Where to Buy Hogwarts Legacy
Hogwarts Legacy Gameplay Video
Hogwarts Legacy Key Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Engine | Unreal Engine 4 |
| Genre | Action RPG, Open World, Fantasy, Third-Person |
| Initial Release | 2023-02-10 (PC, PS5, XSX), Later for PS4/XB1/Switch |
| Developer | Avalanche Software |
| Publisher | Warner Bros. Games (Portkey Games) |
| Setting | Wizarding World (Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, Scottish Highlands), Late 1800s |
| Perspective | Third-Person |
| Platforms | PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch |
| Multiplayer | None (Single-Player Only) |
| Unique Feature | Immersive Hogwarts Experience, Ancient Magic System, Extensive Spell List, Broom Flight, Magical Beast Taming & Care, Room of Requirement Customization. |
Hogwarts Legacy System Requirements
720p_30FPS_Low
tune Minimum (720p ~30 FPS, Low Preset, Upscaling Performance) – Low Preset, Upscaling Performance Mode
1080p_60FPS_High
tune Recommended (1080p ~60 FPS, High Preset, Upscaling Quality/Balanced possibly) – High Preset (Upscaling may be needed for consistent 60 FPS)
1440p_60FPS_Ultra_No_RT
tune Ultra (1440p ~60 FPS, Ultra Preset, No Ray Tracing, Upscaling Quality/Balanced) – Ultra Preset, Ray Tracing OFF, Upscaling Quality or Balanced
4K_60FPS_Ultra_With_RT_And_Upscaling
tune Ultra RT (2160p/4K ~60 FPS, Ultra Preset, RT On, Upscaling Performance/Ultra Performance + Frame Gen) – Ultra Preset, Ray Tracing ON (All options), Upscaling Performance/Ultra Performance + Frame Generation
Hogwarts Legacy Laptop Recommendations
memory Intel Core i7-12700H
developer_board NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 140W
storage 32GB DDR4-3200MHz
US $1349
Model: MSI Pulse GL66 with RTX 3070 and i7 12th Gen
memory CPU: Intel Core i7-12700H (Score: 900)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 (Score: 6600) @ 140W TGP
storage RAM: 32GB DDR4-3200MHz
save Storage: 1000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 1920 x 1080 (FHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 720p_30FPS_Low - Minimum (Low Preset, Upscaling Performance Mode).
memory Intel Core i9-13900H
developer_board NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 140W
storage 16GB DDR5-5200MHz
US $999
Model: Acer Nitro V with RTX 4060 and i9 13th Gen
memory CPU: Intel Core i9-13900H (Score: 1058)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (Score: 6700) @ 140W TGP
storage RAM: 16GB DDR5-5200MHz
save Storage: 512GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 1920 x 1080 (FHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 720p_30FPS_Low - Minimum (Low Preset, Upscaling Performance Mode).
memory Intel Core i9-14900HX
developer_board NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 140W
storage 32GB DDR5-5600MHz
US $1749
Model: Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (i9-14900HX, RTX 4060)
memory CPU: Intel Core i9-14900HX (Score: 1200)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (Score: 6700) @ 140W TGP
storage RAM: 32GB DDR5-5600MHz
save Storage: 2000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 2560 x 1600 (WQXGA)
Meets criteria for tier: 720p_30FPS_Low - Minimum (Low Preset, Upscaling Performance Mode).
memory Intel Core i9-12900H
developer_board NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 150W
storage 16GB DDR5-4800MHz
US $1397
Model: Asus Rog Strix Scar 15 with RTX 3070 Ti and i9 12th Gen
memory CPU: Intel Core i9-12900H (Score: 1030)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti (Score: 7100) @ 150W TGP
storage RAM: 16GB DDR5-4800MHz
save Storage: 1000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 2560 x 1440 (QHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 720p_30FPS_Low - Minimum (Low Preset, Upscaling Performance Mode).
