Reportedly, the long-rumored Harry Potter RPG is in the works at WB Games-owned Avalanche Software, the studio behind Disney Infinity. (Note: This isn’t Just Cause developer, Avalanche Studios Group.) A solid launch date remains unknown, but the publisher and developer are targeting a late 2021 release for platforms including next-gen consoles.
According to a report from Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, Avalanche Software’s Harry Potter adventure is a “big-budget project.” Players will role play wizards in a massive open-world that serves as a “re-creation of Hogwarts and its surrounding areas.”
Two people close to development spoke with Schreier under the promise of anonymity, fearing they may lose their positions for divulging details about the still unannounced production. One of the two claims that while the 2018 video leak did feature real gameplay, many of the rumors that have followed since then are not based in fact.
WB aims to officially unveil the project after the DC FanDome event on August 22nd, wherein other titles from WB Games are slated to receive the spotlight. Bloomberg’s sources allege these plans were in place before series creator J.K. Rowling recently came under fire for comments that are widely considered transphobic.
Despite the backlash the author has received of late, Avalanche’s management has yet to acknowledge said controversy. However, some developers on the team were reportedly made uncomfortable by Rowling’s statements, resulting in many privately discussing the situation in Slack channels. While Rowling’s involvement in the title’s creation is minimal, according to one source, there are concerns that interest in a Harry Potter RPG may have waned.
The publisher reportedly planned to unveil Avalanche Software’s Harry Potter project during this year’s E3, alongside a new Batman game. A recent report from Eurogamer claims the Batman title and a Suicide Squad game will both be announced at the aforementioned DC FanDome digital showcase.
[Source: Bloomberg]
