Summary
Hogwarts Legacyhas been an undeniable success for Warner Bros.—something the company is no doubt thankful for in the wake of theSuicide Squadflop and generally lower-than-expected earnings thus far in 2024. Even better news for the publisher is the fact thatHogwarts Legacyhas great franchise potential, as it’s easy to imagine ways for the IP to grow over the years.
What exactly that growth will look like is anyone’s guess, though, especially when viewed through the lens of how Warner Bros. may choose to handle its gaming endeavors moving forward. In a recent earnings call, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav commented on the future of the company’s gaming sector, noting his optimism about expanding the WB Discovery catalog. When discussing future gaming prospects, Zaslav expressed a willingness to license WB-owned IP to third-party studios, effectively allowing Warner Bros. to shift development costs elsewhere while still reaping profits. There’s a real possibility that Warner Bros. could do this with theHogwarts Legacyproperty, which would mean a radically different sequel to 2023’s best-selling game.
There have been some rumors thatWarner Bros. could sell a large portion of its gaming division, resulting in a significant off-loading of IP. However, these rumors have yet to be substantiated.
Hogwarts Legacy Could Be Adopted by Another Studio
The Hogwarts Legacy Formula May Not Require Avalanche Software
Avalanche Software, previously known for its work on theDisney Infinityseries and various other Disney-licensed movie tie-in games, was something of an outside pick forHogwarts Legacy.Hogwarts Legacyis a far more ambitious project than the rest of Avalanche’s oeuvre, and to the developer’s credit, it turned out remarkably well. The game is technically sound, visually impressive, and vast,doing itsHarry Pottersource material justice.
Having said that,Hogwarts Legacyisn’t exactly being sold off the back of its developer’s prestige or reputation. Avalanche did a fantastic job with the title, and it would be good of Warner Bros. to let the studio grow with another crack at theHogwarts LegacyIP, but this relationship doesn’t have the developer-game connection of pairings like Naughty Dog andUncharted, or FromSoftware andDark Souls.
In other words,Hogwarts Legacy’s widespread appealcan be traced back to theHarry PotterIP, not Avalanche Software; most of those interested in the game simply want to fulfill the fantasy of being a Hogwarts student. If Warner Bros. believes it can save money by shippingHogwarts Legacyoff to another studio, or if the IP gets wrapped up in some sort of property sale, it probably wouldn’t hurtHogwarts Legacy 2’s success.
A Hogwarts Legacy Game from Another Studio Would Be Necessarily Different
A third-party studio developingHogwarts Legacy 2would mean smaller development costs incurred by Warner Bros., but it would also require a more hands-off approach, which the company may be skittish about, now thatHogwarts Legacyis becoming its golden goose.Hogwarts Legacymay not have been a particularly innovative gameunder Avalanche Software’s development, but it was certainly a well-crafted, inoffensive one, and this is part of what gave it its mass appeal. A different studio could take greater risks, making a game that is perhaps more inventive or bold, but less of a guaranteed hit.
In other words, Warner Bros. may not want to mess with success too much, even if there is some financial incentive or argument for risk mitigation involved with shipping off the IP. Gaming audiences will have to wait and see what winds up happeningwith Warner Bros.' various high-profile IP, but it’s almost certain thatHogwarts Legacywill be here to stay, whether it’s sticking with Avalanche Software or not.
