While fans wait on any official word about Hogwarts Legacy 2, a new Wizarding World game just got confirmed — and it comes from an unexpected corner of the franchise. MinaLima, the graphic design studio behind the original Harry Potter films’ most iconic props, has announced Harry Potter: Defenders of Hogwarts, a board game heading to Kickstarter. For fans who have spent over three years waiting on a sequel to the open-world RPG that sold 40 million copies worldwide, this tabletop entry offers a Wizarding World fix in a very different form.
Hogwarts Legacy 2 was a no-show at Sony’s State of Play, Summer Game Fest, and the Xbox Games Showcase in June 2026. Leaks and studio hiring activity point toward a possible 2027 window, but nothing has been officially confirmed. In the meantime, Defenders of Hogwarts is the only new Wizarding World gaming experience currently with a confirmed release plan.
Wands, Dice & Dark Forces:
The Wizarding World’s Next Battleground Is a Board
Harry Potter: Defenders of Hogwarts × Hogwarts Legacy 2 — What We Know
Harry Potter: Defenders of Hogwarts — The Board Game
MinaLima — co-founded by Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima — designed the Hogwarts acceptance letter, the Marauder’s Map, and The Daily Prophet for the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films. Now the studio is stepping into tabletop gaming with Harry Potter: Defenders of Hogwarts, officially licensed by Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products and developed with multi-award-winning industrial designer David Waterman.
The game is set just before Lord Voldemort’s full-scale arrival at Hogwarts. It supports 2 to 5 players aged 13 and up, and each session runs up to 90 minutes. Players choose which side to join — defend the school as a loyal Hogwarts student, or align with the Dark Forces to secure Voldemort’s victory. Death Eaters have already infiltrated the castle when the game begins, so neither path is straightforward.
Because MinaLima designed the original film props, the game’s physical components — cards, maps, visual elements — are expected to carry the same design language seen in the movies. A limited retail release is planned for Autumn 2026 at Harry Potter Shops and House of MinaLima locations. A full global multilingual launch follows in Spring 2027. Kickstarter backers at any tier receive an exclusive Defenders of Hogwarts pin not available through retail. The campaign is currently live for signups; the game is timed to the 25th anniversary year of the first Harry Potter film.
Which Side Would You Choose?
Defenders of Hogwarts lets you pick your allegiance before the battle begins. Tap to see what each path means in the game.
Hogwarts Legacy 2: Where Things Stand
Hogwarts Legacy 2 is confirmed to be in development at Avalanche Software, but neither the studio nor Warner Bros. Games has made any official announcement. The original Hogwarts Legacy launched on February 10, 2023. It sold 12 million copies and generated $850 million in its first two weeks, hit $1 billion in total retail revenue by May 2023, and reached 40 million copies sold by December 2025 — making it the best-selling game worldwide in 2023.
In May 2026, Avalanche hired a new community manager — the same kind of move that preceded the original game’s announcement. Multiple sources pointed to a reveal at Sony’s State of Play or Summer Game Fest. Neither happened. The Xbox Games Showcase on June 7, 2026 also passed without a reveal.
Leaks from multiple sources suggest a Spring or Summer 2027 target, which would align with Warner Bros.’ strategy of coordinating gaming releases with the new HBO Harry Potter series premiering December 25, 2026. Recent reports say Hogwarts Legacy 2 is planned as a single-player RPG, not a multiplayer title. Warner Bros. is separately exploring other Harry Potter titles with online multiplayer elements, but these appear to be distinct projects.
What Happened — and What’s Next
What You Need to Know
Who makes Defenders of Hogwarts?
When and where can you get it?
Is Hogwarts Legacy 2 still single-player?
Why did Hogwarts Legacy 2 miss every summer 2026 showcase?
Harry Potter: Defenders of Hogwarts was covered here as a new tabletop board game by MinaLima, arriving on Kickstarter ahead of a limited Autumn 2026 retail release and a broader global launch in Spring 2027. The game supports 2 to 5 players aged 13 and up, with sessions up to 90 minutes, and offers the choice to defend Hogwarts or join the Dark Forces in a setting set just before Voldemort’s arrival at the castle.
The current status of Hogwarts Legacy 2 was also covered, including its absence from all three major June 2026 game showcases. Development at Avalanche Software continues. Leaks point to a 2027 release window, with September 1 — Back to Hogwarts Day — and a later State of Play remaining as the next potential reveal windows.