Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions Is A September PlayStation Plus Title
By Brian Allen
When Hogwarts Legacy released with the best reviews of any Harry Potter-themed title ever, players noted that one famous wizarding activity was missing: quidditch. For the muggles out there, quidditch is sort of wizard- y soccer, played while flying on broomsticks. It was conspicuous by its absence in a game that got so much of the Hogwarts atmosphere right. The reason given in Legacy's story was that the headmaster canceled that year's tourney. Players asked if it was coming and got no response, now we know why.
Warner Bros. is betting quidditch is enough of a draw to carry its own game, and revealed its gambit during Summer Game Fest. Unbroken Studios is developing Quidditch Champions, with Warner Bros. publishing under its Portkey Games label. Its latest news drop revealed playable characters Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Draco Malfoy. Players can also create their own wizarding student, with all manner of cosmetics representing whichever house they believe the infamous sorting hat would put them in.
Another big piece of news is that Quidditch Champions will launch as a day one PlayStation Plus free game on September 3, and be free to download until September 30. That means thousands of players will get a chance to at least try it out without spending a penny. Warner Bros. is betting at least some of them will like it, giving the game an instant player base.
Many have drawn comparisons between this title and the soccer-adjacent Rocket League. Warner is hoping those comparisons go straight from their lips to the gaming gods' ears. Psyonix's runaway hit has reached more than 60 million registered players. The 2023 Rocket League World Championship averaged more than 154,000 viewers. Part of that success came from its inclusion as a PlayStation Plus title. If Quidditch Champions see half of those numbers, Warner Bros. will be ecstatic.
Harry Potter faithful may remember EA tried this with Harry Potter Quidditch World Cup in 2003. It drew middling reviews and failed to make video game quidditch the big deal fans are hoping it can be.
Quidditch Champions Digital Standard Edition retails for $29.99. The Deluxe Edition, which goes for $39.99, will include house packs for Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor, as well as 2,000 in-game gold. The house packs feature broom skins, travel school uniforms, and crest emblems for each house.