Rogue Nifflers, Death Eaters set loose on football fields and Dementors descending from the skies; these are just a few of the strange magical occurrences cropping up in the new trailer for Harry Potter: Wizards Unite.
The new Augmented Reality game (a collaboration between WB Games and Niantic) will allow players to assume wizarding identities and help the Ministry of Magic contain a mysterious ‘calamity’. Which is causing artefacts, creatures, people and even memories to mysteriously appear in the muggle world.
The trailer shows three teens trying to control the ensuing chaos, though we all know the average player age will be significantly higher. Players are required to work for the Statute of Secrecy Task Force, established by the Ministry of Magic and the International Confederation of Wizards for the purpose of investigating and containing ‘the calamity’
Players will have to investigate and contain rogue magical occurrences (named ‘Foundables’) using a range of well-known spells, before returning them to the wizarding world. These ‘occurrences’ can be found all around, including parks, banks, municipal buildings, uni campuses, libraries, monuments, zoos, art galleries, and more.
Users will be able to collect ingredients to brew potions, which will aid players in the different aspects of their wizarding world journey. While portkeys which will whisk them away to iconic wizarding world locations, including a full 360-degree Advanced AR immersive experience in places like Ollivander’s Wand Shop.
Players will also be able to test their combat skills by taking on wizarding challenges, real-time multiplayer battles against dangerous foes, including Death Eaters and werewolves. They can also choose to specialize in different magical professions and become an auror, magizoologist, or professor. Each job has its own unique skills and abilities that will come in handy at different times, particularly during Wizarding Challenges.
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite will be available to download for US and UK-based fans on Google Play, App Store and Samsung Galaxy Store. Look out for more details this Friday (June 21).
And for those who want more magic in their life, there’s a Harry Potter convention coming to the Printworks and a Harry Potter-inspired banquet coming to Manchester.