The ''Harry Potter'' video games are a series of
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
s based on the
''Harry Potter'' franchise originally created by
J.K. Rowling
Joanne Rowling ( "rolling"; born 31 July 1965), also known by her pen name J. K. Rowling, is a British author and philanthropist. She wrote ''Harry Potter'', a seven-volume children's fantasy series published from 1997 to 2007. The ser ...
. Many of the ''
Harry Potter
''Harry Potter'' is a series of seven fantasy literature, fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young Magician (fantasy), wizard, Harry Potter (character), Harry Potter, and his friends ...
''-inspired
video games
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device to gener ...
are
tie-in
A tie-in work is a work of fiction or other product based on a media property such as a film, video game, television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property. Tie-ins are authorized by the owners of the original prope ...
s to the
novels
A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itself ...
and
films
A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
of the same name. The main series features a video game for every novel, as well as two for the finale. There are multiple distinct versions for individual games.
After the success of the initial games,
Warner Bros. Games
Warner Bros. Games (formerly Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment) is an American video game publisher based in Burbank, California, and part of the Global Streaming and Interactive Entertainment unit of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). The p ...
created the label
Portkey Games
Portkey Games is a video game label owned by Warner Bros. Games founded in 2017 and dedicated to creating gaming experiences related to the Wizarding World.
Overview
Portkey Games first announced their first game in 2017, working with ''Poké ...
and expanded the series to include a pair of
Lego video games
Since 1995, 85 commercial video games based on Lego, the construction system produced by The Lego Group, have been released. Following the second game, ''Lego Island'', developed and published by Mindscape (company), Mindscape, The Lego Group pu ...
. The games grossed over $1.5 billion in sales; the main series received mixed reviews from critics, while the Lego games were both critically and commercially successful.
Development
Despite the games having a wide variety of developers,
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) is an American video game company headquartered in Redwood City, California. Founded in May 1982 by Apple employee Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer game industry and promoted the d ...
developed all games from ''
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the fourth novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. It follows Harry Potter, a wizard in his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and W ...
'' until ''
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2'' is a 2011 fantasy film directed by David Yates from a screenplay by Steve Kloves. The film is the second of two cinematic parts based on the 2007 novel '' Harry Potter and the Deathly Hal ...
''.
Film adaptations
Generally, the video game adaptations of the Harry Potter series were designed to be released to coincide with the release schedule of the
film series A film series or movie series (also referred to as a film franchise or movie franchise) is a collection of related films in succession that share the same fictional universe, or are marketed as a series.
This article explains what film series are ...
. The first game in the series, ''
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' is a 1997 fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling. The first novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series and Rowling's debut novel, it follows Harry Potter, a young wizard who discovers hi ...
'' (known as "''Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone''", for the North American release) was developed by five different teams, each creating different versions for different consoles. The games were developed by
Argonaut Games
Argonaut Games PLC was a British video game developer founded in 1982, most notable for the development of the Super NES video game ''Star Fox'' and its supporting Super FX hardware, as well as for developing '' Croc: Legend of the Gobbos'' and ...
(
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
),
Aspyr
Aspyr Media, Inc. (pronounced " aspire") is an American video game developer and publisher founded by Michael Rogers and Ted Staloch in Austin, Texas. Originally founded to bring top gaming titles to macOS, the company, since 2005, has become a ...
(
Mac OS
Two major famlies of Mac operating systems were developed by Apple Inc.
In 1984, Apple debuted the operating system that is now known as the "Classic" Mac OS with its release of the original Macintosh System Software. The system, rebranded "M ...
),
Griptonite Games
Glu Mobile LLC is an American developer and publisher of video games for mobile phones and tablet computers. Founded in San Francisco, California, in 2004, Glu offers products to multiple platforms including Java ME-based devices, Android, Wind ...
(
Game Boy Color
The (commonly abbreviated as GBC) is a handheld game console, manufactured by Nintendo, which was released in Japan on October 21, 1998 and to international markets that November. It is the successor to the Game Boy and is part of the Game ...
and
Game Boy Advance
The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo as the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, in North America on June 11, 2001, in the PAL region on June 22, 2 ...
