Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions is just a few months away from its release, and before today, we had no idea what it really looked like. Now, a new trailer shows off the fantasy sports game in action, along with some famous characters and a character designer who seems unencumbered by franchise creator JK Rowling’s transphobia.
Quidditch Champions is the answer to the question why sandbox RPG Hogwarts Legacy didn’t have its own Quidditch modeThe spin-off features a career mode and online play, including co-op and PvP. Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be any split-screen, which would be a huge miss for a licensed game like this. The new trailer shows players as Chasers scoring points by throwing balls through gold rings and what appears to be a Seeker flying through his own gold rings in order to catch up with the Golden Snitch.
This already gives some players Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup vibes, a stripped-down PS2 game that nonetheless got the job done in terms of recreating the fantasy of being a wizarding Messi. The pitches, which are shown in various weather conditions including rain, look huge, so it will be interesting to see how each match actually plays out. If you miss a play, how easy is it to get back in time? What kind of mechanics prevent you from constantly making breakaways? Comparisons with Rocket League are already in the works, which is the best thing for a sports game, Harry Potter or not, I could hope so.
Contrary to Rocket LeagueHowever, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions The game isn’t free. It’ll cost $30 when it launches on September 3 for PC and all consoles, but it’ll be free for paid PS Plus subscribers that month. The game’s developers have said there will be no microtransactions, either. Presumably, all the costumes, brooms, and other trinkets will be unlocked simply by playing (the game will be digital-only until a physical version arrives on November 8).
The new trailer also gives a look at playable characters like Harry and Draco, as well as a character creator that doesn’t appear to categorize hairstyles or outfits by gender. “All athletes are encouraged to wear their hair however they want,” a narrator says, which could be interpreted as Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions signaling his split with Rowling over transgender rights and other inclusion issues.
Quidditch in the books has always been presented as mixed, and Hogwarts Legacy allow players to mix and match appearances in its character creator as well, with the studio going to great lengths to point out that Rowling was not involved. Any game associated with Harry Potter remains in the shadow of its outspoken creator who continues to redouble efforts to make transphobic remarks, including on sports-related issues. Especially since it continues to collect royalties on everything that licensed from the books she wrote. Real-life Quidditch leagues (imagine Ultimate Frisbee with brooms and tackles) renamed the sport quadball cut ties with the author.
