Summary
Hogwarts Legacyis one of the biggest games of 2023 and has landed well with fans of theHarry Potterseries and beyond. WhileaHogwarts Legacysequelhasn’t been officially confirmed, the explosive success of the first game in the series virtually calls for a follow-up of some kind. What exactly this sequel might look like is a bit less clear.
The story ofHogwarts Legacyis solid, but there is a sense that there is more under its surface. The game introduced a colorful cast of likable and diverse characters while expanding the lore of the Wizarding World in interesting ways.Hogwarts Legacy’s ending is imbued with a sort of finality, but there are still a number of different directions a sequel could go with its plot. There are several elements of the first game that aHogwarts Legacysequel would need to address, and there are characters with intriguing backstories that could be fleshed out. These potential story paths could involve the same player character from the first game, or they could be further removed fromHogwarts Legacy, offering more of a fresh start.
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A Hogwarts Legacy Sequel Could Focus on Building Goblin-Wizard Relations
One of the most controversial elements of theHogwarts Legacynarrative was its handling of the Goblin Rebellion. Goblins are shown to be intelligent beings rather than brainless monsters, but they are shown little empathy within the story. The player character still remorselessly kills any Goblins aligned with Ranrok, whether they attack first or not, and the many systemic inequalities and injustices faced by the Goblins go unaddressed. Issues likeGoblins not being allowed wands, not being able to enroll at Hogwarts, and being generally severed from the rest of the magical world, remain unchanged, and it almost seems like the game is urging the player not to think too hard about these disturbing facts.
A sequel wouldn’t have to become a rigid civil rights allegory, and it wouldn’t be able to solve many core issues without breaking series canon, but it could go a long way toward making the Goblin-Wizard conflict feel more realistic and mature. Players could be faced with difficult moral dilemmas following the Rebellion of the first game; they could work to solve problems for the Goblins rather than create new ones. There’s plenty ofHogwarts Legacystorytelling potentialin this premise, but it could also make for a more enjoyable RPG experience, as players could make meaningful choices and decide between a path of violence or a path of peace.
Hogwarts Legacy’s Sequel Could Be Built Around Sebastian Sallow
For manyHogwarts Legacyfans, Sebastian Sallow’s quest line is one of the best in the game. His descent into the world of dark magic, fueled by his efforts to save his younger sister from a curse, is dark and complex, and some players may be disappointed that it is relegated to side quest status. The game’s sequel could put his tale front and center.
There are a few paths this story premise could take.Sebastian Sallow could be playable inHogwarts Legacy’s sequel, and the story could chronicle either his redemption or his further corruption. Alternatively, Sallow could become a villain, which would add depth and personal significance to the central conflict of the story that was missing in the first game. Of course, Sallow’s story could have ended in two different ways, so this would require the game’s sequel to make one ending canon.
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A New Hogwarts Legacy Game Could Take Place at Another Wizarding School
Avalanche Software could avoid tricky canon issues altogether by simply making theHogwarts Legacysequel take place in another part of the world. There are a number of magical schools throughout the Wizarding World, and while Hogwarts is obviously the most iconic, the other locations haven’t been given a chance to shine. It’s true that there is still some unseenpotential inHogwarts Legacy’s renditionof Hogwarts, but there is far more potential in other schools like Durmstrang, Uagadou, or Ilvermorny.
A video game could be the perfect medium to deeply explore these unseen locations, and setting a sequel in one of them could help set the series apart from the books and movies. It would also make planning future games easier, as the franchise could become a sort of anthology series, with players looking forward to exploring a brand-new location in each release.
Hogwarts Legacy’s Sequel Could Jump to the Future
In a similar vein, the nextHogwarts Legacymight benefit from cutting ties with the first game not by way of geography, but by time. There are a number of reasons why aHogwarts Legacygame set in the futurewould be interesting, not the least of which is the fact that it would unshackle the game from theHarry Pottercanon.Hogwarts Legacy’s status as a prequel restricts the story in many ways, as it’s hogtied to the greater plot of the franchise. For example, the story can’t end with Goblins becoming equal with Wizards, because that would contradict other entries in the franchise. This makes the plot more predictable and less enthralling, and setting the next game after all the majorHarry Potterstories could fix the issue.
Making Hogwarts Legacy’s Protagonist an Adult is the Obvious Choice
Hogwarts Legacyis, in many ways, about fulfilling the fantasy of living in theHarry Potteruniverse. In keeping with that, Avalanche Software could simply make the sequel a direct continuation of the first game, this time with the protagonist living as an adult. Leaks suggest that theHogwarts Legacysequel is in developmentalready, and this concept would arguably be the easiest and least risky to execute. However, it would be a rather pedestrian choice.
There are plenty of unique, outside-the-box choices that Avalanche could make when devising theHogwarts Legacysequel. The concept is rich with potential, and the right creative minds could craft a powerful narrative out of any of these potential premises, whether the premise is connected to the first game or not.
Hogwarts Legacyis out now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, with a Switch version releasing on November 14.
