Dust off your robes one more time in Hogwarts Legacy, as the Harry Potter RPG is set to finally get a substantial update on PS5 and Xbox. Sure, it may have been well over a year since the billion-dollar Warner Brothers hit debuted on consoles, but we’re sure you’ll relish another trip back to Hogwarts. However, the Hogwarts Legacy update is arriving just after a huge milestone for the franchise: the 20th anniversary of Prisoner of Azkaban’s theatrical release.
Yes, it has been a whole twenty years since the third cinematic adaptation hit the big screen on May 31, 2004? To celebrate this landmark moment, the Hogwarts Legacy summer update includes some fresh Azkaban-themed garbs for you to wear. There’s even some glasses paying tribute to Harry Potter himself, but they’re in desperate need of some Oculus Reparo action. Aside from some new cosmetics items to get your hands on, the fantastical open world game will also enable Xbox players to play the Haunted Hogsmeade quest (finally).
This quest has been a PS5 exclusive adventure since the game’s launch, and is unlocked once the main story is complete. We won’t spoil all the surprise here, but if you’re not a fan of creepy crawlies, just go into this one with caution. Or you could turn on the arachnophobia setting. However, perhaps the biggest aspect of the RPG game’s new update is the addition of a Photo Mode.
With so many lush locations that feel right at home on a postcard, it was a surprise when Hogwarts Legacy didn’t launch with one. Soon, you’ll be able to capture your tales with a full suite of options to get the perfect shot.
Although the implementation of a Photo Mode is a nice touch, returning players may be interested in the ability to reset your Hogwarts Legacy Talent Points. Like any sprawling RPG title, discovering new builds is all part of the fun, so this is a welcome (albeit late) feature. It is baffling that Hogwarts Legacy hasn’t had any meaningful post-launch support in the last year, though. With so much lore and opportunities to tell new stories in the Harry Potter universe, the absence of story expansions feels like a missed chance to do something special.
Initially, Potterheads believed that a Hogwarts Legacy Quidditch DLC would arrive soon after launch. Sadly, this rumor was promptly shot down by Avalanche Software. The Hogwarts Legacy summer update seems to be the last piece of content for the game, so make the most of it on Thursday, June 6, 2024.
In other gaming news, LEGO Horizon could be set for a Summer Game Fest reveal, and Little Nightmare 3 won’t be launching in 2024.
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 Avalanche 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. 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.