This story was originally published on March 3, 2023 as part of the February issue of Electronic Gamers magazine.
Harry Potter will always hold a special place in my heart. Even though I was in college when the first movie released, I fell in love with the story, characters, cinematography and soundtrack.
Harry Potter was such a major success that it became a cultural phenomenon, and much more than a series of books or a bunch of hit movies. The wizarding world Harry lives in both captivates and excites us, and with the release of Hogwarts Legacy I thought it would be fun to look back at the series and see just how far we’ve come.
I hope you enjoy!
Timeline of Book, Movie and Game Releases
1997 – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is first published
1998 – Chamber of Secrets is first published
1999 – Prisoner of Azkaban is first published
2000 – Goblet of Fire is first published
2001 – First Harry Potter movie and games released
2002 – Chamber of Secrets movie and games released
2003 – Order of the Phoenix published
2004 – Prisoner of Azkaban movies and games released
2005 – Half-Blood Prince published and Goblet of Fire movies and games released
2007 – Deathly Hallows published and Order of the Phoenix movies and games released
2009 – Half-Blood Prince movies and games released
2010 – Deathly Hallows Part 1 movies and games released
2011 – Deathly Hallows Part 2 movies and games released
Fan Interviews
-1997-
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is published
First Released in the U.K. on the 26th of June, 1997
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was written by J.K. Rowling and the first complete manuscript was sent to prospective publishers in 1995. After twelve other publishers rejected the book, Bloomsbury Publishing agreed to publish it, and it hit store shelves in the United Kingdom on the 26th of June, 1997, two years after the manuscript was originally completed.
Scholastic bought the rights to publish the book in the United States for $105,000, which was a record amount for a children’s book by an unknown author. As Scholastic was afraid American audiences might not resonate with the term, “Philosopher”, Rowling suggested changing the name of the book to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, releasing the book to U.S. book stores on the 1st of September, 1998, more than a year after the book’s original release in the U.K.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was a huge success, topping the New York Times best sellers list for fiction, and stayed near the top of the list for most of 1999 and 2000.
-1998-
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is published
First Released in the U.K. on the 2nd of July, 1998
After the amazing success of The Philosopher’s Stone, it was clear J.K. Rowling needed to follow it up with a sequel, continuing the fantastical story of “the boy who lived.”
Rowling has said that she found it difficult to write The Chamber of Secrets, as she feared it wouldn’t live up to the expectations set by the first book. In fact, after delivering the initial manuscript for The Chamber of Secrets to Bloomsbury Publishing, she took it back for six weeks of revisions.
The Chamber of Secrets was released in the United Kingdom on the 2nd of July, 1998, and it immediately hit the top of the U.K.’s bestsellers lists, ahead of other popular authors like John Grisham and Tom Clancy.
The book was published in the United States by Scholastic on the 2nd of June 1999, and it also went straight to the top of the U.S. bestsellers lists, including the New York Times’.
-1999-
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is published
First Released in the U.K. on the 8th of July, 1999
Unlike The Chamber of Secrets, Rowling reportedly found The Prisoner of Azkaban much easier to write, finishing it in just a year after she began writing it.
The Prisoner of Azkaban once again sees Harry, Ron and Hermione continuing their studies at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but this time Harry is investigating the escape of Sirius Black from Azkaban prison. Black is a known former associate of Lord Voldemort, who was rumored to participate in the betrayal and murder of Harry’s parents, but all may not be as it appears.
Upon its release, The Prisoner of Azkaban sold more than 68,000 copies in the U.K. in its first three days, setting a record for the fastest selling British book at the time.
The book was once again published by Scholastic in the U.S. and was released on the 8th of September, 1999.
Additionally, in 1999, Warner Bros. bought the film rights to the first book for a reported 1 million British Pounds (about $1.65 million U.S. Dollars).
-2000-
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is published
First Released in the U.K. on the 8th of July, 2000
The Goblet of Fire follows Harry and friends in their fourth year at Hogwarts, focusing on Harry’s baffling entry into the Triwizard Tournament, and his ensuing struggle to keep up with the other older and more experienced students competing in the tournament.
