Harry Potter: Wizard’s Unite (HPWU) was first announced on November 17, 2017. Fast forward almost two years and we finally have a release date announcement.
Cinematic trailer and launch revealed
Following a lengthy period of teases, leaks, and betas, the release date is actually just around the corner. In fact, Niantic’s Harry Potter mobile game’s official launch will begin on June 21, 2019.
The news was announced on the official Harry Potter: Wizard’s Unite official Twitter page and was accompanied by a cinematic trailer.
“The worldwide launch of Harry Potter: Wizards Unite begins this Friday,” the developers state. “Keep your eyes peeled and wand ready for more information as the game goes live in your region soon.”
The trailer, which can be watched below, shows augmented reality truly coming to life with players battling an array of dark wizards, magical beasts, and various other foes.
Release date in UK, USA and other regions
However, the use of the word “begins” and the phrase “goes live in your region soon” in the release date tweet has left some fans believing the game won’t be rolled out in all regions at once.
Whether it will be rolled out according to time zones remains to be confirmed but a follow-up tweet suggests this could be the case.
“Keep your eyes peeled and wand ready for more information as the game goes live in your region,” it says. “Starting Friday, 6/21 in the US & UK!”
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Presumably, this means the US could be the first region to have Harry Potter: Wizard’s Unite available, followed by the UK and then other regions.
We invited some special guests to @UniStudios for an exclusive behind the scenes event to try out Harry Potter: #WizardsUnite for the first time. Keep your eyes peeled and wand ready for more information as the game goes live in your region, starting Friday, 6/21 in the US & UK! pic.twitter.com/gssV77vUMl
— Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (@HPWizardsUnite) June 19, 2019
If the launch is indeed based on time zones, then western Asia, India and Australasia will follow.
As of writing there is no specific time that has been allocated for the exact release time.
Harry Potter the new Pokemon Go?
With both games sharing the same developer, Niantic, comparisons have, and will, inevitably be made between the two augmented reality mobile games. While it is debatable whether HPWU has matched the hype behind Pokemon Go, it is certainly getting a lot of Harry Potter fans excited.
It has been dubbed a more advanced and complex version of Pokemon Go and will have a lot more to offer in terms of mechanics and story-line. Other than catching Pokemon to complete the Pokedex, some felt the game was devoid of a real purpose.
It appears HPWU has this backstory with the website stating: “A calamity has befallen the wizarding world, causing artefacts, creatures, people, and even memories to mysteriously appear in the Muggle world. Witches and wizards from across the globe must come together to solve the mystery of The Calamity, overcome the confounding chaotic magic that surrounds these “Foundables,” and return them to their rightful place, keeping them safe from Muggle eyes.”
Only time will tell whether this most anticipated Harry Potter game can compete with Pokemon Go’s popularity. All eyes now turn to Friday – we will update this page as and when more information about the specific release time becomes available.