Published on: 13/02/2023

Hogwarts Legacy peaks at 879,000 concurrent players on Steam

Hogwarts Legacy — a newly released video game from the Harry Potter franchise — has become the eighth most-played game of all time on Steam, peaking at 879,000 concurrent players just a few days after its release.

The game’s concurrent player count surpasses other big titles like Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 and Apex Legends. Hogwarts Legacy also ranks fourth as the most-played game on Steam in the single-player game category, behind Lost Ark, Cyberpunk 2077 and ELDEN RING.

Analysts predicted that the number of active Hogwarts Legacy players on PlayStation could be higher than on Steam. Some experts also said the video game, released on February 10, would sell around 10 million copies in a week.

Initially, experts predicted that the game would not be successful. The game was surrounded by controversies concerning the allegedly transphobic comments by Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling prior to its release, with fans slamming publisher Warner Bros for not condemning the author’s action.

Fans said they were unsure about purchasing the game due to Rowling’s controversial comments. Some people, including popular streamers, even discussed boycotting the game. There are some negative reviews on the game’s official page, but analysts have maintained that the reception is generally positive.

American developer Avalanche Software began working on this game in 2017, but fans only learned about its existence in 2020. They were initially apprehensive about Avalanche being the developer for the game because the studio did not have notable titles on its portfolio.

Reviews on Hogwarts Legacy

Reviewers have described Hogwarts Legacy as a jam-packed open-world game where players can perform various activities and encounter numerous mysteries.

As an open-world game, players get a map they can navigate through. This includes not only Hogwarts but also the nearby magical village of Hogsmeade and the mysterious Forbidden Forest.

Players can get involved in magical combats across various setups and against numerous enemies. They can collect up to 16 different spells that they can use to attack their enemies by exploring the school ground.

Players get more help in combats by collecting potions, plants and various helpful items like magic cloaks. Furthermore, characters can perform several basic defenses to increase their chance of survival.

According to players, however, the most important aspects of Hogwarts Legacy are customization and exploration. There are many secrets hidden within the school building and the outdoor ground. Various magical creatures will also appear from time to time, which they said provide elements of surprises in the game.

Players can gather XPs passively while exploring the school. There are also quests — which include solving riddles and leveling up skills — that allow players to rake up XPs and collect items faster.

Overall, players praised the game for offering experiences as a Hogwarts student, as described in the book. They also applauded the developer for the graphic design, which improves the immersion while playing the game.

Fans, who were worried about the lack of inclusiveness in the game, said the game was better than the original material in terms of inclusivity. Characters in the game come from various backgrounds and regions. Analysts said it was likely because Rowling was not involved in the game development.

Some players, however, said the main storyline was less appealing than the original book. Hogwarts Legacy focuses on the Goblin Rebellions era. While the story had the potential as a prequel to the main storyline, analysts said there was not enough “nuance” in this premise.

Players said they did not fully understand the motivations behind the rebellion. Other players also added that there should be a main enemy like in the original story, which is Lord Voldemort.

PC players also reported some issues with the game. Many said their game often stuttered or lagged and even crashed. These problems, however, are minimal among PlayStation and Xbox players.