It ended up being much larger than the previous three books, and Rowling knew it would be “the biggest of the first four” from the start, due to the need for a “proper run up” heading into the end of the series
The Goblet of Fire marked the first time a new Harry Potter book was released simultaneously in both the United Kingdom and the United States: on the 8th of July, 2000.
Additionally, in the year 2000, production began on the first Harry Potter film, with Chris Columbus chosen to direct the film. Rowling was allowed to maintain quite a bit of creative control, and she insisted that the actors cast be either British or Irish.
Following an open casting call in August 2000, the three leading actors were chosen: Daniel Radcliffe (age 11) as Harry Potter, Rupert Grint (age 12) as Ron Weasley, and Emma Watson (age 10) as Hermione Granger.
Filming began in September 2000 at Leavesden Film Studios.
-2001-
First Movie and Games Released
-tHE mOVIE-
Offically Released to Theaters on November 16, 2001
The first Harry Potter film, based on Rowling’s book The Philosopher’s Stone (or The Sorcerer’s Stone as it was known in the United States) was first released to theaters in the United Kingdom and Ireland on the 10th of November for two days of previews before being officially released on the 16th of November. In addition to releasing in the U.K. and Ireland, the film also released in the United States, Canada and Taiwan.
The film was a huge success financially (grossing over $970 million in its initial release) and with both critics and fans alike. It was the highest grossing film of 2001, and was the second-highest-grossing film at the time.
In addition to Harry, Ron and Hermione, the film featured some well known actors:
- John Cleese as Nearly Headless Nick
- Robbie Coltrane as Rubeus Hagrid
- Warwick Davis as Filius Flitwick: The Charms Master and head of Ravenclaw House, the Goblin Head Teller at Gringotts, and dubbed the voice of Griphook
- Richard Griffiths as Vernon Dursley
- Richard Harris as Albus Dumbledore
- Ian Hart as Quirinus Quirrell, and the voice of Lord Voldemort
- John Hurt as Mr. Ollivander
- Alan Rickman as Severus Snape
- Fiona Shaw as Petunia Dursley
- Maggie Smith as Minerva McGonagall: The Deputy Headmistress, head of Gryffindor and transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts
- Julie Walters as Molly Weasley: Ron’s mother
Interestingly, there were a few different directors considered for the movie, including Steven Spielberg and Rob Reiner, but it’s hard to imagine anyone other than Chris Columbus at this point. Can you picture what a Spielberg Harry Potter would have looked like? Dobby could have looked like E.T.
-tHE gAMES-
The first game released, based on Harry Potter, wasn’t actually related to the movies, but rather it was a Lego Creator game.
In addition to the Lego Creator game, and coinciding with the release of the film, there were four different film adaptation games released in November 2001 across various platforms:
GameBoy Color Version
The GameBoy Color version was structured like a traditional RPG, and the game begun with Hagrid bringing Harry to Diagon Alley. From that point the game followed the movie plot closely, with all key scenes accounted for.
GameBoy Advance Version
The GameBoy Advance version was an isometric action-adventure game, where the player must explore Hogwarts, attend classes and complete challenges. Challenges often involved collecting a certain number items, like stars or potion ingredients.
PC Version
The PC version played much like the PlayStation version, as a third-person action and puzzle game, but the levels are arranged in a different manner than the PlayStation version.
Playstation Version
The PlayStation version sold 8 million copies, making it one of the best selling PlayStation games, and one of the best selling video games of all time, at the time.
You can see some gameplay from the PlayStation version below:
-2002-
Chamber of Secrets Movie and Games Released
-tHE cHAMBER OF sECRETS mOVIE-
Offically Released to Theaters on November 15, 2002
The second Harry Potter film, based on Rowling’s book The Chamber of Secrets, was released in the United Kingdom and the United States on the same day. Like the first movie, it was a critical and commercial success, grossing $879 million worldwide and became the second highest grossing movie of 2002 (the first being The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers).
The cast of the second movie was largely the same, but saw a few notable additions, with Kenneth Branagh as Gilderoy Lockhart and Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy.
