The announcement of a 10-year-spanningHarry Potterseries on Max has been an interesting topic of conversation lately. On the one hand, fans believe it is too soon foraHarry Potterreboot, and there are obviously fans of the IP who are upset at the fact that J.K. Rowling is an executive producer on the series. This means that she will continue to reap the rewards of the IP for at least a decade longer with a new interpretation that is said to closely adapt her original books. On the other hand, though, fans seem worried about what this might mean for the Wizarding World’sHogwarts Legacy.
It would be terrific for this newHarry Potterseries to afford playful nods and references toHogwarts Legacynow that there is a large chunk of 1800s lore established by the game. Having references toHogwarts Legacywould mean that there could potentially be ways for the series to teaseaHogwarts Legacysequel, or there could be simple nods to Ancient Magic and certain events of the game. Otherwise, Max’sHarry Pottercould choose to ignoreHogwarts Legacyentirely, sticking to the books exclusively whileHogwarts Legacyremains in the past.
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Max’s Harry Potter Series May Not Have Any Effect on Hogwarts Legacy
If theHarry PotterMax series is an adaptation of the books, there should be no definite impact onHogwarts Legacydue to them taking place in two separate eras. There are obviouslylore and experiences fromHarry Potterthat dip backward into the past, but no details have been so groundbreaking as to potentially rewrite events fromHogwarts Legacyor retcon anything it proposed as its own original narrative within the canon.
That is the only concern regarding this new series, though it seems as ifHarry Potterwould need to go out of its way in order to erase anything fromHogwarts Legacy. Of course,Hogwarts Legacydid introduce a transgender characterand is therefore at least minorly in opposition of Rowling’s hateful transphobic advocacy. It will be interesting to see if Rowling’s role as an executive producer further buries any sort of representation or inclusivity in her new series.
Either way, ifHogwarts Legacyis completely ignored byHarry Potter,that would seem to be the most ideal course of action. This way,Hogwarts Legacycould receive sequels and spin-offs that are still stuck in its 1800s era and continue to carve out an original narrative that can be isolated fromHarry Potter. It is true that fans love the IP itself and everything that holds nostalgia fromHarry Potter, but it is refreshing to see a unique take on the Wizarding World that can cleave itself apart fromHarry Potter’s iconography. Having a custom character in a past era was a huge part of that, but traditional Hogwarts house tropes were still too stereotypical.
It makes some sense because of what Hogwarts houses are like in the present day, butHogwarts Legacywould do well to find more ways to iterate on the IP. If for no other reason, Max’sHarry Potterseries could be a great way to encourage other Wizarding World games in the next decade, even if the IP is always inevitably going to be attached to Rowling at the hip. Only time will tell how much one will affect the other.
Hogwarts Legacyis available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, with PS4 and Xbox One versions launching May 5 and a Switch port releasing July 25.
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