memory Intel Core i5-12450H
developer_board NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 75W
storage 16GB DDR4-3200MHz
US $645
Model: HP Victus 15 with RTX 3050 and i5 12th Gen
memory CPU: Intel Core i5-12450H (Score: 628)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 (Score: 7220) @ 75W TGP
storage RAM: 16GB DDR4-3200MHz
save Storage: 1000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 1920 x 1080 (FHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 720p_30FPS_Low - Minimum (Low Preset, Upscaling Performance Mode).
memory Intel Core i5-12500H
developer_board NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti 80W
storage 16GB DDR4-3200MHz
US $710
Model: Acer Nitro 5 with RTX 3050 Ti and i5 12th Gen
memory CPU: Intel Core i5-12500H (Score: 633)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti (Score: 7220) @ 80W TGP
storage RAM: 16GB DDR4-3200MHz
save Storage: 512GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 1920 x 1080 (FHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 720p_30FPS_Low - Minimum (Low Preset, Upscaling Performance Mode).
memory AMD Ryzen 7 7435HS
developer_board NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 75W
storage 32GB DDR5-4800MHz
US $799
Model: ASUS TUF A15 with RTX 3050 and Ryzen 7
memory CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7435HS (Score: 1655)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 (Score: 7220) @ 75W TGP
storage RAM: 32GB DDR5-4800MHz
save Storage: 1000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 1920 x 1080 (FHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 720p_30FPS_Low - Minimum (Low Preset, Upscaling Performance Mode).
memory AMD Ryzen 7 6800H
developer_board NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 140W
storage 16GB DDR5-4800MHz
US $1299
Model: ASUS ROG Strix G15 with RTX 3060 and Ryzen 7
memory CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 6800H (Score: 880)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 (Score: 7448) @ 140W TGP
storage RAM: 16GB DDR5-4800MHz
save Storage: 1000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 1920 x 1080 (FHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 720p_30FPS_Low - Minimum (Low Preset, Upscaling Performance Mode).
memory AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS
developer_board NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 100W
storage 16GB DDR4-3200MHz
US $1489
Model: ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 Ultra with RTX 3080 and Ryzen 9
memory CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS (Score: 820)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (Score: 7904) @ 100W TGP
storage RAM: 16GB DDR4-3200MHz
save Storage: 1000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 2560 x 1440 (QHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 720p_30FPS_Low - Minimum (Low Preset, Upscaling Performance Mode).
memory Intel Core i7-13620H
developer_board NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070
storage 16GB DDR5-4800MHz
US $1350
Model: MSI Katana 15 with RTX 4070
memory CPU: Intel Core i7-13620H (Score: 843)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 (Score: 8700)
storage RAM: 16GB DDR5-4800MHz
save Storage: 1000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 2560 x 1440 (QHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 720p_30FPS_Low - Minimum (Low Preset, Upscaling Performance Mode).
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Core Requirements
- desktop_windowsOperating System: Windows 10 64-bit (Version 21H1 or newer)
64-bit Windows 10 (specified version or newer) or Windows 11 is required.
- memoryDirectX: DirectX 12
DirectX 12 API is required.
- save_altStorage Note: 85 GB available space (SSD Required).
An NVMe SSD is highly recommended for the best experience, minimizing load times and improving texture streaming in the detailed world.
settings_applications Optimization Notes:
Upscaling: Supports NVIDIA DLSS (Super Resolution & Frame Generation - DLSS 3), AMD FSR (1.0, 2.0), and Intel XeSS. Also supports NVIDIA Reflex.
Key Settings: Ray Tracing Quality (Reflections, Shadows, Ambient Occlusion), View Distance Quality, Shadow Quality, Texture Quality, Effects Quality, Foliage Quality, Population Density, and Post Processing Quality heavily impact performance. Using upscaling is highly recommended for higher resolutions/settings, especially with ray tracing.