-tHE cHAMBER OF sECRETS gAMES-
The games developed and released for The Chamber of Secrets were almost as widely varied as the games for the first movie were. The Chamber of Secrets saw releases across GameBoy Color, GameBoy Advance, PlayStation 1, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube and PC.
GameBoy Color Version
Once again, the GameBoy Color version was structured like a traditional RPG, and was very different from the other versions of the game. In this version, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Gilderoy Lockheart are all playable at various points throughout the game.
GameBoy Advance Version
The GameBoy Advance version was once again an isometric action-adventure game perspective puzzle game, just like the first one. The game starts with cinema scenes telling the beginning of the movie story, up until Hagrid meets Harry in Nocturne Alley. Of all the different versions of the game, this version had the fewest number of spells.
PC Version
The PC version was once again created by a different developer than the home console versions, and played very similar to the Sorcerer’s Stone game for PC. The graphics and character design were also very similar to the first game.
Playstation Version
The PlayStation version was a direct sequel to the first game, and retained many elements and graphics from that game. The Chamber of Secrets also expanded some areas of Hogwarts and included some new minigames.
Playstation 2, Xbox and GameCube Versions
The PS2, Xbox and GameCube versions of The Chamber of Secrets were significantly improved from the PS1 version, including more detailed character models and environments, and adding a free-flight mode.
In the Xbox and GameCube versions the player could only takeoff and land at designated spots, while in the PS2 version the player could takeoff and land practically anywhere.
In addition, the GameCube version included an exclusive feature using its GBA to GC function which allowed a secret room to be opened in the GameCube version when connected to the GBA version of the game.
-2003-
Order of the Phoenix Published and More Games Released
First Published on the 21st of June, 2003
The Order of the Phoenix follows Harry during his fifth year at Hogwarts. After being attacked by Dementors, Harry is rescued by members of The Order of the Phoenix, a secret order created by Dumbledore to fight back against Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Harry continues to try and spread the word about Voldemort’s return, but the Ministry of Magic doesn’t believe him and appoints Dolores Umbridge as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
There are several key moments in the book, from Dumbledore going into hiding and Umbridge becoming headmistress, to the fight against Voldemort and the Death Eaters, to Sirius dying at the hands of Bellatrix and the revelation to the Ministry that Lord Voldemort had indeed returned.
The Order of the Phoenix was published three years after the previous book’s release, which was the longest time between books to date. The book’s release was met with overwhelming success, although some critics did find fault with the escalated violence in the book, as well as its themes of Christian morality.
-tHE gAMES-
While there were no current movie-based games released in 2003, a version of The Sorcerer’s Stone and a new game based on Quidditch were released on PS2, Xbox and GameCube.
Quidditch World Cup was released on PS2, Xbox, GameCube, GameBoy Advance and PC. The teams and setting in the game were based on the third book, The Prisoner of Azkaban.
There were three primary gameplay modes:
1) Hogwarts – where players compete for the Hogwarts Inner-House Quidditch Cup between Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin
2) World Cup – where the gameplay is similar to the Hogwarts mode, but teams are based on real countries instead of Hogwarts Houses: England, United States, Germany, France, etc.
3) Exhibition – where players can compete in a single match with either House teams or World teams. For the World teams, only England and the United States are selectable at first, with the other teams unlocked as you progress through the mode and defeat rival teams. This mode doubled as the game’s multiplayer mode.
The Sorcerer’s Stone was released on PS2, Xbox and GameCube, coming several years after its release on other platforms. The graphics were greatly improved from the previous releases, but critics felt it was too similar to the Chamber of Secrets game that released the year before. Perhaps because it was a late release and because of its poor critical response the game didn’t sell very well and is rather rare and expensive to buy today (typically going for $80 to $100 used).
-2004-
Prisoner of Azkaban Movie and Games Released
-tHE Prisoner of Azkaban mOVIE-
First Released to Theaters in the U.K. on May 31, 2004
The third Harry Potter film, based on Rowling’s book The Prisoner of Azkaban, was released in the United Kingdom on the 31st of May, 2004, and released in the United States on the 4th of June, 2004. It was the first Harry Potter movie to use IMAX technology, and was released in IMAX theaters.
