Remaking the film tie-in games would be retreading old ground, not just by reintroducing games that were not brilliantly received, but it would also mean that there is a slim likelihood that the world can be used for more unique stories to be told. It would make sense to branch out into all-new tales instead of leaning on what has worked before, and some that really didn’t.
Most importantly, the movies will now become obsolete with a remake series that may not run parallel to it, and remaking theHarry Pottergames would also be a redundant endeavor as a result. Fans ofHarry Potterand the games medium finally have a reason to be excited, and that has to be reciprocated with something new, even in the shadow ofMax’s highly anticipated adaptation.
Hogwarts Legacyis available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. A Nintendo Switch version releases on November 14.
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