The much-anticipated expansion to the wildly successful Harry Potter video game, Hogwarts Legacy, has been scrapped. The expansion, which was set to be released later this year, was expected to introduce new storylines to the game that has reportedly sold over 34 million copies.
Despite Warner Bros. Discovery Inc., the publishers, not officially announcing the planned expansion, its existence was reported last year. It was also rumoured that a Definitive Edition of the game, including all content, would have been released simultaneously.
However, Bloomberg has now reported that the expansion has been cancelled. According to the business news site, the amount of content that would have been included in the expansion “was not substantial enough to justify the price being considered”.
Despite this setback, a sequel to the game, one of the best-selling games of all time, is still in development, reports the Mirror.
Warner Bros.’ video games division had a rocky 2024. A Suicide Squad game featuring DC Comics characters such as Batman, Superman, and Harley Quinn, was a critical and financial flop, leading to a round of lay-offs at the studio behind the game.
The company also axed a planned Wonder Woman game and shut down three studios. It has now stated it will concentrate on its biggest franchises, including Harry Potter, DC, Game of Thrones, and the Mortal Kombat series, according to video games news website Eurogamer.
Set a century before the Harry Potter series, Hogwarts Legacy allows players to experience life as a student at the renowned school of magic. The game has been generally well-received, with fans lauding its faithful recreation of J.K. Rowling’s magical universe.#
However, it hasn’t escaped criticism, with some pointing out flaws in gameplay and technical aspects. Controversial views expressed by Harry Potter author JK Rowling have also sparked calls for a boycott.