The director of the first two films, Chris Columbus, decided not to return to direct the third, and Alfonso Cuaron was selected to direct it instead.
Most of the cast from the first and second movies returned for The Prisoner of Azkaban with a few notable absences and additions. Sadly, the role of Dumbledore passed to Michael Gambon after the original actor, Richard Harris, passed away in 2002. As far as additions, Gary Oldman was added to play the role of escaped prisoner Sirius Black, Emma Thompson was added to play the role of the Divination teacher Sybill Trelawney, and David Thewlis was added to play the role of the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher Remus Lupin.
Upon release, the movie broke the record for the single biggest day in the U.K.’s box office history, making 5.3 million pounds. The film made $93.7 million in the United States and Canada during its opening weekend, and was number 1 at the North American box office for two consecutive weekends.
-tHE pRISONER OF aZKABAN gAMES-
Like the games released for The Chamber of Secrets, there were three different versions of the game, varying between the handheld (GameBoy Advance), PC, and home console (PS2, Xbox and GameCube) versions.
GameBoy Advance Version
The GameBoy Advance version once again played more like a traditional RPG, and was generally well received by critics, with GameSpot awarding it 7.5/10 and Game Informer giving it 8/10.
PC Version
The PC version was similar to the previous games on PC and included quite a few puzzle solving elements, but it wasn’t quite as well received by critics as the GBA and PS2, Xbox and GameCube versions. PC Gamer gave it 72% and IGN gave it 6/10.
PS2 / Xbox / GameCube Versions
The home console (PS2, Xbox, GameCube) version was quite different from the GameBoy Advance and PC versions, featuring an 3D over-the-shoulder perspective with boss fights and detective-like sections. It received average reviews from critics, with EGM giving it 6.5/10, Game Informer giving it 6.5/10, and GameSpot giving it 7/10. The PS2 version of the game tended to be a little better received than the Xbox and GameCube versions.
-2005-
Half-Blood Prince Published and Goblet of Fire Movie and Games Released
First Released on the 16th of July, 2005
The Half-Blood Prince was set during Harry’s sixth year at Hogwarts and further explores the past of Lord Voldemort, as well as focuses on Harry’s preparation for the final battle with his nemesis.
The book sold nine million copies in the first 24 hours after release and reception was generally positive, even though reviewers noted the book’s much darker tone.
-tHE Goblet of Fire mOVIE-
First Released to Theaters on November 18, 2005
The fourth Harry Potter film, based on Rowling’s book The Goblet of Fire, was released worldwide on the 18th of November, 2005. It was the second Harry Potter movie to use IMAX technology, and be released in IMAX theaters.
Most of the cast returned for The Goblet of Fire with a few notable additions. Robert Pattinson replaced Joe Livermore as Cedric Diggory, who was to have a greatly expanded role in this film, and David Tennant was added to play Barty Crouch, Jr. a Death Eater. The rest of the Goblet of Fire contestants were added as well: Clémence Poésy played the Beauxbatons’ champion Fleur Delacour, and Stanislav Ianevski played the Durmstrang’s champion Viktor Krum. Additionally, Katie Leung was added to play Cho Chang, Harry’s love interest, and Brendan Gleeson to play Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody.
Interestingly, it was the first movie not to begin at Privet Drive.
The Goblet of Fire earned almost $897 million worldwide, making it the highest grossing film of 2005. The film was generally well received by critics, with many praising its darker themes and humor.
-tHE Goblet of Fire gAMES-
Like the games released for The Chamber of Secrets, there were three different versions of the game, varying between the handheld (GameBoy Advance), PC, and home console (PS2, Xbox and GameCube) versions.
GameBoy Advance & Nintendo DS Versions
The GameBoy Advance and Nintendo DS versions were mostly identical, with the DS version simply having a second screen for stats and a few other functions. The graphics and gameplay between the two versions were very similar, other than the 3D battles in the dueling mode added to the DS version.