), and
KnowWonder
Foundation 9 Entertainment, Inc. was an American video game company based in Irvine, California. The company was formed in March 2005 through the merger of video game developers Backbone Entertainment and The Collective.
History
Foundation ...
(
personal computer
A personal computer (PC) is a multi-purpose microcomputer whose size, capabilities, and price make it feasible for individual use. Personal computers are intended to be operated directly by an end user, rather than by a computer expert or tec ...
). Two years later,
Warthog Games
Warthog Games Limited, or Warthog plc, was a British video game developer, located in Cheadle Hulme, Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, Stockport, with studios in Sweden and the United States.
The developer later developed titles as Gizmondo E ...
released versions for
sixth generation consoles (
GameCube
The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the Wii ...
,
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
, and
Xbox
Xbox is a video gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. The brand consists of five video game consoles, as well as applications (games), streaming services, an online service by the name of Xbox network, and the development arm by the na ...
).
The version was released after the
''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'', and used many of the same assets. The game featured puzzles aimed at "eight- to fourteen-year-olds" and aimed to capture the mood of the
novel of the same name.
During the release of ''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'' in 2002, developer
Eurocom
Eurocom (formerly Eurocom Entertainment Software) was a British video game developer founded in October 1988 by Mat Sneap, Chris Shrigley, Hugh Binns, Tim Rogers and Neil Baldwin, to specifically develop games for the Nintendo Entertainment Sys ...
was brought on board to create the sixth generation console releases (GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox) as well as the Game Boy Advance and the Game Boy Color release. This version included new assets specifically for the ''Chamber of Secrets'' and free-roam flying on a broomstick on the PlayStation 2 release, which was not possible on any other release. This version removed many of the puzzle sections found in the first game and replaced them with action sections and
boss fights
In video games, a boss is a significant computer-controlled opponent. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight. Bosses are generally far stronger than other opponents the player has faced up to that ...
. The PC version, however, used many of the same assets as those in ''Philosopher's Stone'', and retained a more puzzle-oriented gameplay style.
The release of
''Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'' (2004) switched genre to a
role-playing video game
A role-playing video game (commonly referred to as simply a role-playing game or RPG, as well as a computer role-playing game or CRPG) is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character (or several party members) immers ...
(RPG).
GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
likened the game to ''
Chrono Trigger
is a 1995 role-playing video game developed and published by Square. It was originally released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as the first game in the ''Chrono'' series. The game's development team included three designers th ...
'' and ''
Pokémon
(an abbreviation for in Japan) is a Japanese media franchise managed by The Pokémon Company, founded by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures (company), Creatures, the owners of the trademark and copyright of the franchise.
In terms of ...
''.
The third instalment featured separate games for the PC version and a console release (which was this time developed by
EA UK
EA Bright Light (formerly known as EA UK) was a British video game developer founded in 1995 by Electronic Arts. The studio was primarily known for its work on licensed franchises such as the video game adaptation of the ''Harry Potter'' series. ...
). Both of these versions made
Harry
Harry may refer to:
TV shows
* ''Harry'' (American TV series), a 1987 American comedy series starring Alan Arkin
* ''Harry'' (British TV series), a 1993 BBC drama that ran for two seasons
* ''Harry'' (talk show), a 2016 American daytime talk show ...
,
Hermione
Hermione may refer to:
People
* Hermione (given name), a female given name
* Hermione (mythology), only daughter of Menelaus and Helen in Greek mythology and original bearer of the name
Arts and literature
* ''Cadmus et Hermione'', an opera by ...
and
Ron Ron is a shortening of the name Ronald.
Ron or RON may also refer to:
Arts and media
* Big Ron (''EastEnders''), a TV character
* Ron (''King of Fighters''), a video game character
*Ron Douglas, the protagonist in ''Lucky Stiff'' played by Joe A ...
playable characters. In the PC release,
Buckbeak
Rubeus Hagrid () is a fictional character in the ''Harry Potter'' book series written by J. K. Rowling. He is introduced in ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' as a half-giant and half-human who is the Gamekeepers in the United King ...
and
Hedwig Hedwig may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Hedwig (name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* Grzegorz Hedwig (born 1988), Polish slalom canoeist
* Johann Hedwig, (1730–1799), German botanist
* Romanus Adol ...
were made playable as well.
