Ahead of its official launch date of February 10th, 2023, Hogwarts Legacy was already one of the best selling games across the board.
Early last year, it didn’t just feel like everyone was buying Hogwarts Legacy. Everyone WAS buying Hogwarts Legacy.
Publications, such as Forbes, reported that Hogwarts Legacy was the top selling game on multiple gaming platforms and online stores like Steam, Epic Store and Amazon. On Amazon, specifically, this immersive, role-playing game was ranked #1, #2 and #3 due to the fact that you could buy two different deluxe editions, as well as the regular edition.
The game broke records BEFORE it even launched.
But why was this exactly? In this article, we’ll review three of the most likely reasons why Hogwarts Legacy out-performed its competitors before it went live.
3 Reasons Hogwarts Legacy Was #1 Before It Launched in 2023
#1: Hogwarts Legacy is a multi-platform release
The game is not exclusive to one gaming platform over another, meaning that whether you own a PlayStation4, a PlayStation5, an Xbox or a Nintendo Switch—you can play Hogwarts Legacy. You can even play this game on your PC.
This obviously puts Hogwarts Legacy above other games that can only be operated on a specific console or platform.
#2: The wizarding world has an insanely strong fan base
From the books to the films, the wizarding world of Harry Potter has SO MANY fans.
Since Scholastic first published The Philosopher’s Stone over 25 years ago in 1997, the world of Harry Potter has grown and expanded with fervour. Alongside the seven novels are the eight corresponding movie adaptations. And it didn’t stop there!
The universe is made up of many different pieces of fiction in the form of books, short stories, and even a play. Here’s a list of just some of them:
- An archive of short stories and histories on wizardingworld.com
- A collection of magical creatures in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
- The history of the wizarding world’s most beloved sport in Quidditch Through the Ages
- A book of wizarding children’s fairytales in The Tales of Beedle the Bard
- Three instalments of the Fantastic Beasts films
As you can imagine, with such a vast body of work rooted in the wizarding world, there are a lot of fans who have been following the Harry Potter universe for many years.
#3: It’s been awhile…
Another possible reason the pre-sales of Hogwarts Legacy topped the charts last year? Simply put, it was the first game within the context of the wizarding world in over a decade! At least, the first good one. Fans of Harry Potter who like to game were likely feeling rather excited at the prospect of something new to explore!
Were you one of the people who pre-bought the game? Why do you think people were so excited about it? Share your thoughts in the comments below!