New footage has finally been released of the upcoming open-world RPG set in the Harry Potter universe, Hogwarts Legacy, and it provides a comprehensive look at the vast world outside the walls of Hogwarts Castle. One of the most significant locations is Hogsmeade Village, an area featured heavily in both the books and Harry Potter movies. While it has been speculated that the shops in Hogsmeade may be explorable in Hogwarts Legacy, the latest gameplay indicates that its role will expand far beyond just shopping trips. Instead, Hogsmeade looks as though it will play an essential part in the overarching story of Hogwarts Legacy.
The open-world Harry Potter game Hogwarts Legacy was announced in 2020 with a tentative 2021 release date, but the game has experienced quite a few delays and roadblocks since then. An overall lack of footage throughout much of 2021 – Hogwarts Legacy was absent from most prominent video game expos that year, such as E3 – led to plenty of rumors and speculation that the game would be further pushed back into 2023. However, March 2022’s Hogwarts Legacy State of Play presentation helped put an end to such speculation, confirming a release window of the 2022 holiday season and providing prospective players an extensive peek at gameplay, graphics, and the vast open-world map, which is chock-full of iconic locations from the Harry Potter films and beyond.
Within the Harry Potter books, Hogsmeade is known as a rare example of an all-wizarding village, and Hogwarts students in the third year and above made frequent weekend trips into town to visit specialty shops and pubs. When Hogsmeade was first featured in the game’s reveal trailer, many were quick to theorize that it could serve as a shopping hub for Hogwarts Legacy players alongside other well-known locations like Diagon Alley. Thanks to the State of Play trailer that’s now been confirmed, but there’s more to be found at Hogsmeade than just candy shops and butterbeer.
What Players Can Find At Hogwarts Legacy’s Hogsmeade
The customizable witch or wizard of Hogwarts Legacy will be entering Hogwarts as a fifth-year student and therefore should theoretically be able to explore Hogsmeade whenever they like, though this might be restricted by other obligations such as classes. Some of the shops showcased in the gameplay preview included a clothing store, where players can buy gear to give them an edge in duels or customize their character, and a potion recipes and ingredients vendor. Although it isn’t currently clear whether Hogwarts Legacy will allow fans to explore some of Hogsmeade’s more iconic locales such as Honeydukes or the Three Broomsticks pub, it can at least be assumed that more modern-day sites from Harry Potter lore such as the Shrieking Shack will be absent.
Beyond that, though, there’s also plenty of danger to be found at Hogsmeade. As noted in the latest Hogwarts Legacy trailer, dark wizards can be found and battled on the outskirts of the village. It was also strongly implied that the main antagonists of Hogwarts Legacy will stage an attack on the game’s protagonist in Hogsmeade, judging by one of the conversations depicted in the gameplay presentation. How much of an impact this will have on the overall plot is yet to be determined. Still, it was made clear that the player character’s story will expand significantly beyond the walls of Hogwarts Castle, especially given the impressive size of Hogwarts Legacy‘s map. Hogsmeade is bound to have at least some small part in that narrative.
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