In 2005, ''World of Harry Potter'' was released for PC, containing all of the first three novel games, and the ''Quiddich World Cup'' game.
Following ''Prisoner of Azkaban'', EA, specifically
EA UK
EA Bright Light (formerly known as EA UK) was a British video game developer founded in 1995 by Electronic Arts. The studio was primarily known for its work on licensed franchises such as the video game adaptation of the ''Harry Potter'' series. ...
(which was later renamed as
EA Bright Light
EA Bright Light (formerly known as EA UK) was a British video game developer founded in 1995 by Electronic Arts. The studio was primarily known for its work on licensed franchises such as the video game adaptation of the ''Harry Potter (film seri ...
), took charge of creating all versions of the game. The PC and Mac releases were developed as ports of the console release. In ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' (2005), the style from previous titles was reduced to a more linear, level based system, as the character followed certain scenes from the
film
A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
.
Multiplayer
A multiplayer video game is a video game in which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time, either locally on the same computing system (couch co-op), on different computing systems via a local area network, or ...
components were factored into the game's release: up to three players from the same console. This was also the first game in the series to be released on
Nintendo DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
.
During the development of ''
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the fifth novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. It follows Harry Potter's struggles through his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witc ...
'' (2007), the development team had more interaction with author J.K. Rowling when attempting to create playable card games for the series. The rules that were created were later revealed to be the official rules in
canon
Canon or Canons may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base
* Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture
** Western can ...
.
This release was the first in the series to include
motion capture
Motion capture (sometimes referred as mo-cap or mocap, for short) is the process of recording the movement of objects or people. It is used in military, entertainment, sports, medical applications, and for validation of computer vision and robo ...
from actors in the film series, including
Rupert Grint
Rupert Alexander Lloyd Grint (; born 24 August 1988) is an English actor. Grint rose to fame for his role as Ron Weasley in the ''Harry Potter'' film series, for which he was cast at age eleven, having previously acted only in school plays an ...
and
Evanna Lynch
Evanna Patricia Lynch (born 16 August 1991) is an Irish actress and activist. She is best known for portraying Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter (film series), ''Harry Potter'' film series.
Born in County Louth, Ireland, Lynch made her film de ...
.
The release removed the multiplayer component of the previous two games; Fred and George Weasley were still playable, but only in certain locations. The game made a return to the
free-roaming style of earlier games.
In 2009, ''
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the sixth and penultimate novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. Set during Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts, the novel explores th ...
'' was released after originally being planned for 2008. It was pushed back six months to be released with the
film of the same name. Like with the previous game, the multiplayer component was removed; Ron and
Ginny Weasley
Ginevra Molly Weasley is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' novel series. Ginny is introduced in the first book ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', as the youngest sibling and only girl in the Weasley family. Sh ...
were still playable, but only in certain locations.
The final two games in the main series, ''
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1
''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1'' is a 2010 fantasy film directed by David Yates from a screenplay by Steve Kloves. The film is the first of two cinematic parts based on the 2007 novel '' Harry Potter and the Deathly Hall ...
'' (2010) and ''Part 2'' (2011), take place away from Hogwarts, and features locations such as
The Ministry of Magic
The Ministry of Magic is the government of the Magical community of Britain in J. K. Rowling's Wizarding World, headed by an official entitled the Minister for Magic. The magical government in Britain is first mentioned in ''Harry Potter and t ...
. These games use a
stealth and combat mechanic similar to those found in modern
first person shooters
First-person shooter (FPS) is a sub-genre of shooter video games centered on gun and other weapon-based combat in a first-person perspective, with the player experiencing the action through the eyes of the protagonist and controlling the pl ...
. Jonathan Bunney, head of Production at EA Bright Light, stated that the final two instalments would be "darker and more action-oriented game(s)."
Other
The first retail release of a ''Harry Potter'' game outside of the film adaptations was for the ''
Lego Creator
Lego Creator is a Lego theme for generic models. Creator sets have few specialized bricks to create buildings, creatures, vehicles, and robots. Some sets featured instructions for three different possible builds from the bricks included and most ...
