Hogwarts Legacy: 11 Things That Should Be In A Sequel

"Hogwarts Legacy" has been the subject of plenty of controversy both before and after its release, but it has thus far been a massive sales success, even going so far as to break numerous records. Given the enduring popularity of the "Harry Potter" franchise, as well as the financial returns of its newest video game release, it seems very likely that fans can look forward to a "Hogwarts Legacy" follow-up in the future. 

What shape a possible sequel could take remains to be seen, but thanks to the franchise's expansive magic world, the possibilities are near endless. This makes it relatively easy to dream up incredible new features, mechanics, and systems that could be implemented in a possible "Hogwarts Legacy 2." There are many ways the developers at Avalanche could improve on the weaker aspects of "Hogwarts Legacy" and make it the definitive "Harry Potter" experience. With that in mind, here are 11 additions that could make "Hogwarts Legacy 2" even better than the first go-around.

One of the most obvious omissions from "Hogwarts Legacy" was the iconic broom-based sport known as Quidditch. Although the game does feature the ability to fly around on a broom, there is no option to participate in the sport. A sequel has a fantastic opportunity to add the game in some fashion, which would undoubtedly make fans of the franchise happy, not to mention introduce a new mini-game for the developers to incorporate. 

Featuring Quidditch could also help flesh out the game's roleplaying elements. In the early stages of the game, players could try out for a spot on the school's Quidditch team, which could help define their character or even give them a stat boost after practicing. Avalance could also add specific quests based around this game mode that could see the player going from being a rookie on the team to its star player — or even being featured in the Quidditch World Cup. 

The developers even have some previous "Harry Potter" video games that could be used for inspiration when designing the next game. Possibly the best example that Avalance could look to is 2003's "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup," which was a fully fleshed-out sports title that faithfully captured the spirit of the game. 

The "Harry Potter" universe takes a primarily dichotomous stance on morality for its characters. Figures like Professor McGonagall are righteous and revered while a character like Voldemort is shown as creepy, malicious, and literally deformed by his evil nature. There are some characters with more ambiguous morals, like Professor Snape, but the franchise's tendency towards moral absolutism makes it feel slightly strange that there is no real player morality system in "Hogwarts Legacy." Even when the player is casting Unforgivable Curses, there is no impact on their character, despite the series' lore saying that there should be. The most players might get is a slightly different cutscene here and there.

With that in mind, it could be very interesting to see "Hogwarts Legacy" sequel that incorporates a dedicated morality system. Just look to the first "Fable" game or the "Infamous" series for solid examples of how this could work. Having a character reach different sides of the morality scale could alter their appearance, even making them look sickly when they are evil or more radiant when they are on the side of good.

One of the more interesting notes that "Hogwarts Legacy 2" should take from the morality system in the aforementioned games, however, is restricting the player's usable spells to their side of the moral compass. This would prevent "good" characters from using Unforgivable Curses while giving them access to other options, like superior healing spells.

"Hogwarts Legacy" unsurprisingly takes place at the titular wizarding school. While the game has players getting into classes early on and features a cutscene spotlighting final exams as part of its ending, it offers very little for players to do in the way of acting as a legitimate student throughout the game. For many players, the lack of wizarding classes is one of the worst parts of "Hogwarts Legacy," and a potential sequel could do a lot to remedy that issue. 

One of the best ways to do so would be to implement a strict schedule that players have to follow. With a scheduling system in place, players would be required to go to particular classes during certain days of the week, then maybe get some free time for activities and a strict curfew that requires players to sneak around the school after dark (just like Harry would). Players could even receive bonuses based on how they spend their free time. For example, players could craft consumables to use later on, do homework to improve stats or skills, or hang out with friends to improve their relationship with them. Basically, the classic "Persona" formula.

These mechanics could better immerse players in the world of the game, not to mention give the developers an opportunity to thoroughly explore the ins and outs of wizard life. For RPG fans, this also would add another strategic layer to how characters are developed during a playthrough.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the original "Harry Potter" novels and movies is watching the evolution of the relationships between Harry, Ron, and Hermione. While players interact with a cast of different characters throughout "Hogwarts Legacy," the series' aspect of close friendship is largely lost in the game thanks to players usually adventuring on their own. This could be improved in the sequel by giving players an RPG staple: a cast of recruitable party members, characters that players can choose to accompany them when they aren't going to class or studying. 

This addition would give the player more characters for building connections, while NPC comments could organically reveal details of the Wizarding World and offer new quest opportunities. A new strategic element could be added to the "Hogwarts Legacy" sequel, with players picking specific party members based on their particular fighting styles and abilities.

In addition to new party members, "Hogwarts Legacy 2" could expand the NPC offerings by giving players romantic options to pursue. A popular feature of RPGs (as seen in games from developers like BioWare and Obsidian Entertainment), romance options provide players with more mature storylines that can be explored with their favorite NPCs and companion characters. With "Hogwarts Legacy 2" presumably following more teenage students who are discovering themselves and learning their place in the world, it would make a great deal of sense to add the possibility of romance.

The introduction of romance options would also carry other great benefits. Firstly, this mechanic would allow the game to feature a more diverse and inclusive cast of different sexual orientations, which could help it feel more representative for the massive fanbase that "Harry Potter" has built over the years. Romance pathways also could be used as the foundation for unique relationship-based side quests that players could unlock by getting close enough to different characters. These could be more light-hearted and less combat-focused than the other quests in the game, switching up the tone and following the player and their crush on a date or outing. Again, "Persona" offers a solid model for this.

