Warner Bros Entertainment delays Harry Potter video game until 2022

Warner Bros Entertainment Inc pushed back the release of Hogwarts Legacy, the hotly anticipated video game set in the Harry Potter universe, until 2022. The game had originally been planned to debut this fall.

Hogwarts Legacy, developed by Utah-based Avalanche Software, is a prequel to the iconic fantasy book series by J K Rowling. Set in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry during the 1800s, the game will allow players to explore an open world and cast magical spells. Some of its creators said last year they were rattled by Rowling’s transphobic comments.

“Creating the best possible experience for all the Wizarding World and gaming fans is paramount to us so we are giving the game the time it needs,” the developers said on Twitter. Hogwarts Legacy is likely just the first of many games to be delayed this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has hampered production pipelines for many studios. Although the video game industry has seen a sales boom as people look for escapes while trapped in their homes, productivity has been more difficult.