The video game Hogwarts Legacy has earned worldwide 850 million US dollars since its debut on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, Warner Bros. Games announced on Thursday. In the first two weeks after release, over 12 million copies were sold.
Over 280 Million Hours of Playtime
From February 10th to 21st, the game was played over 267 million hours, exceeding expectations. It has now even set a new company record with over 280 million hours of playtime. The Wizarding World Digital Portal also saw a 300% increase compared to the monthly average of visitors in the first ten days of February.
Harry Potter Remains a Focus
During the quarterly earnings conference, CEO David Zaslav boasted of the company’s success and emphasized the sustainable focus on Harry Potter and other popular intellectual property rights.
Controversial Due to Author J.K. Rowling
Although Hogwarts Legacy is based on the Harry Potter novel series and gives players the opportunity to be at the center of their own journey in the magical world, the launch and subsequent popularity of the game in the Harry Potter community has led to considerable controversy due to the anti-transgender ideology of author J.K. Rowling. However, Rowling had no creative influence on the game and only receives financial benefits.
Positive Reception
David Haddad, President of Warner Bros. Games, expressed his delight at the positive reception of Hogwarts Legacy from both established players and newcomers.