The Patronus is one of the flashiest spells in all of "Harry Potter," manifesting as a spectral spirit animal that represents the wizard who cast it. Unfortunately, the Patronus spell is completely absent from "Hogwarts Legacy" — which puts it in a perfect position to become a new feature in "Hogwarts Legacy 2." 

In the sequel, the Patronus spell could work perfectly as a powerful spell that could also mirror the player's choices in the game. This could tie into the aforementioned morality system seamlessly, or even just highlight the player's character-building values by having player choices shape the look of their Patronus.

If "Hogwarts Legacy 2" incorporates a party member system, the Patronus spell could extend to them as well. As players grow closer with different characters, they could also mold the shape of a party member's Patronus spell. Each character's Patronus could reveal something about the character based on what animal shape it takes, indulging in the "Harry Potter" mythology while also expanding the game's RPG elements.

Hogwarts has always been at the center of the "Harry Potter" franchise, but the series has also established that there are many other magical learning centers spread throughout the world. While these have been shown in small doses here and there, primarily during the Triwizard Tournament in "The Goblet of Fire," "Hogwarts Legacy 2" should take the opportunity to more thoroughly explore one of the other schools. Putting a spotlight on Beauxbatons or Durmstrang might force a name change for the sequel, but this change in focus would carry numerous benefits for developers and players alike. 

Firstly, it would allow the game to thoroughly explore an entire new section of the franchise's world that hasn't been seen before. Fans loved visiting the titular school in "Hogwarts Legacy," but there could very well be diminishing returns if the series continues returning to the same location with every entry. Featuring a different school might allow the developers to introduce players to an entirely new take on a magical school, complete with a cast of original characters and areas to explore. Who's to say that Durmstrang couldn't follow a different curriculum or interesting new customs?

Going to a different school would also help the game avoid butting up against the events of previously-released material. "Hogwarts Legacy" is set in the late 1800s, so setting a sequel too far after that might interfere with the timeline of the "Fantastic Beasts" movies and the core "Harry Potter" books/films. This wouldn't necessarily be a terrible thing, but it does make composing a canonical story far more complicated. 

As mentioned above, the Triwizard Tournament is at the heart of the fourth "Harry Potter" movie and novel. It is a tournament of four European wizarding schools that sees them all coming together and appointing one of their students as a representative in a series of challenges. Think the Olympics, but with way more magic and monsters. 

The tournament is a really fun concept and would work well as the focus of the main storyline for "Hogwarts Legacy 2." If the developers don't want to move too far away from Hogwarts, the Triwizard Tournament would also present a perfect opportunity for showing off some of the other schools in the universe while hosting them in the same iconic castle.

The player participating in the tournament might also help the game provide a more structured narrative and timeframe. Each of the tournament's challenges begin with a lengthy preparation period, during which competitors complete puzzles or solve riddles, then formulate a strategy for the challenge ahead. This open-ended lead-up to each challenge could give players greater freedom in deciding how they tackle each challenge, based on their character's strengths. It also would tie in perfectly with a structured time schedule as discussed above, which would limit the amount of time players have to prepare for each challenge between classes and other timed events.

It is paramount for a game set at a school for wizards to appropriately capture the feel of controlling a spell-slinging student, whether said spells are being used for conflict or utility. In "Hogwarts Legacy," players can compose different loadouts of spells to determine their options in fights, but "Hogwarts Legacy 2" may want to expand this system and offer players further control and personalization. One great option would be to allow players to create their very own spells by combining different effects, strengths, and weaknesses to ensure they remain balanced. 

Allowing players to create their own spells would involve them more in the process of creating their characters and defining their own playstyle, rather than just slotting pre-created spells into their arsenal. It would also go a long way towards illustrating just how powerful and flexible magic really is in this universe. 

A spell-making system wouldn't even conflict with the series' established lore, as "The Half-Blood Prince" is centered around a book that contains numerous spells invented by a mysterious previous student of Hogwarts.

Wizard's Chess, as the name implies, is an eye-catching magical variation of chess employing animated pieces that fight and destroy one another on the board. In "Hogwarts Legacy," players can find NPCs playing the game, but they are wholly unable to participate in it themselves. This makes it a perfect new mini-game feature to be added in "Hogwarts Legacy 2." 

If it was added, Wizard's Chess could fulfill a similar role in "Hogwarts Legacy 2" as the card game Gwent does in "The Witcher 3," or Caravan in "Fallout: New Vegas." Wizard's Chess would also be a welcome break from the story campaign's pacing, as well as a generally fun side activity. And since "Hogwarts Legacy" already features a ton of collectibles scattered throughout the game, why not add discoverable chess pieces to the sequel? Players could hunt for new pieces and cosmetic options to build up the strength of their Wizard's Chess game.

A mini-game like Wizard's Chess in "Hogwarts Legacy 2" also has the potential to support a fun and unique chain of side quests that see the player conquering various tournaments or storied opponents. 

"Hogwarts Legacy" does a solid job of fully realizing the school of Hogwarts and the surrounding area, then letting players explore to it to their hearts' content. Every area is gorgeous to look at, and players are even able to fly above many of them on a broom to get an entirely different perspective. However, it would be great to see "Hogwarts Legacy 2" grow in scope to include more of the Wizarding World that fans know is out there. 

The Wizarding World is a huge hidden society that features entire magical communities, events, and landmarks that would be a blast for fans to see and traverse in a virtual world. A sequel could include plenty of the developer's own ideas while still making room for iconic locations such as Diagon Alley, the Ministry of Magic, or the high-security prison of Azkaban. Maybe players could even attend the Quidditch World Cup! 

Widening the scope of "Hogwarts Legacy 2" would help make the sequel's world feel more alive and expansive, while also giving fans plenty of fun new details to sink their teeth into.