Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite was an augmented reality (AR) mobile game developed by Niantic and WB Games San Francisco, and published by Niantic, under license from Portkey Games. The game is based on the "Harry Potter" Wizarding World media franchise, created by J. K. Rowling. It was launched for Android and iOS mobile devices on June 20, 2019. A beta version was released in New Zealand in April 2019, and in Australia in May 2019. On November 2, 2021, Portkey Games announced the closure of game, which happened at 12:01 a.m. EST on January 31, 2022 . Overview. "Harry Potter: Wizards Unite" was announced on November 8, 2017, as an augmented reality mobile game developed by Niantic and WB Games San Francisco. Players are able to visit real-world locations while casting spells, discovering mysterious artefacts, and encountering iconic characters and legendary beasts from the "Harry Potter" universe. With Niantic's purchase of Escher Reality, the game is expected to implement new technology to allow for persistent worlds within AR. On November 14, 2018, it was confirmed that the game would be released in 2019. Gameplay. "Harry Potter: Wizards Unite" gameplay has been described as similar to  that of "Pokémon Go", with players able to view the gameplay world through a smartphone. The game allows players to fight against mythical beasts from the "Harry Potter" and "Fantastic Beasts" franchise. Players may choose their wizarding house, their wand, and their profession: either Professor, Auror or Magizoologist. After creating a game account, the player makes an avatar, whose location depends on the device's geographical location. The player then travels around the real world to find "confounded" items and creatures, and "unconfound" them. The player can also stop at inns (to replenish spell energy), greenhouses (to gain potion ingredients  and grow new ingredients), and fortresses (to fight dark wizards and beasts). As the player moves within their real-world surroundings, their avatar moves within the game's map. In April 2020, "Wizards Unite" introduced the Knight Bus which allows players to participate in magical challenges in virtual fortresses regardless of their physical location, an answer to the worldwide lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Release. A first gameplay video for the game was released in March 2019, showing footage defending from a dementor, and being attacked by a werewolf. On March 11, 2019, pre-registration on Google Play opened for  the app as well as new in-game footage was released by Niantic. On April 17, 2019, the game was beta released in New Zealand. On April 24, 2019, an email was sent in error stating that the game would launch in Australia for beta testing. On April 26, 2019, the game launched in Australia for beta testing. But several hours later, Niantic confirmed it was another mistake and it was taken down from the App Store. The game was re-released in Australia on May 2, 2019. The game was released in the United States and the United Kingdom  on June 20, 2019, a day earlier than previously announced, with additional countries expected to gain access in the days ahead. Reception. Awards. The game won the People's Voice Award for "Technical Achievement" and was named as an Honoree for "Best Game Design" at the 2020 Webby Awards, whereas its other nomination was for "Family & Kids". Revenue. The game generated over US$12 million in revenue in its first month of release. The game's total revenue was estimated at US$37 million by May 2021, with 20 million downloads.