When is Hogwarts Legacy set? Harry Potter timeline & characters explained
How Hogwarts Legacy fits into wizarding history, and which characters were around at that point.
Warner Bros and Avalanche Games have finally released Hogwarts Legacy, but when exactly does this Harry Potter game fit in with the timeline of books, films and stage shows in the Wizarding World?
Since the seven main Harry Potter books were released (and adapted into eight films), the magical franchise has continued to expand with the Fantastic Beasts movies, the Cursed Child stage show and now the Hogwarts Legacy game.
So, when exactly is Hogwarts Legacy set and what does that mean in terms of Harry Potter connections and familiar characters that may appear? Keep on reading and we'll break it all down for you.
This article is part of our free Hogwarts Legacy walkthrough guide. To unlock your complete companion to the game.
When is Hogwarts Legacy set?
Hogwarts Legacy is set in the late 1800s, placing it before all the books, films and stage shows you may have already seen. More specifically, the year 1890 seems the most likely, with that particular year appearing on a newspaper clipping about the Goblin Rebellion.
At this point in the timeline, according to the game's official website, "The Wizarding World is fraught with dangers including creatures corrupted by a magical force, sinister witches and wizards, as well as a possible mounting goblin rebellion."
In the books, Harry Potter was born in 1980, meaning that Hogwarts Legacy takes place roughly a century before The Boy Who Lived started living. It's long before he turned up at Hogwarts, then!
The first Fantastic Beasts movie (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) is set in 1926, with Newt Scamander apparently being born in 1897. He'd probably be a bit too young to appear in Hogwarts Legacy.
Three minutes and 50 seconds into the video below, you can see this point in the timeline being revealed as the setting for Hogwarts Legacy.
By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Which Harry Potter characters appear in Hogwarts Legacy?
While Potter fans have used the Hogwarts Legacy Character Creator to make versions of Harry, Ron, and Hermoine, the fact the game is set in the 1800s means this is the closest to these characters that we'll get.
As the trailer confirms, "It's the late 1800s, so while the common rooms and classes may be familiar, most of your professors will not be.
"However, you may recognise a few faces," the trailer teasingly told us, before cutting to a scene where the player-character converses with Nearly Headless Nick (who is already a ghost at this point).
Alongside Nearly Headless Nick, several other familiar faces include Peeves, The Fat Lady, and Professor Cuthbert Binns.
What is more common within Hogwarts Legacy is the appearance of characters who share a relation to existing Harry Potter characters. Whether Phineas Nigellus Black or a certain red-haired professor, there are quite a few links to the wider wizarding world to look out for.
Read more on Hogwarts Legacy:
- Hogwarts Legacy review - our full verdict
- Hogwarts Legacy potions - all recipes to know
- Hogwarts Legacy plants - what do they do?
- Hogwarts Legacy level cap - how to spend talent points
- Hogwarts Legacy trophies - the achievements you need
- Hogwarts Legacy release date - staggered launch explained
- Hogwarts Legacy cast - Simon Pegg and more
- Hogwarts Legacy house sorting quiz - take the text
- Hogwarts Legacy common rooms - tour all four
- Hogwarts Legacy year - when is it set?
- Hogwarts Legacy multiplayer - is it co-op?
- Hogwarts Legacy Switch - handheld version explained
- Hogwarts Legacy PC requirements - the specs you need
Hungry for more gaming? Visit our video game release schedule, or swing by our hubs for more Gaming and Technology news.
Looking for something to watch? Check out our TV Guide or Streaming Guide.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home — subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times View From My Sofa podcast.
Authors
Rob Leane is the Gaming Editor at Radio Times, overseeing our coverage of the biggest games on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, PC, mobile and VR. Rob works across our website, social media accounts and video channels, as well as producing our weekly gaming newsletter. He has previously worked at Den of Geek, Stealth Optional and Dennis Publishing.
