Avalanche Software has announced a new patch for its high-selling Harry Potter-themed RPG Hogwarts Legacy. This patch aims to address several bugs in addition to improving the game’s performance and stability. It also implements a few improvements in regard to online connectivity. As of right now, this patch applies exclusively to the PC and Xbox Series X|S versions of the game. According to Chandler Wood, the community manager at Avalanche Software, the developers will try and add the patch to the PlayStation 5 version later this week. You can find the entire list of patch notes here.
A little over half of the changes included in the patch apply to both PC and Xbox Series X/S. The main online-related fix addresses “issues with achievement data being properly pushed to Wizarding World portal after linking.” As for the gameplay-related fixes, one important change makes it so that receiving mail will always activate the mission associated with it as intended. Another fix removes a rare crash that can occur in specific spots where World Events can spawn in.
Additionally, the patch fixes two crashes related to NPCs. One such crash occasionally occurred when NPCs would respawn in the game’s world, while another would trigger based on specific NPC schedules.
Does the Hogwarts Legacy patch include system-related fixes?
When it comes to system-related fixes, the only one for Xbox “improved crash collection to help chase rare crashes.” The vast majority of system-related fixes apply specifically to the PC version. One of these fixes improves the cutscenes so that the audio will play as intended without any skips or other issues. Another change fixes the stretching of certain world assets, which in turn fixes a few bugs that players have reported. Wood also mentions in his tweet that the patch should help with performance.
The Hogwarts Legacy patch resolves many more issues on top of this, although those hoping for full PS5 DualSense support will have to wait.
Due to comments about transgender people that Harry Potter J.K. Rowling has made in recent years, Hogwarts Legacy has become the subject of significant controversy. The developer states that Rowling did not directly involve herself with the game’s development, and the game itself includes the option to make transgender characters. But as others have noted, Rowling’s status as the owner of the Harry Potter IP means that she will benefit from the game’s success. If you don’t feel comfortable purchasing Hogwarts Legacy, you can buy an itch.io bundle for either $60 or $10 that includes various magic-themed games and other works from LGBTQ+ creators.
Image via Warner Bros. Games