Hogwarts Legacy Players Spot Mistake In Game's Poster
There's more magical mayhem on the way, as our dreams of an open-world Harry Potter game are finally coming true. The "surprise" reveal of Hogwarts Legacy at last year's PlayStation 5 event wasn't that surprising thanks to leaks years before, however, that hasn't stopped it being one of the most-talked-about games of last year, this year, and presumably next.
It's wands raised in Hogwarts Legacy, with Warner Bros. Interactive handing over the Portkeys of the Wizarding World to Avalanche Studios. The first teasers have shown off a faithful adaptation of the source material, however, fans have spotted a seemingly glaring Hogwarts Legacy mistake.
What is the Hogwarts Legacy mistake?
The officially Hogwarts Legacy poster is a thing of beauty, but with the game delayed until 2022, we've had plenty of time to pore over every little detail. Posting on Reddit u/General-Discount-305 simple wrote, "giant spider". If you look very closely to the right, you might be able to spot a giant spider hiding in a web-covered cave. So, what's the scoop?
There's a clear assumption that this giant spider is Aragog - the eight-legged beast that rules over the Forbidden Forest. Aragog became a standout of the books, the movies, and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Studio Tour in London. The heroic Acromantula is a big presence in Potter lore, but there's a problem with him appearing Hogwarts Legacy, due to the fact he wasn't born until 1942.
One of Hogwarts Legacy's unique selling points is the fact it takes place in the late 1800s. Moving the story away from our bespectacled hero, it gives players a chance to explore a different era of Hogwarts history, with the potential for fan-favourites like Albus Dumbledore to still pop by for a chat.
It might seem like a minor detail, but other redditors still took offence to this potential canon catastrophe. One wrote, "I really hope they don’t f**k up the lore and make this Aragog", while another added, "I doubt they would mess with the lore that much".
Even though Aragog came "in the pocket of a traveller" and was thought to be the first giant spider, there is a chance there were already others out there. Some didn't see a problem with the canonical tweak, with another adding, "I assume spiders were always there, hagrid found a mate for Aragog in the books". One fan concluded, "I do not think it was specifically said that Acromantulas weren’t already living in the forest, since Aragogs mate had to come from somewhere".
Is the Hogwarts Legacy mistake really a big deal?
The general consensus is that as long as this giant spider isn't actually Aragog, we should be okay. The first Hogwarts Legacy trailer already showed us fighting Acromantulas, so their inclusion isn't exactly a surprise. Then again, the Hogwarts Legacy team has been playing fast and loose with established canon.
Only recently, there was drama surrounding the Whomping Willow. One of the writers responded to criticisms on Twitter that the violent tree was used in promotional stills - despite the fact it was planted in 1971 to conceal the entrance to the Shrieking Shack. He vowed to do better, but it's got die-hard fans concerned that Hogwarts Legacy is throwing canon out the window. Personally, we just want to play the game and not nitpick over what might or might not be wrong.
If there's one thing you should know since Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone released in 1997, it's that purveyors of the Potterverse are obsessed with the little details. With a sprawling Wizarding World that's extended far beyond the Boy Who Lives, the expanded canon makes creating any sort of franchise entry a magical minefield. We say good luck to the Hogwarts Legacy writers - you'll need it!