Hogwarts Legacy: Map Size and Regions
Hogwarts Legacy features a large open world encompassing Hogwarts castle itself (with its many iconic locations like the Great Hall, common rooms, classrooms, secret passages), Hogsmeade village, and the expansive surrounding Scottish Highlands. Key explorable regions in the Highlands include the Forbidden Forest, various hamlets (like Upper Hogsfield, Feldcroft, Irondale), vast lochs, coastal areas, and numerous ancient ruins, caves, and Merlin Trials. While not a 1:1 scale, the world is substantial and filled with detail. Travel between distinct major areas (like Hogwarts and Hogsmeade interiors vs. the open Highlands) often involves short loading transitions. The map size is estimated to be significant, offering many hours of exploration (e.g., comparisons place it around 7-10 sq km for the main Highlands overworld, plus the dense interiors of Hogwarts and Hogsmeade).
Hogwarts Legacy: Post-Launch Content / DLC
No major story expansions have been released or announced as of mid-2024. Post-launch support has primarily consisted of patches, quality-of-life updates (like Arachnophobia mode), and making previously platform-exclusive content available to all players. Some cosmetic DLC items were available via pre-orders or deluxe editions.
Hogwarts Legacy: Game Editions
Available in Standard Edition, Deluxe Edition (Dark Arts Pack with cosmetic set, Threstral mount, Dark Arts battle arena, 72 hours early access for digital), and Collector's Edition (Deluxe content + life-size floating ancient magic wand with book base, SteelBook case, Kelpie robe cosmetic).
Hogwarts Legacy: Cross-Platform / Crossplay
Hogwarts Legacy is a single-player game and does not feature any multiplayer modes, therefore no cross-platform play. However, some platform-exclusive content existed at launch (e.g., Haunted Hogsmeade quest on PlayStation, which later became available on other platforms).
Hogwarts Legacy Other Features & Info
- labelMultiplayer Modes
Hogwarts Legacy is a purely single-player experience. There are no multiplayer modes.
- labelUser Interface
Features a clean HUD displaying health, Ancient Magic meter, equipped spells (spell diamonds), and a mini-map. Menus for gear, inventory, talents, map, quests, collections, and owl post are accessible. The Field Guide is a central codex tracking progress, collectibles, and lore. Spell casting uses a customizable diamond system for quick access.
- labelSound and Music
Original score composed primarily by Peter Murray, J Scott Rakozy, and Chuck E. Myers, featuring enchanting orchestral themes that evoke the magical atmosphere of the wizarding world and Hogwarts, with distinct motifs for different locations and story beats. Sound design includes intricate magical spell effects, ambient sounds of Hogwarts and its surroundings, and creature vocalizations.
- labelGraphics and Visuals
Developed on Unreal Engine 4, Hogwarts Legacy boasts highly detailed and atmospheric environments, particularly the intricate recreation of Hogwarts castle and Hogsmeade. It features impressive lighting, particle effects for spells, detailed character models, and diverse landscapes in the Scottish Highlands. Ray tracing options (Reflections, Shadows, Ambient Occlusion) are available on PC and current-gen consoles, enhancing visual fidelity.
- labelAccessibility Features
Offers a range of accessibility options, including customizable controls (PC), extensive subtitle and text customization, colorblind modes, options for aim assist/lock-on, options to change QTEs to holds, Arachnophobia mode (changes spider appearances), audio visualizer for important sound cues, and various gameplay settings for difficulty and visual comfort.
- labelStory and Setting
Set in the late 1800s (specifically starting in 1890) in the wizarding world. The player character is a new fifth-year student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry who possesses a rare ability to perceive and wield Ancient Magic. They quickly become embroiled in a brewing goblin rebellion led by Ranrok, who seeks to harness this Ancient Magic for his own purposes, and a conspiracy involving dark wizards led by Victor Rookwood. The player must uncover the secrets of this Ancient Magic, attend classes, explore Hogwarts and its surrounding regions, and make choices that will shape their legacy and the fate of the wizarding world.