IGN gave the GameBoy Advance version 7.4/10 and the DS version 7.8/10.
PS2 / Xbox / GameCube Versions
The PS2, Xbox and GameCube versions are 3D action-adventure games with darker themes than the previous games, in keeping with the darker themes of the movie, but interestingly the gameplay was simplified overall.
IGN gave all three home console versions 7.2/10.
Sony PSP Version
The Sony PSP version was mostly identical to the home console versions but had exclusive minigames and features that took advantage of the PSP’s wireless capabilities. IGN gave the PSP version a slightly higher score than the home console versions, 7.5/10 versus 7.2/10 for the home console versions.
PC Version
The PC version was identical to the home console versions and was generally reviewed in line with the them. IGN game the PC version 7.2/10 along with the home console versions.
-2007-
Deathly Hallows Published and Order of the Phoenix Movie and Games Released
First Released on the 21st of July, 2007
The Deathly Hallows was the final book in the Harry Potter series, detailing the final battle between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort. As the final book in the series it contained the most dramatic encounters with Voldemort and his Death Eaters, and several additional characters die, including “Mad-Eye” Moody, Hedwig (Harry’s Owl), Dobby the house elf, Severus Snape, Crabbe, Remus Lupin and Fred Weasley, among others.
Book sales for The Deathly Hallows were record breaking. On opening day it sold 8.3 million copies in the U.S. alone, and 2.65 million were sold in the United Kingdom. In fact, The Deathly Hallows still holds the Guinness World Record for Fastest-selling Book of Fiction in 24 Hours.
-Order of the Phoenix mOVIE-
First Released to Theaters on November 18, 2005
The fifth Harry Potter film, based on Rowling’s book The Order of the Phoenix, was released in the United States on the 11th of July, 2007, and released one day later, on the 12th of July 2007, in the United Kingdom (a first for the series).
As usual in the series, the film saw some notable additions and departures to the cast. Imelda Staunton was added to the cast as Dolores Umbridge, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Evanna Lynch was added to play Luna Lovegood and Helena Bonham Carter was added to play Bellatrix Lestrange. Unfortunately Gary Oldman’s Sirius Black is killed by Bellatrix in the battle against the Death Eaters.
The Order of the Phoenix earned $942 million worldwide, making it the second highest grossing film of 2007, just behind Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. The film received mixed reviews from critics.
-tHE Order of the Phoenix gAMES-
The Order of the Phoenix game releases spanned across more consoles than ever before, with versions for the GameBoy Advance, Nintendo DS, Sony PSP, PC, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, and Xbox 360.
GameBoy Advance & Nintendo DS Versions
Like the Goblet of Fire games, the GameBoy Advance and Nintendo DS versions were mostly identical once again, but while the DS version of the Goblet of Fire seemed to largely copy the GameBoy Advance version, this time it’s the opposite. The GameBoy Advance version of the Order of the Phoenix seemed to largely mimic the DS version, but rather poorly.
The DS version was created like Resident Evil, with 3D characters on top of 2D backgrounds, and while it doesn’t look great, it’s much better than the GameBoy Advance’s poor approximation of it, using sprite characters on top of 2D backgrounds, but trying to emulate the look of the DS version. It didn’t work well unfortunately.
On the plus side, the developers attempted to recreate Hogwarts in its entirety, so it was cool to be able to see all the locations of the school you knew and loved from the books and moves.
IGN gave the Nintendo DS version 6/10 and didn’t bother to rate the GameBoy Advance version at all. Nintendo Power took a similar approach, rating the DS version 7/10, but not rating the GameBoy Advance version. GameSpot did review both versions but did so together so they both received the same 5/10 rating (which honestly isn’t fair as the DS version was superior, albeit slightly).
PS3 / Xbox 360 / PC Versions
The PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC versions of the Order of the Phoenix game were virtually identical with only small variations in review scores between the console and PC versions.
As you might imagine, these versions of the game looked the best, with representational character models that mostly looked like their movie counterparts, but with those dull mannequin-like expressions common in the PS3 / Xbox 360 era. The environments looked outstanding, and the developers painstakingly recreated Hogwarts from movie set blueprints.
