‘Harry Potter: Wizards Unite’ Releases Tomorrow! (GAMEPLAY PREVIEW)

Jun 20, 2019

Posted by: Sydney Dean

Events, Exclusives, Fan Events, Fandom, Fans, Fun - Games, Games, News, Wizarding World of Harry Potter Hollywood

Earlier this week, WB Games and Niantic invited us to an exclusive Wizards Unite Event held at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood. We were able to play the game a few days early, catch some bowtruckles, and hear from John Hanke (Niantic CEO), Mary Casey (Executive Director of Product at WB Games San Francisco), and Tiffany Haddish about what they’re most excited for us to experience in this new Augmented Reality Mobile Game.

To kick off the presentation they showed this incredible new trailer featuring a young witch and her friends saving Harry Potter from some dementors. It’s incredibly rad, and absolutely nailed the tone of the golden trio in their school days.

With the crowd properly hyped to play, Mary Casey (Executive Director of Product at WB Games San Francisco) came out and told us about the plot of Wizards Unite:

“Everything near, dear, feared, and revered throughout the Wizarding World’s history has been scattered throughout the Muggle world. And if you were listening during Professor Binn’s History of Magic lessons we all know that in 1692 the Statute of Secrecy was put in place to help keep the Wizarding World from prying eyes. So we’re asking all of you today to sign up for the Statute of Secrecy task force, if you’re up for the challenge, and to help us find these lost items, they’re called foundables cause you find them and we thought that was clever, and return them back to their rightful place.”

She also expressed what she hopes fans feel when they play the game:

“A main thing we wanted to achieve in this game was the feeling that no matter where you were in the world, that the magic was there and all around you. That the thin veneer between the Wizarding World and the Muggle World was peeled back. That regular places became magical. Inns full of bubbling soup filled cauldrons, pumpkin pasties, have popped up in your neighborhood. Giant Fortresses full of groups of difficult devastating foes were ready for you to challenge. That potion ingredients were scattered throughout, depending on where you were, by the water, by mountains, what time of day it was, and perhaps at a full moon maybe you’ll even see a werewolf.”

The mention of werewolves elicited an excited murmuring throughout the crowd, especially from yours truly. Mary went on to tell us more about the community aspect of the game:

“Everyone knows that we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided, and so for the first time Wizards Unite will allow groups of up to five to take on groups of foes in fortress challenges. Pick your profession: Auror, Professor, Magizoologist and band together using spells, charms, hexes, potions in order to defeat more and more challenging foes. Return the high level foundables, contain the fortresses, and help Harry fight The Calamity.”

Then we were sent a download link and set loose to go play the game and run around the park. The first foundable I came across was Hagrid in the middle of Hogsmeade.

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After stepping forward and aligning my camera, I was able to cast a spell and return him to Hogwarts Grounds.

 

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Hagrid was soon followed by a group of pesky Bowtruckles outside Honeydukes, it took me three or four tries to nail the spell to wrangle them in.

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I also made sure to set up my Ministry ID, turns out you can’t choose a profession until Level 6, which is probably for the best, ’cause this reporter definitely isn’t prepared to decide between Professor, Auror, or Magizoologist.

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The gameplay experience was incredibly smooth, and felt really well incorporated with the real world. I’m genuinely excited for the game to launch and have the chance to do some magic with other players. The community aspect is my favorite part of playing Pokémon Go, and I have a feeling that same sense of community will carry over super nicely to Wizards Unite.

Be sure to have your wands at the ready, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite will go live TOMORROW, June 21!

The biggest thank you to WB Games and Niantic for this amazing experience!

Will you be downloading the game? Let us know in the comments or via our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

 





The Leaky Cauldron is not associated with J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., or any of the individuals or companies associated with producing and publishing Harry Potter books and films.