- labelSkills and Upgrades Overview (Talents, Spells, Gear, Room of Requirement)
Players earn Talent Points by leveling up, which can be invested into five categories of Talents: Spells (enhancing specific spells), Dark Arts (improving Unforgivable Curses and related abilities, if chosen), Core (health, defense, utility), Stealth, and Room of Requirement (enhancing potion brewing, herbology, beast care). New spells are learned by attending classes, completing assignments from professors, or through story progression. Gear (robes, cloaks, headwear, handwear, neckwear, facewear) provides offensive and defensive stats and can have Trait slots for passive bonuses, upgraded at an Enchanted Loom. Wands are customizable cosmetically but stats are tied to cores/woods found or purchased. The Room of Requirement is a customizable hub for potion brewing, herbology, beast vivariums, and gear upgrading.
- labelTop 5 Spells (Subjective/Iconic)
- 1. Revelio: Essential exploration spell that highlights interactive objects, collectibles, enemies, and hidden passages. 2. Protego / Stupefy: Defensive shield charm that can be perfected into a parry (Stupefy) to stun enemies. 3. Ancient Magic Throw / Ancient Magic Finisher: Powerful offensive abilities using the player's unique connection to Ancient Magic. 4. Unforgivable Curses (Avada Kedavra, Crucio, Imperio - if learned): Extremely potent Dark Arts spells with significant combat impact. 5. Confringo / Incendio: Powerful fire-based damage spells for combat and environmental interaction.
- labelTop 3 Magical Elements/Mechanics
- 1. Spellcasting Combat: Dynamic combat system involving chaining basic casts, offensive spells (damage, control), defensive spells (Protego, Stupefy), and powerful Ancient Magic finishers. 2. Room of Requirement: A customizable personal space in Hogwarts where players can brew potions, grow magical plants, upgrade gear at an Enchanted Loom, and care for rescued magical beasts in Vivariums. 3. Broom Flight & Mounts: Flying on a broomstick is a key mode of traversal across the open world. Other magical creatures like Hippogriffs and Graphorns can also be used as mounts.
Hogwarts Legacy Frequently Asked Questions
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help_outline Is Hogwarts Legacy set in the same timeline as Harry Potter?No, Hogwarts Legacy is set in the late 1800s (specifically starting in 1890), over a century before the events of the Harry Potter books and films. While it shares the same wizarding world, it features a new story and original characters, though some familiar names (like Weasley, Black) appear as ancestors.
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help_outline Can I choose my Hogwarts House?Yes, early in the game, the player character is sorted into one of the four Hogwarts Houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin. The player can influence the Sorting Hat's decision or directly choose their preferred house. House choice affects common room access, some dialogue, and a house-specific questline.
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help_outline Is Quidditch playable in Hogwarts Legacy?No, Quidditch is not a playable mini-game in Hogwarts Legacy. Headmaster Black cancels the Quidditch season at the start of the school year in the game's narrative, though broom flight for exploration is a key feature.
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help_outline Can I learn and use Dark Arts / Unforgivable Curses?Yes, players have the option to learn and use Dark Arts, including the three Unforgivable Curses (Avada Kedavra, Crucio, Imperio), primarily through Sebastian Sallow's companion questline. Using them does not result in direct game system punishment (like a morality system), but characters may react to their use, and choosing to learn them is a player decision.
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help_outline What is the Room of Requirement used for?The Room of Requirement is a customizable personal hub space for the player within Hogwarts. Here, players can identify and upgrade gear at an Enchanted Loom, brew potions at Potion Stations, grow magical plants at Potting Tables, and set up Vivariums to care for and breed magical beasts rescued from the wild. The room's appearance can be heavily customized with various decorative and functional Conjuration spellcrafts.
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help_outline Are there romantic relationships in Hogwarts Legacy?While players can form strong friendships and complete extensive relationship questlines with companions like Natsai, Poppy, and Sebastian, there are no explicit romantic relationship mechanics or options in the game.