The only real issues with the games were they used the in-game character models in cut scenes, so they maintained that blank mannequin-like expression throughout (which looks very strange in a cut scene), and the combat gameplay was rather dull and uninteresting. But for fans of the movies and books, this is the best they had ever seen the Wizarding World look.
IGN gave the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions 7.6/10 while it gave the PC version 7.3/10, with seemingly no difference in the actual review itself.
PS2 Version
The PlayStation 2 version of the Order of the Phoenix was largely the same as the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, but as you can imagine, had to sacrifice a bit in both the visual details and framerate. The story and game itself progressed the same as its next-gen counterparts, but the character models lack the same visual fidelity and the environments have additional clipping and less detailed textures that take away from the experience a bit. Still, if you didn’t have a next-gen system at the time, this was a fine game that recreated the movie in great detail.
Wii Version
The Wii version of Order of the Phoenix wasn’t quite as pretty as its PS3 and Xbox 360 counterparts, but it was still one of the better looking games on the system and the use of the Wii remote to cast spells with your wand went a long way towards making this game one of the best playing versions.
Sony PSP Version
The Sony PSP version of Order of the Phoenix was very similar to the PS2 version, but since it doesn’t have a second analog stick, spells were cast simply with button combinations, which made it somewhat easier than the PS2 version. It still contained the detailed Hogwarts level design and character models, and overall was a decent experience for fans of the series. IGN gave the PSP version 5.5/10.
-2009-
Half-Blood Prince Movie and Games released
The sixth Harry Potter film, based on Rowling’s book The Half-Blood Prince, was released in both the United States and the United Kingdom on the 15th of July, 2009.
There was controversy surrounding the release date, as the film was finished and set to be released on the 18th of November, 2008, but Warner decided to hold the film’s release until the following summer when they thought it would have a larger impact. The date change was met with strong criticism from fans.
The Half-Blood Prince earned $934.5 million worldwide, making it the second highest grossing film of 2009, just behind Avatar. The film received generally favorable reviews from critics.
-tHE Half-Blood Prince gAMES-
The game releases for the Order of the Phoenix once again spanned multiple consoles, with versions for the Nintendo DS, Sony PSP, PC, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, and Xbox 360.
Nintendo DS / Sony PSP Versions
Like the past handheld versions of Harry Potter, the DS and PSP versions of the game were very similar. While the PSP version looked much cleaner, it lacked the touch screen minigames of the DS, for better or worse. Critics either gave the games a poor review or didn’t bother to review them at all. IGN gave both the DS and PSP versions 4.3/10.
PS3 / Xbox 360 / PC Versions
The PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC versions of the Half-Blood Prince game were once again virtually identical, with only small variations in review scores between the console and PC versions.
Clearly these were the best looking versions of the game, and actually improved upon most of the negatives of the last game, making it the best playing game in the series. You might expect a game based on the movie to follow its plot rather closely, and while this game does follow the sequence of the movie, it is very light on plot and mainly focuses on exploration, and gameplay. If you were looking for a playable version of the movie this might disappoint, but if you wanted to explore the best looking version of Hogwarts yet, go to class, play Quidditch and duel other wizards, this is the game you were waiting for.
IGN gave the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions 7.7/10 while it gave the PC version 7.5/10, with seemingly no difference in the actual review itself.
PS2 / Wii Versions
Once again the PlayStation 2 and Wii versions of the Half Blood Prince were largely the same in concept and basic layout and structure as the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions. Of course, as you can imagine, both the PS2 and Wii versions had to sacrifice quite a bit in both the visual details and framerate, but between the two the Wii version looked slightly better. Also, the Wii version incorporated motion controls which made the spell casting parts of the game a little more interactive and exciting. IGN gave the Wii version 7.7/10 but did not review the PS2 version separately.
-2010-
Deathly Hallows Part 1 Movie and Games Released
The seventh Harry Potter film, based on the first half of Rowling’s book The Deathly Hallows, was released in both the United States and the United Kingdom on the 19th of November, 2010.
