Summary
According to a recent report, a new version ofHogwarts Legacyis in development, though it’s not entirely being undertaken by the game’s original studio, Avalanche Software.Hogwarts Legacywas the best-selling game of 2023in the United States, outpacing last year’s offering from industry giantCall of Duty, but theHarry Potterspin-off has notably not received any confirmation of a DLC expansion or sequel on the way. It would now seem that another Warner Bros. Games subsidiary has stepped in to shepherd the game through a post-launch reinvention.
According toBloomberg,Rocksteady Studios has a portion of its staff currently working on a “director’s cut” ofHogwarts Legacy. It’s currently unclear what this new version of the game is expected to entail, as most of theBloombergpiece is devoted to analyzing the financial failure of Rocksteady’s most recent release,Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Following the live-service game’s failure, it would seem much of Rocksteady has been pulled onto this new version ofHogwarts Legacywhile the studio prepares “to pitch a new single-player game.”
New Hogwarts Legacy Director’s Cut Version Has Not Officially Been Acknowledged
Hogwarts Legacy Is Already On Current-Gen Consoles
At the time of writing, there has been no official acknowledgment or announcement of a new version ofHogwarts Legacy. The game recently received afree content update, its most significant addition since its staggered launch on all major platforms. Even the nature of a director’s cut forHogwarts Legacyis difficult to speculate about. In gaming, the term has largely been used by PlayStation Studios when releasing revamped, content-complete PlayStation 4 games on the PlayStation 5 and PC.
Hogwarts Legacy, however, already runs on the latest console hardware– its PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions being the first to release alongside PC. It similarly has not received any DLC expansions, and the game’s summer update brought the previously PlayStation-exclusiveHaunted Hogsmead Shopquest to every other platform. For comparison,Ghost of Tsushima Director’s CutandDeath Stranding Director’s Cutboth increased visual fidelity for their relaunch, and included new content.
Rocksteady reportedly working on a newHogwarts Legacyversion could be an indication that an expansion is on the way, with a director’s cut version coming as an all-inclusive package with other potential enhancements. While it’s a far cry from Rocksteady’s usual work – the studio is renowned for its threeBatman: Arkhamgames – this could potentially be a net positive, hopefully avoiding layoffs after the $200-million-dollar flop that wasSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. If new content is on the way forHogwarts Legacy, there’s a chance it appears at the upcoming Summer Game Fest, but its director’s cut seems like it may be a ways off still.
Source:Bloomberg
Editor’s Note: Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling has been accused of transphobia by those in the LGBTQ+ community. Although not directly involved in the development of Hogwarts Legacy, Rowling does stand to earn royalties from the game. We would like to reiterate our support for trans rights and that trans identities are valid. Support services are listed below for trans people impacted by discussions of transphobia.
