- "Hogwarts Legacy" is a video game set in the Harry Potter universe in the 1800s.
- J.K. Rowling was not directly involved with the game, and it's unclear if it's considered "canon."
"Hogwarts Legacy," an open-world role-playing video game set within the Harry Potter universe, is the latest entry into the wizarding world franchise.
The game, which is currently available via early access on some platforms and will be released widely on Friday, has been a controversial topic since the game was first announced in September 2020. That controversy stems from transphobic remarks made by "Harry Potter" creator J.K. Rowling and the subsequent shadow cast on the franchise as a whole, amid a broader context of violence against transgender people and legislation targeting trans people and gender-affirming healthcare.
The game itself isn't set during the main storyline of Rowling's original seven "Harry Potter" novels, nor was the author directly involved with the creation of its story. Rather, it takes place several centuries prior.
'Hogwarts Legacy' is set in the 1800s wizarding world
According to the game's official website, "Hogwarts Legacy" is set at the titular school in the 1800s. The player character, whose appearance is customizable, is a fifth-year student at the school who "holds the key to an ancient secret that threatens to tear the wizarding world apart."
While the game takes place long before many of the characters from the book series were even born (Albus Dumbledore, one of the oldest, was born in 1881), there are some familiar names. Simon Pegg voices Hogwarts headmaster Phineas Nigellus Black, who is an ancestor of Sirius Black.
There are other familiar names, such as Professor Matilda Weasley, who shares a surname with one of the most iconic wizarding families from the main series. Antagonist Victor Rookwood also shares a surname with a Death Eater from the Harry Potter novels. According to Dexerto, ghosts such as Nearly Headless Nick and history professor Cuthbert Binns also make an appearance.
J.K. Rowling was not directly involved with the story told in 'Hogwarts Legacy'
Per the game's frequently asked questions page, "Hogwarts Legacy" is a new story set within the wizarding world that remains "true to J.K. Rowling's original vision."
Rowling herself was not involved in the story nor the game, but per the FAQ, developers worked with the author's team to ensure that the game "remains in line with the magical experiences fans expect."
It's not entirely clear whether any new information uncovered in "Hogwarts Legacy" or the story told within the game will be considered entirely canon, or a definitive piece of source material, within the context of the universe. Unlike the "Fantastic Beasts" films, which were written by Rowling, her lack of involvement with the game seems to indicate that the events of "Hogwarts Legacy" may not be considered true in the continuity of the wizarding world.
That being said, according to FAQ, everything within the game will remain true to existing wizarding world lore.