Hogwarts Legacy has emerged as a true blockbuster for its publisher Warner Bros. Games.
WBG confirmed that its Harry Potter RPG has sold a massive 22 million copies in 2023 alone.
For a new IP without direct ties to famous franchise characters, these are incredible sales numbers.
Let’s break down the magical success story of Hogwarts Legacy.
Topping the Game Charts in 2023
In an interview with Variety, Warner Bros. Interactive president David Haddad said that Hogwarts Legacy was the single best-selling game of 2023 across the entire industry worldwide.
Outpacing established franchises like Call of Duty, and Star Wars, it topped the sales charts through its immersive take on the wizarding world.
Even more impressively, around 2 million of those 22 million sales occurred just during the busy December holiday season.
Releasing in February 2023, Hogwarts Legacy leveraged strong word of mouth and quality execution to post big numbers all year long.
As Haddad noted, it’s rare for a new series like this to take the sales crown from industry juggernauts.
Recent Circana’s monthly report also reveals that Hogwarts Legacy claimed the title of the best-selling game in November in the U.S., overshadowing even Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
This makes Hogwarts Legacy the first game since 2009 to top the USA video gaming market, which is predominately held by COD and GTA.
The game also ranks 2nd most earning game in Steam’s revenue in 2023.
Capturing the Magic of Harry Potter to Extended Universe
While the Harry Potter name undoubtedly helped drive attention, Hogwarts Legacy succeeded by expertly crafting the fantasy of attending Hogwarts in the RPG genre.
Critics praised its addictive gameplay loops of spellcasting, potion-making, and taming magical beasts. Players felt like they were immersed in the rich Potterverse.
By focusing on roleplaying as a customized student, developer Avalanche Software tapped directly into what fans love about Harry Potter.
This resulted in over 707 million hours played as fans dove into the lore across multiple playthroughs.
Warner Bros. added that Hogwarts Legacy has gathered:
- 819 million potions poured
- 1.3 billion plants plucked
- 593 million beasts saved
- 5 billion evil wizards were beaten
Hogwarts Legacy proved the power of focusing on worldbuilding and mechanics over flashy IP tie-ins.
More Magic on the Horizon
Given the runaway success, Warner Bros. is doubling down on the wizarding universe – known as Portkey Games.
Alongside the previously announced Quidditch title, Haddad teased more unannounced Potter projects.
This comes as no surprise – when you have a formula that works this well, you stick to it.
