According to KitGuru.net, a sequel to 2023’s bestselling game, Hogwarts Legacy, is in development at Avalanche Studios. The studio is now hiring for a Senior Software Engineer, specifically seeking candidates with “online multiplayer RPG” experience, strongly hinting at the sequel’s new direction. It’s unclear if this means an MMO-style world or a smaller co-op experience for up to four players. The original game achieved its massive popularity as a purely single-player experience, making this a potentially risky strategic shift. The report, originally spotted by Game Rant, suggests the studio is building a team to make this multiplayer vision a reality.
A massive, risky spell to cast
Here’s the thing: this isn’t just adding a feature. It’s a fundamental reimagining of the game’s core identity. Hogwarts Legacy sold on the fantasy of being *your* witch or wizard in that world. It was a personal power trip. Shifting to multiplayer changes everything—the narrative, the world design, the gameplay loops. Will the story accommodate a group of chosen ones? How do you handle spellcasting and exploration with friends? It’s a massive technical and creative challenge.
So, why would they even try?
Look, the answer is probably longevity and revenue. A successful live-service multiplayer game has a much longer tail than a single-player title you beat in 60 hours. Think about player engagement, cosmetic shops, seasonal content—the whole modern games-as-a-service playbook. And let’s be honest, the Wizarding World is a social fantasy. Roaming Hogsmeade or dueling in the Forbidden Forest with friends *sounds* incredibly appealing. Games like Baldur’s Gate 3 have shown deep RPG systems can thrive in co-op. But that’s a very specific, narrative-heavy format. Is that what Avalanche is building?
The ghost of live-service past
And we can’t ignore the graveyard of failed live-service pivots. How many single-player franchises have stumbled trying to become something they’re not? The risk of alienating the core fanbase that made the first game a phenomenon is very real. They loved it for the solo immersion. Will they accept a always-online, potentially grindier experience? Or is the Harry Potter IP so powerful that it doesn’t matter? I’m skeptical, but I also get the business logic. It’s the ultimate high-risk, high-reward spell. We’ll see if they can pull it off without it backfiring.
