New LEGO Harry Potter game teased - then mysteriously deleted

Looks like someone is getting a Howler in the post, as a new LEGO Harry Potter game has seemingly been leaked ahead of schedule - then quickly pulled. Let's be honest, we all enjoy a LEGO video game, with 1997's LEGO Island being the tip of a plastic, fantastic, iceberg.

While Fortnite has gone hard on its pop culture crossovers, the LEGO [insert big IP here] games have been doing it for a lot longer. Everything from Batman to Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones to Star Wars have had their time to shine, but it's LEGO Harry Potter that's been laughing all the way to Gringotts.

• We need to play LEGO Resident Evil 4

Disclaimer: While the creator of the Harry Potter franchise was not directly involved in the creation of Hogwarts Legacy, their comments on social media around transgender people are hurtful and dangerous given the size of their platform. 

We’d implore you to read our explainer of the controversy so far, and consider supporting trans rights charities where possible.

• UK:
  • Mermaids
  • Switchboard

• US:
  • The Trevor Project
  • Trans Lifeline

Is a new LEGO Harry Potter game on the way?

Click to enlarge

As reported by VGC, a new LEGO Harry Potter game briefly popped up on the Warner Bros. South Africa Instagram and was quickly scrubbed. Apparently showing the logo of LEGO video game stalwarts Traveller's Tales, you don't need to attend Divination Class to see what this is pointing to. 

There's a LEGO Minifig of Harry Potter, accompanied by the date "8.25.23." The site claims this could be the long-rumoured bundle of all the LEGO Harry Potter games, which would remaster and expand akin to LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. As August 25 is Gamescom, things click together for a new LEGO Harry Potter.

Warner Bros. and Traveller's Tales are staying tight-lipped on whether there's any legitimacy to the leaks, however, a source told VGC a Skywalker Saga-esque LEGO Harry Potter is still in development. They couldn't confirm whether this project is the same one, but at least we don't have long to wait.

• LEGO Knights of the Old Republic is the perfect Star Wars game

What other LEGO Harry Potter games would we like to see?

Click to enlarge

There's no shortage of stories to tell in the Potterverse, and while the movie series of the same name has died a death, we've often wondered why there wasn't a LEGO Fantastic Beasts. Heading out as a blocky Newt Scamander to collect weird beasties sounds like a lot of fun.

A new-gen LEGO Quidditch game is also an idea, but then again, it might clash with the upcoming Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions. Considering Hogwarts Legacy itself is a video game, there doesn't seem much point in releasing a LEGO version, especially so close to its original launch. 

There's also HBO's upcoming reboot series. Although there are rumbles of discontent that Warner Bros. is still working with J.K. Rowling AND they're rebooting the beloved live-action movies that starred Daniel Radcliffe, the studio is going hard on the franchise refresh - meaning a video game could follow suit.