Hogwarts Legacy Trailer Debates The Morals Around The Dark Arts

A new trailer for Hogwarts Legacy debuted during Opening Night Live at Gamescom 2022, introducing the moral quandary its lead characters are seemingly facing with regards to the use of dangerous magic.

The new gameplay mostly takes place in some cob web-covered tombs, as Hogwarts students begin experimenting with dangerous curses as they continue their journey to learn more about Salazar Slytherin. There are a few snippets of combat featuring some undead-looking enemies, suggesting that something in the tombs doesn't want to be found.

Set in the 19th century, Hogwarts Legacy is set at the titular castle and puts you in the robes of a young wizarding student as war threatens to break out between goblins and other magic-users. Players will be able to learn new spells and potions as well as customize a small area in the castle--and there won't be microtransactions. A new preorder incentive shown off at the end of the trailer does lay out some cosmetic incentives you can acquire by securing your copy early, however.

Hogwarts Legacy was previously scheduled to arrive this holiday season, but it has since been pushed to February 10, 2023 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with a Nintendo Switch version arriving at a later date. The game was not formally announced until late 2020, though leaked footage from a few years earlier had all but confirmed it already. Its development has also had to contend with the increasingly vocal anti-transgender opinions of the series' author, J.K Rowling.