Yes, we know that Quidditch should’ve just been in Hogwarts Legacy, but Warner Bros games had other ideas. Well, if you’ve been itchin’ for some snitchin’, we come bearing some good news – the Harry Potter Quidditch Champions release date has been locked in for Tuesday, September 3, 2024, on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. If you’re a PlayStation owner, though, things are even better, as the game will be free to claim for a limited time for those subscribed to PS Plus.
Yes, if you’ve got an active PS Plus subscription when Harry Potter Quidditch Champions launches in September, you can it alongside other new PS5 games as part of that month’s free PS Plus games drop. The forthcoming fantasy sports game won’t be joining the PS Plus Extra and Premium games list either, so you’ll need to add it to your library before the limited-time offer ends on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Remember, though, if your PS Plus subscription isn’t live, you won’t be able to play it, but it will remain in your library after claiming it. While the iconic Wizarding World sport was notable absent from Avalanche Software’s billion dollar RPG game last year, the good news is that Hogwarts Legacy players are entitled to some goodies just for owning the game.
According to Warner Brothers in a recent press statement, Hogwarts Legacy owners will “receive the Bonus Legacy Pack when they download Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions and connect to their WB Games account.” You’ve likely already connected your Xbox or PS5 account to your WB Games account, but if you haven’t, worry not. The process won’t take you no more than five minutes, and can be completed here.
Unlike Hogwarts Legacy, which sees you create your own fantastical Hogwarts student, Harry Potter Quidditch Champions also features the likes of fan favorite characters. Whether you’re playing in different roles like the Beater, Chaser, Keeper, or Seeker, you can expect to play as (and against) Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and more familiar faces along the way.
Not every match will take place on the glorious grounds of Hogwarts, though. Some matches will unfold in the form of “backyard battles”, and that just sounds like pure FIFA Street goodness. If you’re planning on playing the new multiplayer game without a PS Plus subscription, it will retail for $24.99/$29.99 at launch.
In other gaming news, The Finals Season 3’s rip-roaring new trailer is pure Dual Katana chaos, and we speak to two Call of Duty Zombies legends about the future of the mode as the Black Ops 6 reveal looms.
Harry Potter Quidditch Champions and Hogwarts Legacy has drawn considerable criticism during its development, largely due to the fact that the creator of the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling, has made a number of transphobic remarks on social media in recent years.
While Unbroken Studios has confirmed that J.K. Rowling is not “directly involved” in the development of Hogwarts Legacy, it is working with “her team” and Portkey Games, a Warner Bros. label dedicated to launching new experiences inspired by J.K. Rowling’s original stories. They will aim to deliver an “authentic” experience to the Wizarding World and “J.K. Rowling is hugely supportive of Portkey Games and has entrusted the design and creation of the games to WB Games and the developers involved,” according to the game’s FAQ page. It is currently unclear whether she will earn any royalties from the game’s sale, but it is likely given it is based on her original body of work.
If you would like to learn more about transgender rights or lend your support, we’d encourage you to check out the National Center for Transgender Equality in the US and Mermaids in the UK.