Look, it’s time we all accept the hard truth: you and I will never be wizards. Even if they do exist and attend secret schools of magic, we’re obviously Muggles and there’s no amount of hoping that will ever get us invited to Hogwarts. That doesn’t mean we can’t protect our neighborhoods from Dementors or round up magical creatures to help maintain the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, though, because the world of Harry Potter is making the move to augmented reality with the new Wizards Unite mobile game. And if the first cinematic trailer ahead of the game’s release this week is any indication, being a No-Maj will no longer prevent anyone from casting spells.
We previously saw game footage from the magical world’s answer to Pokémon GO, but this latest look has a lot more flair, with a trailer that also doubles as a great pitch for a movie we would 100 percent watch. It also makes clear just how much Wizards Unite will combine both Harry Potter, with its Death Eaters and the Boy Who Lived, with the Fantastic Beasts franchise, as different magical creatures are on the loose, threatening to reveal the wizarding world to Muggles.
Players will begin the A.R. game as a “new recruit of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force” assigned to help prevent an event known as “The Calamity” that threatens wizards and witches everywhere.
“As you step outside and explore the world, the Map will reveal Traces of magic, highlighting the location of magical Foundables. While these Traces can be found all around you, certain Foundables may be more likely to appear at various types of real-world locations including parks, banks, municipal buildings, college campuses, libraries, monuments, zoos, art galleries, and more. Cast a variety of spells to overcome the Confoundable magic, keep the magical Foundables safe, and send them back to the wizarding world. By returning Foundables, you’ll earn unique rewards that can be tracked in the game Registry.”
Revelio gameplay! Here’s your first look at @hpwizardsunite [thread] pic.twitter.com/fLFg118X9N
— Pottermore (@pottermore) March 11, 2019
Players will also cast spells that require Spell Energy they will need to replenish by making frequent stops at “Inns, found at Muggle locations around the world, to collect food and drinks.” That’s where they will “also come across ingredients that can be used to brew Potions,” and “these ingredients can be found on the Map, varying by the environment, weather, and time of day, as well as in specially designated Greenhouses.”
Wizards Unite will also have Portmanteaus, “which can be unlocked to reveal Portkeys that whisk you away to iconic wizarding world locations.” These will lead to “full 360-degree Advanced AR immersive experience in places like Ollivander’s Wand Shop” that you can then walk around and explore.
So while the reality is none of us will ever be real wizards, at least Muggle technology will let us experience what it’s like to use magic in an augmented reality.
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite comes to iOS and Android in the U.S. and UK on Friday June 21, 2019.
Images: Warner Bros. Games/Niantic/GameSpot Mobile
