Harry Potter fans slam ‘soulless’ Quidditch Champions gameplay
As Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions prepares to take flight later this year, a new gameplay trailer is leaving fans less than impressed with the latest visit to the Wizarding World. Harry Potter games might've peaked in the '00s, but there's been a recent resurgence thanks to Hogwarts Legacy.
For those questioning why Hogwarts Legacy didn't have Quidditch, it seems Warner Bros. Interactive was saving it all for Quidditch Champions. Unbroken Studios' sporting spectacular is coming on September 3, and while die-hard Potter fans are looking forward to it, the game's sceptics are less than impressed.
Disclaimer: While the creator of the Harry Potter franchise was not directly involved in the creation of Hogwarts Legacy, their comments on social media around transgender people are hurtful and dangerous given the size of their platform.
We’d implore you to read our explainer of the controversy so far, and consider supporting trans rights charities where possible.
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Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions trailer is torn apart by critics
When Warner Bros. showed off a new Quidditch Champions trailer, the comments quickly tore it to pieces. There have been some notable Quidditch games over the years, with Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup showing us how it was done in 2003. Quidditch Champions is supposed to be a spiritual successor, but unfortunately, it could be a pale imitation.
One critic grumbled, "Why does this feel like a soulless version of the HP Quidditch World Cup game from the 2000s, oh yeah modern EA," while another added, "This better be 20 dollars." A third concluded, "Looks like a Nintendo 64 game 😭." Some admitted they're quite looking forward to it, especially with a solo career mode on the cards.
Still, it looks like we haven't come as far as we'd like for some, with the harshest critics pointing out how the Seeker footage looks like it's been pulled from the PS1. Part of us hoped that 21 years later, EA might've tweaked the mechanics instead of having us chasing the Golden Snith through some colourful hoops.
Gameplay previously leaked online, so there's nothing too surprising here. It seems the jury is still out on Quidditch Champions, with some loathing the Quidditch sections from back in the old Harry Potter games. The trailer is to hype the game's digital pre-orders, with the Standard Edition and Deluxe Editions coming with the Firebolt Supreme Broom Skin.
The Potterverse might've struck big with Hogwarts Legacy, but with its DLC yet to materialise and our hopes of playing Quidditch going with it, the franchise doesn't have the pull it once had. Sure, there's justice that Cho Chang is finally getting her time in the spotlight, but is that really enough to get you parting with your cash for Quidditch Champions?
