Summary
WhenHogwarts Legacywas released back in early 2023, many longtimeHarry Potterfans were disappointed that the action RPG didn’t include a quidditch minigame of some sort. It turned out, though, that this omission wasn’t made without reason, as Warner Brothers announced in April of that year that the fictional sport was getting its own standalone game in the form of a competitive multiplayer title dubbedHarry Potter: Quidditch Champions. This upcoming game may not share the same art style asHogwartsLegacy, butHarry Potter: Quidditch Championsis catching the attention of many fans nonetheless, since it’s the first quidditch-focused game of its kind since 2003’sHarry Potter: Quidditch World Cup, which was released over 20 years ago.
Given how immensely popular the franchise is, it wouldn’t be surprising if theHarry Pottername alone is enough to turnQuidditch Championsinto a breakout hit. However, licensed games aren’t necessarily guaranteed successes, as recent titles likeMarvel’s Avengersunderperformed commercially, despite being attached to popular IPs in pop culture. The barrier to entry toQuidditch Championsis somewhat lower for PlayStation owners, since it’ll be a day-one addition to the PlayStation Plus monthly games catalog in September. Charging $30 for this title may be a risky move, but this tactic of launching the game into PS Plus can make it work, just like it did forRocket Leagueback in the day.
Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions Could Replicate Rocket League’s Success With PS Plus
Rocket League Started Off as a Buy-To-Play Game on PS Plus, Like Quidditch Champions
Rocket Leaguemight be free-to-play today, but when the game first came out in mid-2015, it was actually a paid title, just likeHarry Potter: Quidditch Champions. Indeed, the now-multiplatform vehicular sports game initially launched on PlayStation 4 and Windows with a $20 price tag attached to it. Sales of the multiplayer title exceeded developer Psyonic’s expectations on both platforms. Perhaps what was most impressive, though, wasRocket League’s success on PlayStation, where the game ended up becoming the most downloaded PS4 title of 2016, despite the game being a year old at that point. Much of this popularity on PlayStation could be attributed to the fact that it was a day-one release on PlayStation Plus.
Compared towhat Microsoft does with Xbox Game Pass, Sony typically doesn’t add many day-and-date releases to its flagship gaming subscription service. On the contrary, the publisher has openly criticized the idea on multiple occasions, citing it as something that would disrupt the company’s virtuous cycle of AAA releases and deteriorate their quality. Even still, Sony has put a decent smattering of titles on PS Plus day-one throughout the years, including recent releases likeAnimal Well,Stray,Sea of Stars,Tchia, andMeet Your Maker.
It’s important to note, though, that the overwhelming majority of these titles are indie games; evenRocket Leagueitself started off as an indie game before being bought up by Epic Games in 2019. This makesHarry Potter: Quidditch Champions’s day-and-date PS Plus release more significant, as it’s one of the first AAA titles to launch on to the service day one, third-party or otherwise.
Launching Day-One on PS Plus Could Turn Quidditch Champions Into a Massive Hit
Harry Potter: Quidditch Championslaunching on PS Pluscould be just the kind of push the game may need in order to propel it into mainstream hit territory. This upcoming sports title may face stiff competition from free-to-play multiplayer releases likeFortnite,Fall Guys, and evenRocket League, but its PS Plus launch will likely give the game far more exposure than it may otherwise get, especially if it lives up to expectations. Ultimately, though,Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions' success largely hinges on its quality; if the game isn’t up to snuff, then it could fail to catch on despite its day-one PS Plus release, likeFoamstarsandDestruction All-Starsbefore it.
Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions
WHERE TO PLAY
LIVE YOUR QUIDDITCH FANTASY: Take to the sky as one of the classic positions—Chaser, Seeker, Keeper, or Beater—each with their own unique play style. Soar into legendary Quidditch arenas, as well as maps that showcase never-before-seen areas of the wizarding world.MULTIPLE WAYS TO PLAYCareer Mode: From backyard battles in the Weasley Burrow to high-stakes showdowns at the Quidditch World Cup, rise to become a champion either solo or in online co-op with teams of up to 3 friends.Exhibition Matches: set your teams, map, and difficulty and play alone or on teams of up to 3 in online co-op.Player vs Player: Test your skills in competitive online matches against other Quidditch teams.YOUR QUIDDITCH YOUR WAYCustomize Your Approach: Level up and use skill points to tailor your play style for each role. Change your flight style by switching between and leveling up different brooms.Play As Yourself or as Iconic Harry Potter Characters: cosmetic customization options and classic character designs allow you to express your game-time personality.
