Hogwarts Legacy flies high, becomes Steam top seller ahead of release

Fariha Bhatti Published 12/01/2023

Hogwarts Legacy is still weeks away from launch, but players refuse to wait for more. The game is a top seller on Steam, ahead of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, CoD, Final Fantasy, and more.

The year 2023 is packed with gaming titles that will likely transform the gaming scene. But, Steam’s top seller list shows that one of the upcoming games is already making waves weeks before its release. The Harry Potter franchise’s dormant fanbase is taking a nice little stretch by pre-purchasing the game ahead of the launch.

Hogwarts Legacy was announced in 2020, and since then, Avalanche Software and Warner Bros. have kept the buzz alive by rolling out regular updates. However, the teasers slowed down a bit in the latter half of 2022, leading many to believe that the game’s launch may suffer from a lack of enthusiasm. But that’s not the case.

According to Steam, Hogwarts Legacy is on the platform’s top five highest revenue-generating titles, alongside Valve’s hit product Steam Deck, old-timer Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and contemporary titles like Destiny 2 and Final Fantasy XIV.

Hogwarts Legacy price on Steam

Hogwarts Legacy is up on Steam for prepurchase at $59.99 USD, and players are generously buying the game. It has sold enough copies to beat CSGO, a game known for its exuberant microtransactions. So safe to say Hogwarts Legacy is building toward a blockbuster launch on February 10.

Set in the 1800s, Hogwarts Legacy explores the life of a fifth-year student who got transferred to the magical school mid-term. There’s a lot to uncover and learn, and the student must pick the right house and friends to kick start their journey.

Hogwarts Legacy is a hit game despite J.K Rowling’s transphobic remarks

However, this overwhelming response from the fanbase comes with debate and drama.

Hogwarts Legacy’s magical story is based on the Harry Potter Franchise, created initially by J.K Rowling, an author who has publicly expressed transphobic views in the past. In light of her opinions, critics and fans had decided to boycott the game in its entirety, and her recent online brawl with trans YouTuber Jessie Earl only added flames to the fire.

Consequently, many took to Steam and added custom tags to the game. A few days ago, Hogwarts Legacy was labeled with “transphobia,” “Capitalist,” “NSFW,” and more. Tags were removed quickly, but only after the community made its sentiments regarding Hogwarts Legacy clear. Despite silence from J.K Rowling and Warner Bros, fans haven’t forgotten that Hogwarts Legacy is still associated with the author.

While the ghost of J.K Rowling’s harmful opinions linger over Hogwarts Legacy, it has still managed to become a top seller, pointing at a successful release. From the looks of the trailer, Hogwarts Legacy seems promising and absolutely magical.

Hogwarts Legacy originally had a “holiday 2022” release date. However, in early August, the team behind the game announced the delay, and the release got pushed to February 10, 2023. Players who pre-order the Deluxe Edition will get access to the game on February 7.

Fariha Bhatti

About Fariha Bhatti

Fariha Bhatti is a long-time gaming writer who loves competitive FPS games and slots with particularly fun themes. She got her start playing classic games developed by SNK, from legendary fighting game series The King of Fighters to challenging platform franchise Metal Slug. She now spends most of her time playing Valorant and Counter-Strike 2 while working her way through new slot releases to find her next favorite. Fariha has been published at PCGamesN, TalkEsport and ONE Esports.

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