Despite a slightly tumultuous pre-release period and a few delays to its launch date,Hogwarts Legacyhas finally been released, and fans are suitably impressed with the Wizarding World that Avalanche Software was able to present. With record-breaking Twitch streams, substantial sales, and positive reviews,Hogwarts Legacyhas shown that it could more than match the expectations of players. One of the aspects ofHogwarts Legacythat gamers have singled out for praise is its expansive open world, which is something other games could learn a thing or two from.
Hogwarts Legacyhad a tough task before it was released, not just to create a great game that players would enjoy, but to do its source material justice according to the opinion of its many, many fans. There’s a rich collection ofWizarding World contentalready, and although this meantHogwarts Legacycould use this for inspiration, it also meant it would be measured against this anthology as well. However,Hogwarts Legacyhas transformed this into a truly magical world, and other future titles that are similarly drawing from strong source material should sit up and pay attention, starting with a possibleGame of Thronesgame.
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Hogwarts Legacy’s Open World
Fans might have been surprised when it was originally revealed that althoughHogwarts Legacywould be taking place in the famous School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, it wouldn’t be a time period that players were familiar with. Set in the late 1800s,Hogwarts Legacycombines the familiar with the fresh as it shows off places and periods that gamers haven’t yet encountered with beloved locations that have already come to life in other media. AlthoughHogwarts Legacyhas its issueswith its technical problems and slightly lackluster main story, the attention to detail in its wider world was something that really stood out.
Exploring not onlyHogwarts Castle with its twisting corridorsand hidden mysteries, but also iconic locations like Hogsmeade and the Forbidden Forest drew players in and gave them real incentives to delve into the open world. But it wasn’t just the chance to see these recognizable places for themselves that madeHogwarts Legacyintriguing, but also the fact that the world was so packed with immersive and inventive features. Fans were impressed with how true to the IP thatHogwarts Legacy’s version of the world was, but it also brought its own special blend of originality that elevated the game from just being a pastiche of its film or book series.
How Game Of Thrones Could be Perfect for an Open-World Setting
There are plenty of properties that players would love to see made into a compelling open-world game, andGame of Thronesis probably near the top of this list. With its extremely long list of notable characters and memorable locations, a video game that properly explored these could be incredible. There have already been severalGame of Thronesgame adaptions in previous years like Telltale’s 2014 episodic version of Westeros, but none have yet matchedthe scope ofHogwarts Legacy. Netmarble is apparently in the midst of developing an open-world mobile game based on the IP, but details are scarce. With its ongoing book series and culture-shaping TV show, an open-worldGame of Thronesgame for major consoles seems like a surefire hit.
There are a couple of key points that an open-world Westeros would need to keep in mind in order to do its source material justice, andHogwarts Legacyis a great template to use for this. Audiences have already seen more than a few corners ofGame of Thrones' many regions, and translating this into a game isn’t an easy task. LikeHogwarts Legacy, aGame of Thronesgame would need to make sure that its world was detailed and filled with aspects that bring the world to life from its beautiful and diverse buildings to its compelling characters. Creating a large game can run the risk of going for size over substance, but maintaining a balance is crucial.
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Ways To Bring Westeros To Life as an Open-World Game Like Hogwarts Legacy
Another way thatHogwarts Legacyelevates its open world is by giving gamers lots of options when it comes to navigating it. Whether this is by walking or grabbing a broomstick and zooming around its map, the game lets players mix it up and see the world from multiple perspectives. There’s even the chance to ride mounts likeHippogriffs inHogwarts Legacy, which infuses its traversal options with the IP’s lore as well. AGame of Thronestitle might not be able to make use of brooms, but players would undoubtedly jump at the chance of riding dragons around Westeros and seeing the world from the air.
Combining familiar elements and locations with new ones is somethingHogwarts Legacystruck a good balance with. Most players had probably already seen the famous wizarding school in another medium, but setting the game in a different time period allowedHogwarts Legacyto present its own version. AGame of Thronesgamecould let gamers explore classic settings like King’s Landing, Winterfell, and Qarth, but also all the other parts of the world that the TV show and books didn’t spend much time in.
Gamers were also able to customize the world around them inHogwarts Legacyto a certain extent, with the ability to modify the Room of Requirement to suit their needs and change anything from its architecture to the objects found within. Being able to interact with, ride on, or even tame various wonderful creatures is another method thatHogwarts Legacyused to populate the world with things players could connect with and utilize.Game of Thronesdoesn’t have the plethora of weird andmagical creatures from the Wizarding World, but there are still direwolves, dragons, and insectoid manticores that gamers could tame or take with them on their adventures.
Over and above whatHogwarts Legacybrings to its own open world, aGame of Thronesversion needs to lean into its strengths and that is its complex political systems. A world that reacts to the decisions that players make, the allegiances they form or break, or the enemies they get rid of would make the setting feel more alive and adaptive than anything else.Hogwarts Legacyhas set a good example, but other IPs can take this to a whole new level.
Hogwarts Legacyis available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. PS4 and Xbox One ports are scheduled to release on April 4. The Nintendo Switch version is arriving on July 12, 2025.
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