'', released in 2001 as ''Lego Creator: Harry Potter'' and the sequel,
''Lego Creator: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'', released in 2002.
Following the release of ''Chamber of Secrets'', EA Games engaged game developer Magic Pockets, who created the Game Boy Advanced version, to produce a video game based on
Quidditch
Quidditch is a fictional sport invented by author J.K. Rowling for her fantasy book series ''Harry Potter''. It first appeared in the novel ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' (1997). It is a dangerous but popular sport played by witc ...
.
Due to the release schedule of the film ''
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
''Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and is the third in the ''Harry Potter'' series. The book follows Harry Potter, a young wizard, in his third year at Hogwarts School of W ...
'', there was no main series release in 2003. Instead, ''
Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup'' was released in its place. Previous games had featured Quidditch but only focused on Potter as the seeker; Quidditch World Cup put players in control of the team's
chasers
''Chasers'' is a 1994 American comedy film directed by Dennis Hopper. It is about a pair of United States Navy shore patrollers (SPs) (Tom Berenger and William McNamara) who must escort a beautiful prisoner (Erika Eleniak), and the troubles they ...
and the rest of the team's players via
mini-game
A minigame (also spelled mini game and mini-game, sometimes called a subgame or microgame) is a short game often contained within another video game. A minigame contains different gameplay elements, and is often smaller or more simplistic, than th ...
s.
The game featured both matches played at
Hogwarts
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry () is a fictional Scotland, Scottish boarding school of Magic in Harry Potter, magic for students aged eleven to eighteen, and is the primary setting for the first six books in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Pot ...
, and matches played internationally.
In 2010, following a release of a special Potter-themed
Lego
Lego ( , ; stylized as LEGO) is a line of plastic construction toys that are manufactured by The Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. The company's flagship product, Lego, consists of variously colored interlocking ...
set,
Lego Harry Potter
Lego ''Harry Potter'' is a Lego theme based on the films of the ''Harry Potter'' series. It is licensed from Warner Bros. Lego models of important scenes, vehicles and characters were made for the first six films and all of the published books. ...
,
Traveller's Tales
Traveller's Tales is a British video game developer and a subsidiary of TT Games. Traveller's Tales was founded in 1989 by Jon Burton and Andy Ingram. Initially a small company focused on its own content, it grew in profile through developing ...
announced that a Lego Harry Potter video game would be released, similar to releases for ''
Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures'' and ''
Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga''. The series was split into two: ''
Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4'' was released in 2010 followed by ''
Lego Harry Potter: Years 5–7'' in 2011.
In 2012 and 2013, two
augmented reality
Augmented reality (AR) is an interactive experience that combines the real world and computer-generated content. The content can span multiple sensory modalities, including visual, auditory, haptic, somatosensory and olfactory. AR can be de ...
games were created, titled ''
Book of Spells
''Book of Spells'' (or ''Wonderbook: Book of Spells'') is a 2012 augmented reality video game for the PlayStation 3. It was developed by London Studio in conjunction with J. K. Rowling and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment as a compa ...
'' and ''
Book of Potions
''Book of Potions'' (or ''Wonderbook: Book of Potions'') is an augmented reality video game developed by London Studio in conjunction with J. K. Rowling and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment as a companion to the '' Harry Potter'' series and ...
'' respectively. These were both released for
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
,
and used the
PlayStation Move
is a motion game controller developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Initially released in 2010 for use with the PlayStation 3 home video game console, its compatibility was later expanded to its successor, the PlayStation 4 in 2013, its Pla ...
controller, as well as the
Wonderbook
''Wonderbook'' is an augmented reality peripheral for the PlayStation 3 console. The user holds a physical book-like object and stories come to life as the software displays content on the television's screen.
Development
''Wonderbook'' is an ...
accessory for the
PlayStation Eye
The PlayStation Eye (trademarked PLAYSTATION Eye) is a digital camera device, similar to a webcam, for the PlayStation 3. The technology uses computer vision and gesture recognition to process images taken by the camera. This allows players to i ...
