First look at Harry Potter: Wizards Unite game

Here’s what we know so far: Harry Potter: Wizards Unite is a new augmented reality mobile game coming “soon” from Niantic, Inc. and WB Games San Francisco.

We’ve been teased by a few trailers on the Wizards Unite YouTube channel, like this one featuring a riderless Nimbus 2000 on the loose in the Muggle world:

…and this errant Niffler, overindulging in the gold coins in a Muggle arcade game:

The first trailer we saw, back in November 2018, intrigued us with a witch capturing a snitch that was zooming around a Muggle alley:

Obviously, what all of these scenes have in common is the Statute of Secrecy-breaching problem of magical artefacts turning up unattended in the Muggle world.  Are these accidental breaches by absent-minded wizards or is this a deliberate attempt, on someone’s part, to confuse and frighten Muggles and expose the magical world?  If so, to what end?

We now have more info on just what in Merlin’s name is going on here:

A calamity has befallen the wizarding world, causing artefacts, creatures, people, and even memories to mysteriously appear in the Muggle world. Witches and wizards from across the globe must come together to solve the mystery of The Calamity, overcome the confounding chaotic magic that surrounds these “Foundables,” and return them to their rightful place, keeping them safe from Muggle eyes.

A-ha, so it’s not just magical objects that are appearing but magical people, magical creatures, and even—memories?  Wow, that’s a bit scary.  So, what are players of the game expected to do abut this calamitous development?  According to this preview of the game, players are recruits to the Ministry of Magic’s Statute of Secrecy Task Force.  You will follow a map that will reveal traces of magic, guiding you to the location of “Foundables”—those magical objects that need to be whisked away from Muggle eyes.  Returning “Foundables” to the wizarding world gets you rewards, but it also costs you “Spell Energy”, which must be replenished at “Inns”.  You will also find potion ingredients and Portkeys.  You can visit “Fortresses” to battle Dementors and Death Eaters, and specialise in a magical profession such as Auror or Professor.  By teaming up with witches and wizards in other professions, you can combine your skills for more effective combat.

Sign up here to be alerted when the game will be available.