In October last year footage from a Harry Potter game found it’s way on to the internet and we suggested that it might be from Avalanche Software, a former Disney studio that Warner Bros. snapped up in January 2017.
Bloomberg have now confirmed that the footage (now deleted) was real and was from an early build of a massive open world game that is currently in production at Avalanche Software. The game is set to be release late 2021 and will launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
Here is the text that accompanied the leaked video.
Set in the 19th Century (1800’s) Wizarding World, this 3rd person open-world action RPG game centers around your character with unique abilities who has eared a late acceptance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
You are a newly arrived 5th year student to Hogwarts that demonstrates a latent gift for magic with a unique ability to track and identify remnants of a pottant ancient power. Upon arrival, strange events begin to materialize In the Forbidden Forrest and trouble begins o brew within the castle walls. Together with Professor Elezar Fig, you embark on a journey through both familiar and never before seen locations to bring to light the truth behind these mysterious occurrences. On your quest you will craft potions, master new spells, and discover fantastical beasts.
You will battle Dark Wizards, Goblins, and other supernatural enemies and uncover the truth about your destiny – the Fate of the Wizarding World lies in your hands. FEATURES – Journey to Hogwarts to become one of 8 different Wizard types -Experience Hogwarts, make new friends, uncover new secrets, and change the fate of the Wizarding world.
-Experience a new magic system that creates countless possibilities to master magic.
-Freely explore the Wizarding World for the first time., Choose your house and friends at Hogwarts, and decide to pursue a path of good or evil.
-Create your own witch or wizard, and experience a all new story separate from the books or films
However, “within the team, though, some anxiety surrounds the work,” report Bloomberg. This is due to J.K. Rowling’s recent tweets and essay which have been widely viewed as transphobic. Cast from the Harry Potter films including Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson have condemned the comments, as have the fans.
The Rowling controversy is likely to diminish some anticipation for the game, said Felicia Grady, managing editor of the popular Harry Potter fan site MuggleNet. “Based on what I’ve seen from fans, I do believe that Rowling’s comments have had some effect on the level of excitement they have for the Harry Potter RPG or other upcoming content,” Grady wrote in an email. “We’ve seen comments from fans who no longer wish to support Rowling or the brand financially.”
It is said that the game was meant to be revealed at E3 this year, but as that was cancelled due to the Covi-19 pandemic plans were re-arranged. We might see it at one of the upcoming PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X events.
Warner Bros also have a new Batman game on the way, the heavily teased Court of Owls. According to Bloomberg, that will be revealed this August during a fan event called “DC FanDome”.
Source: Bloomberg
MrYd
Is this a “no such thing as bad publicity” situation? Quickly reveal it now while she’s being a bit mad and hope everyone forgets all that in a year or so?
Maybe after her latest deranged incident where she decided she doesn’t love Stephen King after all because he’s a decent bloke, they can turn it into something based on his books instead? The Dark Tower books had lots of magic and wizards and stuff. And even those flying balls he borrowed from her.
TSBonyman
Imagine the carnage if someone swapped out the golden snitch for a flying death sphere from Phantasm!
MrYd
The Dark Tower books had deadly flying death spheres called “sneetches” that came in a Harry Potter model. And one of the characters compares them to the spheres from Phantasm.
Was that Stephen King trolling Rowling again by “borrowing” something from her books and pointing out she’d stolen it in the first place? And then taking it to it’s logical conclusion and making them deadly.