Welcome back to Hogwarts
With Hogwarts Legacy delivered into players’ hands like an owl delivering a parcel, now seems as good a time as any to cover an important last-minute question on many players’ minds. Developer Avalanche Software and publisher Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment have made it clear that player immersion is the real magic that powers the game. Once you’ve decked out your customized Hogwarts student in fitting robes and gone through the tedious process of finding the right wand (because of course, the wand chooses the wizard), your next great hurdle is the sorting ceremony.
Where to put you
The developers have been somewhat coy in showing off any gameplay of the sorting ceremony itself, but longtime Harry Potter fans can rest assured that, unlike the kinds of web-browser-official Sorting Hat mini-games we’ve seen so far, the player will not have to answer vague philosophical questions in multiple-choice form. Rather, the player will be able to freely choose their house as soon as they squeeze the Sorting Hat over their head. However, there is a clear drawback.
Once the player has selected their preferred house, they will be unable to change between houses from that point onward. Starting a new save file will be the only means by which to alleviate this concern. While precise details are not currently known, the developers have intimated in prior gameplay showcases and via their social media channels that the player’s choice of house will influence certain aspects of the game’s story direction and dialogue.
Don’t forget your house password, unless you want to sleep outside
Each house has its own unique common room and dormitories. Each of these vary greatly from those offered by other houses. However, all four co-exist in the same open world. Avalanche Software has not confirmed whether players will be able to explore the dormitories of other houses as part of the game’s story campaign. Players won’t have to wait long before becoming free to travel to King’s Cross and take the 11:00 train from platform 9 ¾.