The Deathly Hallows was by far the darkest book in the series and the movies followed suit. The battle between Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters, and Harry Potter and the heroes of Hogwarts unfortunately resulted in several deaths of known characters. In the Deathly Hallows Part 1, Mad-Eye Moody and Hedwig are both killed during Harry Potter’s move in the beginning of the movie. Then Dobby is killed near the end of the movie as he attempts to help Harry.
The Deathly Hallows Part 1 earned $977 million worldwide, making it the third highest grossing film of 2010, behind Toy Story 3 and the Alice in Wonderland reboot. The film received generally favorable reviews from critics.
-tHE Deathly Hallows Pt 1 gAMES-
Like all prior games in the series, the Deathly Hallows Part 1 was released across multiple consoles, with versions for the Nintendo DS, PC, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, and Xbox 360.
Nintendo DS Version
The Nintendo DS version of The Deathly Hallows Part 1 was possibly the best received version of the game, even though the consensus was that it was still flawed and a disappointment compared to previous games in the series. That being said, the critic reviews of the other versions of the game were much less kind.
PS3 / Xbox 360 / PC / Wii Versions
For once the Wii version of a major line Harry Potter game was very similar to its more powerful PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC counterparts, but that’s not because it was good.
Rather, all console and PC versions of the Deathly Hallows Part 1 game were heavily criticized for turning a Harry Potter game into a very poorly executed cover-based shooter (I believe one article called it “Wizards of War” – as in Gears of War, not the excellent Wizard of Wor).
But the cover-based shooting wasn’t the worst part, not by far. There were also stealth-based segments which were practically unplayable, and laughingly bad.
While some of the graphics in the game didn’t look bad, the lack of polish and poor execution of the gameplay resulted in an unplayable mess that did not live up to the success the movie had.
IGN gave the PS3 and Wii versions 2/10 while it gave the Xbox 360 version a slightly higher (but still terrible) score of 2.5/10, due to its extra Kinect-enabled gameplay sections.
-2011-
Deathly Hallows Part 2 Movie and Games Released
The eighth Harry Potter film, based on the second half of Rowling’s book The Deathly Hallows, was released in both the United States and the United Kingdom on the 15th of July, 2011.
The Deathly Hallows Part 2 continued the dark tones of the previous movie, as it told the story of the last stand against Lord Voldemort and his forces. Like in the Deathly Hallows Part 1, several characters unfortunately die in the battle, including Snape, Goyle, Fred Weasley, Remus Lupin and Tonks. Ultimately Harry and the heroes of Hogwarts prevail, defeat Lord Voldemort, and dispatch his forces.
The Deathly Hallows Part 2 earned over $1.342 billion worldwide, making it the highest grossing film worldwide of 2011, ahead of Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. The film received very favorable reviews from both critics and fans alike, and was a fitting conclusion to the epic Potter series.
-tHE Deathly Hallows Pt 2 gAMES-
Like all prior games in the series, the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was released across multiple consoles, with versions for the Nintendo DS, Sony PSP, PC, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, and Xbox 360.
Nintendo DS Version
Like the previous version, the Nintendo DS game of The Deathly Hallows Part 2 was possibly the best received of any version. While the consensus was that some issues from the prior game had been corrected, it still was far from the kind of quality you could expect on the DS from other more polished games. The Metascore for the DS version is 55/100.
PS3 / Xbox 360 / PC / Wii Versions
For the Deathly Hallows Part 2, the once strong game series went out with a whimper. Instead of returning to the success of a game like the Half-Blood Prince, the game’s developers doubled down on the “Wizards of War” concept, which basically just turned Harry and the other Gears, err Wizarding Wizards, into cover shooting soldiers.
Spells were essentially just different types of guns, and all sense of magic and wonder was stripped from the series. While parts of the game still looked okay, the disconnected gameplay and half-assed shooting and stealth mechanics ensured this was a Deathly Hallow that gamers wished had stayed dead.
