Hogwarts Legacy may not have the morality system players were expecting after all.
“Be careful where you choose to explore, as it may lead you down a darker path,” the Hogwarts Legacy State of Play teased, before showing your player character casting the Unforgivable Killing Curse, Avada Kedavra.
During the 14 minutes of gameplay for the Harry Potter game, we got our first hint at what creating a dark wizard will be like. Depending on their choices in-game, players will be able to learn dark magic and even wield it against their opponents.
Plus, given that there’s a Thestral mount available in the Hogwarts Legacy Dark Arts pack, it’s clear that our player character has already had a run-in with death.
But how far does the Hogwarts Legacy alignment system extend into the game as a whole? Here’s what we know:
Does Hogwarts Legacy Have a Morality System?
According to the official Hogwarts Legacy FAQs, the Harry Potter game doesn’t have a morality system, instead giving players choices to make to determine their alignment.
“Players will encounter various quests and storylines that will influence the witch or wizard they choose to become,” Portkey Games confirms.
And we recently got a new example of exactly what this could entail.
Should they choose to befriend Slytherin student Sebastian Sallow, players will embark on exclusive adventures with their new ally. And while exploring the mysteries of his family, players appear to have a choice of either learning or researching the Unforgivable Curse, Crucio.
Read More: Where to Pre-Order Hogwarts Legacy Collector’s Edition
But how far that choice will affect your time at Hogwarts and your interactions with other students remains to be seen.
Plus, it seems like this entire questline could be optional, depending on whether or not you choose to get along with Sallow in the first place.
Check out the new trailer “Sebastian Sallow’s Dark Legacy” here:
With only a few months to go until the Hogwarts Legacy release date, Portkey Games could still reveal more about player alignment. Right now though, it seems that the ‘morality’ system is far more restrictive than fans initially believed.
Can You Be Evil in Hogwarts Legacy?
Hogwarts Legacy lets players determine how they want to react to the story as it unravels but it’s unlikely that you can actually be an evil witch or wizard.
“You can define who you are and how you choose to respond and react in many conversations,” Community Manager Chandler Wood confirms.
As for the Dark Arts, wielding the forbidden spells is a choice that you’ll be making in-game thanks to questlines like the one above. But players shouldn’t expect their decisions to be permanently moving a strict morality slider.
You can define who you are and how you choose to respond and react in many conversations. Are you nice or a jerk? You can choose to learn and wield the Dark Arts or not. But there is not a formal tracked morality system like those found in some other RPGs.
— Chandler Wood (@FinchStrife) August 25, 2022
Looking for even more Harry Potter news? Check out this tease of the Hogwarts Legacy Floo Powder fast travel system to see how you’ll be getting around the Wizarding World.
Plus, see how far you can explore the Hogwarts Legacy open world here!