Hogwarts Legacy single player 'always the focus', says developer

Hogwarts Legacy’s lack of multiplayer has proven to be pretty contentious amongst the fanbase, but the developers have confirmed that a solely single-player experience was always the goal.

Before we knew so much about the game, many Harry Potter fans were fully anticipating that there’d be at least some level of multiplayer in Hogwarts Legacy. Many were initially really hoping for broom-based sport Quidditch to be included - the devs later confirmed on the game’s official Q&A page that it wouldn’t be (although according to an insider, the mode was in development for a full year before being scrapped).

Check out the introduction to Simon Pegg’s Hogwarts Legacy character, headmaster Phineas Nigellus Black, below.

Co-op gameplay and online play were similarly completely dismissed a while ago, and although some consider this to be a bit of a missed opportunity, others have expressed that they’re glad that the story will be given so much emphasis. In a new email interview with GAMINGbible, lead designer Kelly Murphy revealed that this was decided upon in order to play to the studio’s strengths.

“Single player was always our focus. We saw an opportunity here, and it played to our strengths as a studio as well,” Murphy said. “The goal was to give each player a game they could feel welcome in, and a world they could make theirs. This is their story. Who will they become? Multiplayer would have fought that goal.”

Although Hogwarts Legacy has been Amazon’s best-selling PS5 game from the start of the year, many gamers are opting to boycott it due to its connection to J.K. Rowling, who has been criticised for sharing harmful views regarding the transgender community. She hasn’t been directly involved with the development of the game, but will still profit from its sales since she created the wizarding world franchise.

Hogwarts Legacy will release on 10 February for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC (and three days early for those who preorder the Deluxe or Collector’s Edition).