Hogwarts Legacy's 93% cozy rival will finally launch in a matter of days

Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world RPG, but there are aspects of the Wizarding World title that borrow from the world of cozy gaming.

The Room of Requirement, which sees players optionally brew potions, decorate, and breed magical creatures, is undoubtedly cozy.

I’d argue that the game's opening act is inherently cozy too, as you go about attending your classes and learning spells before eventually venturing out into the open-world.

If you fancy a game that wholeheartedly leans into those aspects, then you might want to check out Wizdom Academy from Kipwak Studio and Lake on Fire which finally launches in full on November 16.

Wizdom Academy is a 3D management sim which, unsurprisingly, sees you run a school for budding witches and wizards.

This is a smaller scale project than Hogwarts Legacy, so it’s not a like-for-like match, but it’s one that should scratch the same itch - and having had our eye on it for a while, we’re thrilled to see that it’s departing early access.

There is a slight shift in role here, as you’ll become the headmaster rather than the student with your task being to build a school from the ground up.

That includes recruiting students, designing and expanding your school building and grounds, sending professors on expeditions to acquire additional knowledge, and more.

Kipwak Studio

You’ll also have to keep an eye on your school’s mana levels, which is essentially your magic reserves, with the game including mana droughts.

There are also staff dramas and rival schools to deal with, so there’s plenty going on within Wizdom Academy.

“Your students do not just pass through. They come back. You watch them progress from their first lesson to their final exam, make decisions that shape their path, and see the consequences play out over time,” devs note.

“The best graduates stay on as teachers, training the next generation. The faculty you build becomes the backbone of your academy, and the school you shape today produces the wizards of tomorrow.”

Wizdom Academy still has some work to do to perfect its formula

Wizdom Academy entered early access in April of 2025 with its 1.0 version landing on PC via Steam on November 16, so developers have had plenty of time to perfect the game.

Already, Wizdom Academy boasts a ‘Very Positive’ recent review score of 93% on Steam.

“Honestly underrated nobody I know has heard of it,” wrote one happy player.

“Love the concept and style of the game because I always had a soft spot for a wizarding school simulator. Needs a bit more time in the oven but I'm looking forward to seeing this game evolve and improve,” another added.

Some advised that Wizdom Academy does still feature some bugs and glitches but given the fact that over 25 major updates have already been deployed, hopefully we’ll see these ironed out pretty soon.

READ MORE: Hogwarts Legacy drops surprise free update amid the long wait for a sequel

You can try Wizdom Academy for free now courtesy of a demo or if you want to pick it up in full, it’ll set you back £16.99 / $21.99.

If this doesn’t quite scratch the itch for you, hopefully a sequel to Hogwarts Legacy surfaces before long.

Warner Bros. has already teased that its biggest gaming franchises are set to return in 2027 and 2028 - and Hogwarts Legacy is undoubtedly the biggest in recent years having shifted a whopping 40 million units.