After the smash-hit success of the first title, a sequel toHogwarts Legacywas inevitable. There’s a very clearmarket for more adventures in the Wizarding Worldand Avalanche Software has its work cut out for it when crafting the follow-up to one of the highest-selling games in recent years.
But there may be one major roadblock standing in the way ofHogwarts Legacy 2’s success. The first game was a whimsical journey through a full academic year at the iconic school and a large part of its charm was how complete the whole thing felt. But with recent rumors that a sequel might embrace a live-service model, there could end up being a controversy that could hamper the sequel’s ability to strike the same chord.
Hogwarts Legacy 2 Live-Service Rumors Could Spell Trouble for the Game’s Future
Live-Service In Hogwarts Legacy Sequel Might Upset Existing Fans
WB’s announcement regarding itsrenewed focus on live-service gamescould be a ticking time bomb forHogwarts Legacy 2. The first game in the series was very much an open-and-shut single-player experience. Fans were shocked that, even after the title’s groundbreaking success, there wasn’t any additional story DLC waiting in the wings. In that way,Hogwarts Legacywas very much a throwback to older eras in gaming, which, when combined with theHarry PotterIP, likely compounded fans’ nostalgia several times over.
Hogwarts Legacyremains one of WB' most successful endeavors in recent memory. And with the live-service efforts ofMultiVersusandSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leagueleaving much to be desired, it’s not unwarranted to think that WB would try to parlay some of that Hogwarts success into a live-service model. And while that may seem like a smart business move on paper, fans aren’t keen on it, as evidenced by thepetition asking WB to avoid live-service elements inHogwarts Legacy 2.
The biggest appeal ofHogwarts Legacywas its immersion. From the moment the player boots up the game for the first time until they get the platinum trophy, they feel fullyenveloped in the Wizarding World. A common concern many fans have is that adding live-service elements, especially multiplayer, will negatively impact the Hogwarts fantasy. While the concept of running around these iconic locations with friends seems like it would be a slam dunk, getting it to work in an online environment with hundreds of players would be difficult; maybe impossible.
Finding a Middle Ground Might Be Best for WB Games
No matter the reasoning, the vast majority of the community seems not to be in favor of this change. Between the ongoing petition and widespread online sentiment, many fans are firmly against the idea of a sequel adopting a live-service model. If WB follows through with making the nextHogwartsgame something along the lines ofDestinyorSuicide Squad, it could be a massive point of friction within the community, and could even end up hurtingHogwarts Legacy 2’s overall sales. The best course of action would probably be something of a happy medium.
“Live service” doesn’t necessarily have to mean multiplayer, it just means continued content rolled out for the game. That’s exactly what a lot ofHogwarts Legacyplayers wanted in the first game in the form ofDLCs adding things like Quidditch, more spells, and more side missionsto complete. This never materialized but the demand was still very much there. If WB plays it smart with what type of post-launch content it produces forHogwarts Legacy 2, it can avoid controversies altogether.
While fans are understandably apprehensive about the idea of live-service elements creeping into their immersive story-based series, there are strategic, non-intrusive ways it can be done. Cosmetic content could provide additional robes, wands, and beast companions, for example. The best thing WB could do would be reasonably-priced story DLC that gives fans more of those character interactions they loved so much from the first game. Because story and character really were at the forefront ofHogwarts Legacy, and if a sequel needs to lean into live-service content, it should ultimately be in service to those things that made the first game so beloved.
