Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions is an upcoming sports video game developed by Unbroken Studios and published by Warner Bros. Games under its Portkey Games label. The game focuses on the Harry Potter-related sport Quidditch. The player controls a character that holds a specific position in Quidditch and engages in broomstick adventures and competitive multiplayer modes.
Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions | |
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Developer(s) | Unbroken Studios |
Publisher(s) | Warner Bros. Games[a] |
Series | Wizarding World |
Platform(s) | |
Release | PS4, Windows, Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
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Genre(s) | Sports |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Development commenced several years prior to its announcement in April 2023, where Warner Bros. Games released a first look alongside a limited playtest. The game is scheduled for release on September 3, 2024, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, with it being available from Day One on PlayStation Plus. The Nintendo Switch version will be released later on Holiday season, with a date yet to be confirmed.
Gameplay
editHarry Potter: Quidditch Champions is a multiplayer sports game that focuses on competition.[1][2] The game revolves around Quidditch, a popular sport in the Harry Potter universe.[3][4] Players can customize their character and select from four different positions: Chaser, Seeker, Beater, and Keeper.[5][6] The game offers an immersive Quidditch experience that includes a variety of broomstick adventures and competitive multiplayer modes which allow players to participate in the sport with their friends.[1][7]
Development
editHarry Potter: Quidditch Champions is developed by Los Angeles-based Unbroken Studios[8] and published by Warner Bros. Games under its Portkey Games label.[1][9] Development of the game began several years prior to 2023.[10][11] Its creation was announced 20 years after the previous Quidditch-themed game Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup.[12] The game's visual style is distinct from other Harry Potter games such as Hogwarts Legacy, as it endeavors to have a more stylized and cartoon-like appearance.[13] Despite being set in the Wizarding World universe, the game is not a direct adaptation of the books or films. The Portkey game developers strive to maintain the authenticity of J. K. Rowling's original vision while also introducing elements that allow fans to explore the world of magic in new ways.[1] Rowling has no direct involvement in the game's development.[14][15]
In May 2023, gameplay footage surfaced on Reddit and similar websites. Warner Bros. swiftly took action and removed any leaked content of a recent playtest.[16] In August 2023, additional footage leaked, in which players take on the roles of well-known characters such as Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.[17] A gameplay trailer was released on July 29th, 2024.[18]
Release
editIn April 2023, Warner Bros. Games unveiled the first look of Quidditch Champions along with the announcement of a limited playtest for the game.[19][20] GamesRadar+ noted that some fans expressed criticism towards the announcement, citing the absence of Quidditch in the recently launched Hogwarts Legacy.[21] Ali Jones of GamesRadar+ further observed that, based on the first gameplay trailer, the game may be employing outdated mechanics from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone which released over 20 years ago.[22] In June 2024, Unbroken announced that the game would release on Windows and home consoles in September.[23] The game will have an expansion pack titled 'The Legacy Pack', which will include exclusive content from Hogwarts Legacy.[24]
Notes
edit- ^ Published under the Portkey Games label
References
edit- ^ a b c d Romano, Sal (2023-04-17). "Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions announced for consoles, PC". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 2023-04-21. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
- ^ James, Ford (2023-04-17). "Harry Potter Quidditch Champions reveal explains why it wasn't in Hogwarts Legacy". VideoGamer.com. Archived from the original on 2023-04-22. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
- ^ Smith, David (2023-04-17). "Wizard Sport You Couldn't Play In Hogwarts Legacy Gets Own Game". Kotaku Australia. Archived from the original on 2023-04-18. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
- ^ Chalk, Andy (2023-04-17). "A new multiplayer Harry Potter game promises all the online Quidditch you can't play in Hogwarts Legacy". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on 2023-04-21. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
- ^ McWhertor, Michael (2023-04-17). "Hogwarts Legacy's biggest omission, Quidditch, gets a new stand-alone game". Polygon. Archived from the original on 2023-04-22. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
- ^ Adamus, Agnes (2023-04-17). "Po Hogwarts Legacy nadchodzi Quidditch - jako zupełnie oddzielna gra | GRYOnline.pl". Gry-Online (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2023-04-18. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
- ^ Ivan, Tom (2023-04-17). "Harry Potter competitive multiplayer game Quidditch Champions announced". Video Games Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2023-04-22. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
- ^ "Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions: Warner liefert Besen-Turnier nach". GamesWirtschaft (in German). 2023-04-20. Archived from the original on 2023-04-23. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
- ^ Schermann, Natalie (2023-04-18). "Quidditch Champions: Warner kündigt neues Harry Potter-Spiel an". GameStar (in German). Archived from the original on 2023-04-18. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
- ^ Wood, Austin (2023-04-17). "New Harry Potter game is all about the Quidditch you couldn't play in Hogwarts Legacy, and playtests start this week". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 2023-04-21. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
- ^ Tan, Nicholas (2023-04-17). "Harry Potter Quidditch Champions Release Date for PC, PS5, Xbox". GameRevolution. Archived from the original on 2023-04-24. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
- ^ "Harry Potter Quidditch Champions : Est-ce qu'il faut s'inquiéter ?". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). 2023-04-22. Archived from the original on 2023-04-24. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
- ^ Mercante, Alyssa (2023-04-18). "Harry Potter Quidditch Game Announced, Explains Hogwarts Legacy Absence". Kotaku Australia. Archived from the original on 2023-04-18. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
- ^ Bonifacic, Igor (2023-04-17). "'Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions' will take the Wizarding World's broomstick sports online". Engadget. Archived from the original on 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
- ^ Wright, Steven T. (2023-04-18). "Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions - Everything We Know". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2023-04-18. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
- ^ Leri, Michael (2023-05-22). "Quidditch Champions Gameplay Leaks, WB Swiftly Takes it Down". GameRevolution. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
- ^ Halley, Dimitry (2023-08-01). "Neues Spiel Harry Potter Quidditch Champions ist geleakt - mit zehn Minuten Gameplay!". GameStar (in German). Archived from the original on 2023-08-22. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
- ^ "Harry Potter Quidditch Game Finally Shows Off Some Actual Gameplay". Retrieved 29 July 2024.
- ^ Alexander, Cristina (2023-04-17). "Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions Announced, Testing Signups Now Open". IGN. Archived from the original on 2023-04-22. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
- ^ Carr, Joey (2023-04-17). "How to sign up for the Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions limited playtest". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on 2023-04-17. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
- ^ Gould-Wilson, Jasmine (2023-04-18). "Hogwarts Legacy fans call out the new Quidditch game for being merely cut content". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 2023-09-03. Retrieved 2023-09-03.
- ^ Jones, Ali (2024-07-29). "Thanks to its PS1-era Snitch mechanics, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions' first gameplay trailer suggests Wizard Sport Tech hasn't moved on in 23 years". GamesRadar+. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Romano, Sal (2024-06-07). "Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions launches September 3 for PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC". Gematsu. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
- ^ "FAQ". Retrieved 1 July 2024.