. The Wonderbook accessory was brought out in conjuncture with ''Book of Spells'', allowing players to see an augmented reality version of real life books.
In 2016, a Fantastic Beast VR game was released In 2017, two new themed character packs for a
Toys-to-life
Toys-to-life is a video game feature using physical figurines or action figures to interact within the game. These toys use a near field communication (NFC), radio frequency identification (RFID), or image recognition
Computer vision is an int ...
console video game ''
Lego Dimensions
''Lego Dimensions'' is a Lego-themed action-adventure platform crossover video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Wii U, Xbox One and Xbox 360. It fo ...
'' were released. One contained Lego figurines of Harry,
Voldemort
Lord Voldemort ( , in the films) is a sobriquet for Tom Marvolo Riddle, a Character (arts), character and the main antagonist in J. K. Rowling's series of ''Harry Potter'' novels. The character first appeared in ''Harry Potter and the Ph ...
, mini
Ford Anglia
The Ford Anglia is a small family car that was designed and manufactured by Ford UK. It is related to the Ford Prefect and the later Ford Popular. The Anglia name was applied to various models between 1939 and 1967. In total, 1,594,486 Anglias ...
and mini
Hogwarts Express
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry () is a fictional Scottish boarding school of magic for students aged eleven to eighteen, and is the primary setting for the first six books in J. K. Rowling's '' Harry Potter'' series and serves as a m ...
, while the other one contained figurines of Hermione and Buckbeak. At the same time,
Portkey Games
Portkey Games is a video game label owned by Warner Bros. Games founded in 2017 and dedicated to creating gaming experiences related to the Wizarding World.
Overview
Portkey Games first announced their first game in 2017, working with ''Poké ...
partnered with
Jam City
Jack Latham is a British electronic music producer and DJ who performs under the alias Jam City. He has been active since 2010 and records on the label Night Slugs. He has released three full-length albums: 2012's '' Classical Curves'', 2015's ...
to release ''
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery'' in March 2018 for
iOS
iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also includes ...
and
Android
Android may refer to:
Science and technology
* Android (robot), a humanoid robot or synthetic organism designed to imitate a human
* Android (operating system), Google's mobile operating system
** Bugdroid, a Google mascot sometimes referred to ...
.
The game was a spin off from the Harry Potter universe by setting the game before the book series, but still at Hogwarts. The game featured similar components to those of other
freemium
Freemium, a portmanteau of the words "free" and "premium," is a pricing strategy by which a basic product or service is provided free of charge, but money (a premium) is charged for additional features, services, or virtual (online) or physical (o ...
games, such as wait timers, and
microtransactions
Microtransactions, often abbreviated as mtx, are a business model where users can purchase virtual goods with micropayments. Microtransactions are often used in free-to-play games to provide a revenue source for the developers. While microtransact ...
.
Following the release of ''
Pokémon Go
''Pokémon Go'' (stylized as ''Pokémon GO'') is a 2016 augmented reality (AR) mobile game, part of the ''Pokémon'' franchise, developed and published by Niantic in collaboration with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company for iOS and Android ...
'', in 2019
Niantic Niantic may refer to:
* Niantic people, tribe of American Indians
* Niantic, Inc., mobile app developer known for the mobile games ''Ingress'' and ''Pokémon Go''
Ships
* ''Niantic'' (whaling vessel), relic of San Francisco Gold Rush
*USS ''Nian ...
announced ''
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite'', a similar augmented reality game. The game allowed players to see the game world through a smartphone.
In 2020, ''Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells'' by
Zynga Inc. was released on App Store, Google Play,
Amazon Kindle
Amazon Kindle is a series of e-readers designed and marketed by Amazon. Amazon Kindle devices enable users to browse, buy, download, and read e-books, newspapers, magazines and other digital media via wireless networking to the Kindle Store. ...
, and
Facebook Gaming
Facebook is a social-network service website launched on February 4, 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg. The following is a list of software and technology features that can be found on the Facebook website and mobile app and are available to users of t ...
in 14 languages.
''
Hogwarts Legacy
''Hogwarts Legacy'' is an upcoming action role-playing game developed by Avalanche Software and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment under its Portkey Games label. The game is set in the Wizarding World universe, based on the '' ...
