Hogwarts Legacy lets you play with your friends after all

The fact that Hogwarts Legacy is a purely single-player experience has divided fans. While some are pleased that so much focus is being put on the story, others are disappointed that they won't be able to roam the halls of Hogwarts with their friends.

In a recent interview with the devs, it was confirmed that it was always the plan to make the game this way, so that they could “give each player a game they could feel welcome in, and a world they could make theirs”. The studio believes that "multiplayer would have fought that goal".

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

Despite the solid reasoning, you’d imagine that attending a huge magic school all on your own could feel a bit lonely. Thankfully, that shouldn’t be the case. As GamesRadar+ reports, the devs have previously confirmed that players will be able to befriend the other in-game students and travel around with them.

“Some students at Hogwarts will become friends,” the official Hogwarts Legacy Q&A page reads. “As players grow these relationships, these schoolmates will become companions who can accompany players on their journey, expand their abilities and open up as players learn their stories.”

Whether any actual multiplayer will be incorporated post-launch is another matter. One insider recently claimed that a fully fledged Quidditch mode was in development for a full year before later being scrapped, which some believe could point to it later being added as DLC.

Not everyone is planning on buying Hogwarts Legacy in the first place, regardless of its multiplayer functionality. Some gamers are boycotting the game due to its connection to J.K. Rowling, who has been criticised for making harmful comments about the transgender community. Despite not being involved with its development, she will profit from the game’s sales.

Hogwarts Legacy is facing a staggered release across different platforms. For PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC owners, it’ll release on 10 February (or 7 February for those with early access). It’ll then release on 4 April for PS4 and Xbox One, and finally on Nintendo Switch on 25 July.