I love Hogwarts Legacy. I really do. I have spent unreasonable amounts of time pretending I am a brave little fifth-year with a suspiciously large collection of hats. But in 2026, with every new Wizarding World rumor still dragging us back toward the same castle, I have to say it: Hogwarts has been carrying this franchise on its stone shoulders for decades, and the poor building deserves a vacation.
Don't get me wrong: Hogwarts is the heart of Harry Potter. The Great Hall, the moving staircases, the professor who is definitely not paid enough to deal with a troll in the dungeon—it all works. Hogwarts Legacy proved that players will happily spend dozens of hours collecting field guide pages and judging their own fashion choices. But it also proved something else: the Wizarding World is bigger than one school, and gaming is the perfect medium to show it.
Hogwarts is well-trodden ground. The books, films, Fantastic Beasts, and Hogwarts Legacy have all returned to the castle. Even the films least tied to the school cannot resist popping back in like a relative who says they are just stopping by and then stays for three hours. If the next game wants to feel fresh, it should pack its trunk and leave.
The Other Schools Are Right There, Looking Impatient
Let's be real: the Wizarding World has a whole international network of magical schools, and most of them have been waiting politely in the background for years. These schools are not just set dressing. They offer different cultures, different landscapes, different histories, and different ways of teaching magic. That is a much better recipe for a new game than another tour of the same enchanted staircases.
| School | Region | Why I want to visit |
|---|---|---|
| Ilvermorny | North America | A new continent, a new magical culture, and hopefully fewer cursed staircases |
| Castelobruxo | South America | Rainforest mysteries, herbology gone wild, and a school that sounds like it keeps secrets |
| Uagadou | Africa | Wandless magic, stunning landscapes, and a chance to rethink how magic works |
| Mahoutokoro | Asia | A jewel-like school, an island setting, and rich cultural depth |
| Beauxbatons | Europe | Elegant and familiar, though maybe too close to Hogwarts |
| Durmstrang | Europe | A darker reputation, a cold climate, and a mysterious curriculum |
Ilvermorny would open the door to North America and give players a fresh narrative playground. Castelobruxo, Uagadou, and Mahoutokoro could take us to South America, Africa, and Asia, respectively. A future game could stay in Europe with Beauxbatons or Durmstrang, but those options feel much closer to Hogwarts and therefore less interesting. The other schools provide distinct cultural, geographic, and historical backdrops, which would make for a more unique game in many ways.
Gaming Could Lead the Franchise Now
Wizarding World video games are in a unique position. Hogwarts Legacy has been better received than the current slate of Fantastic Beasts films, which suggests that gaming could be the future of the franchise for now. That is a big deal. Instead of playing things safe and rehashing Hogwarts for the umpteenth time, the next game could be the first piece of Wizarding World media to give a full picture of what these other schools look like. That would break new ground for the broader franchise, and it would give players something they have never seen before.
I am not saying the next game should throw out everything that made Hogwarts Legacy charming. Keep the cozy common rooms, keep the ridiculous collectibles, keep the sense that magic is both wonderful and slightly dangerous. But move the camera somewhere new. Let players walk through a school that does not have Gryffindor banners in every hallway. Let them learn magic from teachers who are not secretly all connected to the same castle.
Maybe It Is Time to Leave Academia Altogether
A focus on a different magical school would be exciting, but the next Wizarding World game could go even further and move past academia altogether. Give audiences a better look at what this alluring world looks like beyond scholarship. By focusing on adult characters and conflicts, the next game could be darker and more mature, resonating with a broader audience and telling deeper stories. That would be uncharted territory for the franchise, at least when it comes to video game adaptations, and it would be worth exploring.
Gaming as a medium offers a great deal of potential when it comes to exploring unique and fantastical locations. Hogwarts Legacy realized that potential beautifully, but there is still much more that can and should be explored. I will always love Hogwarts. I just do not need every new game to sleep in the same dormitory. The castle has had its turn. Now let another school clear its throat and introduce itself.
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