'', an
open-world,
action role-playing video game
An action role-playing game (often abbreviated action RPG or ARPG) is a subgenre of video games that combines core elements from both the action game and role-playing genre.
Definition
The games emphasize real-time combat where the player h ...
and a prequel to the ''Harry Potter'' books, is set to be released in 2023.
Gameplay
In the novel video games, gameplay is featured around
puzzle
A puzzle is a game, Problem solving, problem, or toy that tests a person's ingenuity or knowledge. In a puzzle, the solver is expected to put pieces together (Disentanglement puzzle, or take them apart) in a logical way, in order to arrive at th ...
solving with some action-oriented scenes. Releases in the series generally followed the plot of the associated novel. The protagonist learns spells or other techniques from classes within Hogwarts school, which are often used to solve the puzzles at hand. While some are similar to those used in other Harry Potter media (such as "Wingardium Leviosa", used for levitating objects), other spells are unique to the video games (such as "Flipendo", described as the "knockback jinx", an attacking spell, used to push objects, or "Spongefy", to make an object turn into a bounce pad).
Earlier games in the series contained "secrets" which were a countable list of hidden extras. The games contained "beans", based on "Bertie Botts every flavour beans", used as currency, and Famous Witch or Wizard cards, used as collectables.
However, in later games (specifically the final two entries), entries employ first person shooter and stealth sections.
Releases
List of console and PC games
List of mobile games
List of browser and flash games
Reception
Critical response
Film adaptations
The Harry Potter video game series received mixed reviews from critics. Nintendo consoles (specifically the
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
) scored higher marks than other console releases. According to media review site
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
, the series received its best response for the ''Chamber of Secrets'' game. Despite the game being created differently for different systems, the game was rated higher consoles across the board against every other entry in the series.
The series was judged on its representation of the novel and film series. ''
Detroit Free Press
The ''Detroit Free Press'' is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, US. The Sunday edition is titled the ''Sunday Free Press''. It is sometimes referred to as the Freep (reflected in the paper's web address, www.freep.com). It primari ...
'' gave the ''Goblet of Fire'' GameCube version four out of four stars and said, "this is a masterful video game because it can be enjoyed on many levels. Younger players can simply explore this graphically rich ''Harry Potter'' world and succeed. Older players will enjoy manipulating the magic by choosing spells and skills and casting magic together with friends."
However, ''
The Sydney Morning Herald
''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...
'' gave the game three out of five stars and stated that the series highlight "is a brief but thrilling broomstick chase against a fire-breathing dragon. An underwater interlude is less successful, although it provides variety."
''Frank Provo'' of ''GameSpot'' was very positive about the ''Prisoner of Azkaban'' GBA game's recreation of the novel; saying "The main thing to keep in mind is that ''Prisoner of Azkaban'' on the GBA offers a fun way for ''Harry Potter'' fans to step into the shoes of their favorite wizard-in-training and experience firsthand everything that happened in the third instalment of the series."
Gerald Villoria of ''GameSpot'' praised the developers efforts, for the
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
version, in re-creating the Hogwarts castle and different looking characters, but said the despite the graphics being like "extremely jagged polygons."
Later entries in the series received increasingly lower scores on Metacritic, as critics rated ''Deathly Hallows – Part 1'' being the poorest reviewed. The ''
Official Xbox Magazine
''Official Xbox Magazine'' (or OXM for short) was a British monthly video game magazine which started in November 2001 around the launch of the original Xbox. A preview issue was released at E3 2001, with another preview issue in November 2001. Th ...
'' stated the game had "so much wrong with
tthat we don't have space to list it all" and Kristine Steimer from ''
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' calling that game not "worthy of the Harry Potter branding" before giving the gameplay for the game 2 out of 10, stating "Between the camera breaking frequently, boring shoot-out sequences and uninspired stealth missions, the game gets worse and worse as you play."
Other games
Other games based around Harry Potter have been generally praised better than the novel adaptions, especially the Lego Harry Potter games. ''
Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4'' specifically scored well: Metacritic scored the game at 79%, for its PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox release.
[ Greg Miller of ''IGN'' praised the game for its "gorgeous environments, clever use of the famed spells, legitimate humor and adorable references"] and called it a "love letter to fans of the Boy Who Lived."[ The '']Official Nintendo Magazine
''Official Nintendo Magazine'', or ''ONM'', was a British video game magazine that ran from 2006 to 2014 that covered the Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, Wii, and Wii U video game consoles released by Nintendo.
Originally published by EMAP as ''N ...
'' gave the Wii and DS version 80%, saying that it was "one of the best Harry Potter games ever", however it lacked originality compared to previous Lego video games.
Besides the Lego Harry Potter titles, two titles were released for the PlayStation 3, using augmented reality. ''Book of Potions'' and ''Book of Spells'' both built for the Wonderbook, received mixed reviews from critics. They criticized the game's short length, but commended use of the augmented reality within the games. Alex Simmons of ''IGN'' commented that ''Book of Spells'' was "shallow and rarely compelling", but called the technology behind it "fantastic". ''Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery'', also released in 2018, received media backlash for its use of microtransactions, despite the game being free to play
Free-to-play (F2P or FtP) video games are games that give players access to a significant portion of their content without paying or do not require paying to continue playing. Free-to-play is distinct from traditional commercial software, which ...
. ''David Jagnaeux'' from ''IGN'' Africa reviewed the game, but called it "awful", and the "gratuitous" microtransactions "actively prevented" him from enjoying the game.
Awards
In 2002, ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' was nominated for three D.I.C.E. Awards
The D.I.C.E. Awards (formerly the Interactive Achievement Awards) is an award show in the video game industry started in 1998 and commonly referred to in the industry as the "video games Academy Awards, Oscar". The awards are arranged by the Ac ...
in the "Console Family", "Original Musical Composition" and "PC Family" categories. ''Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4'' won the ''Kotaku
''Kotaku'' is a video game website and blog that was originally launched in 2004 as part of the Gawker Media network. Notable former contributors to the site include Luke Smith, Cecilia D'Anastasio, Tim Rogers, and Jason Schreier.
History
...
'' "best adapted game" award in 2010, with ''Brian Crecente'' proclaiming it to be the "Best Lego Game to Date." The game was nominated for two awards in the 7th British Academy Games Awards
The 7th British Academy Video Game Awards (known for the purposes of sponsorship as GAME British Academy Video Games Awards) awarded by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, was an award ceremony held on 16 March 2011 in the London Hil ...
, in the "family" and "handheld" sections. In addition, it was nominated for "Best Adapted Video Game" for the Spike Video Game Awards
The Spike Video Game Awards (in short VGAs, known as the VGX for the final show) was an annual award show hosted by American television network Spike from 2003 to 2013 that recognized the best computer and video games of the year. Produced by ...
in 2010. The musical score of ''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'' by Jeremy Soule
Jeremy Soule (; born December 19, 1975) is an American composer of soundtracks for film, television, and video games. He has composed soundtracks for over 60 games and over a dozen other works during his career, including ''The Elder Scrolls'', ' ...
received a BAFTA Award for Original Music in 2004.
''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' received a BAFTA nomination in 2010 for James Hannigan
James Hannigan (born 23 July 1971) is a British composer with credits in the ''Harry Potter'', ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''Command and Conquer'' (including Red Alert 3's well-known Soviet March), ''Dead Space'', ''Warhammer'', ''Cloudy With ...
's music score, and won an International Film Music Critics Association
The International Film Music Critics Association (IFMCA) is a professional association for online, print and radio journalists who specialize in writing about original film and television music.
History and purpose
The IFMCA was founded in the ...
(IFMCA) Award for best video game score in 2009. ''Book of Spells'' received a nomination for "game innovation" at the BAFTA Awards
The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTA Film Awards is an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to film. The cere ...
in 2013. As of 2014, the ''Harry Potter'' video game series was stated to have sold $1.5 billion in sales.
Notes
References
External links
*
{{Warner Bros. franchises
Video game franchises
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment franchises
Video games set in the United Kingdom
Lists of video games by franchise
Video game franchises introduced in 2001
Electronic Arts games