Critics generally agreed that while some flaws from the previous game had been corrected, it was largely the same unplayable mess. IGN gave the game 5.5/10, GameSpot have it 4/10, and its Metascore sits between 47/100 for the Wii version and 43/100 for the PS3 and PC versions.
Overall a very sad way for such a storied franchise to conclude.
Fan Interview with
Niko Storm
What’s your favorite memory of the Harry Potter Series?As an OG Harry Potter Fan, I started reading the Harry Potter books in middle school, and I continued to read them throughout university. I remember going to the store at midnight with my friends to pick up our copy of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Taking it back to my friend’s apartment and taking turns reading chapters of the book all night long. Going to midnight premieres of movies and waiting in line for hours playing games to pass the time as we waited to get into the theater.
Most of all I love the Harry Potter series since I grew to love reading because of it. As a child, reading was a real struggle and heartbreak. Reading a picture book that would only take my peers several minutes to read would take me hours, and it seemed like being able to read a novel was a dream I would never achieve.
When I was given a copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone at the age of 12, it was the first book that I didn’t want to give up on reading. I had heard from other people how amazing it was and I just had to read it. I didn’t care how hard it was or how many times I had to spell a word out to my mother to ask her what the word was, I wanted to read it, so I did. It took me over a year but I did it.
As I keep reading the Harry Potter books, plus other books, I slowly became better and better, and after several years I no longer had to ask people for help while I was reading.
If it wasn’t for J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series I would not be the reader that I am today. That is why Harry Potter and the wizarding world have such a big place in my heart.What’s your favorite book?
This is a hard question, but after giving it lots of thought, the third book, the Prisoner of Azkaban, is my number one.
Finding out Sirius Black’s back story, saving Sirius from getting his soul sucked out with the Dementors kiss, and finding out Harry has a Godfather who will be there for him, are some of my favorite parts.May I also recommend, if you have not had the chance to listen to the audiobooks narrated by Jim Dale, you should definitely check them out. Jim Dale has won two Grammy Awards for his narration of the fourth and seventh Harry Potter books, 11 Audie Awards, over a dozen AudioFile Earphone Awards, and was the first to be inducted into the American Audio Hall of Fame.
What’s your least favorite book?
As a child, my least favorite book was the Chamber of Secrets.
At the time it was one of the darker books, with the students being attacked and Hagrid getting sent to Azkaban unjustly.As an adult, my perspective has changed, and the seventh book, the Deathly Hallows, is the lowest on my list because of the many dark and upsetting moments, like all the beloved characters that die.
Starting off with the death of Hedwig, Harry Potter’s snowy white owl. She was loyal, and loving, and showed him the first bit of love since his parents had died ten years before and protected him even in her last moments of life.
The deaths of Mad-Eye Moody, the torture of Hermione by Bellatrix Lestrange, and the death of Dobby as he saves Harry and his friends were all very upsetting to me as well.
Then there are the deaths at happened during the battle at Hogwarts: Nymphadora Tonks Lupin, Remus John Lupin, Fred Wesley, and Severus Snape.
Snape was not a likable character at first, which I think most fans would agree with, but in the 2nd half of the book, right before he dies, Snape gives Harry his most secret memories, revealing that Snape is not as bad of a person as he wanted us to think.What’s your least favorite movie?
My least favorite movie is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, not as a whole, but it is one of the movies I watch the least. To start with, seeing the death of Hedwig is just as bad seeing it with your own eyes as reading it in print. The torture of Hermione and the death of Dobby were also very upsetting to watch, and I prefer to watch the other movies in the series over this one.
Are any of the movies better than their book counterparts?
I think they are just two very different things, great in their own right but can not be compared to each other. There are many little things in each book that I wish they could have put in the movies. Though Prisoner of Azkaban is my favorite book, it is not my favorite movie. I didn’t care for its focusing on the clocks as foreshadowing, and it left out other funny parts in the book I would have rather seen come to life.
Which Harry Potter games have you played?
When I was a preteen to teen I would go to the local video store and rent the games and play them. I played a lot of The Sorcerers Stone and The Chamber of Secrets (sometimes with the volume off if I was getting too scared). In recent years I have played Harry Potter Lego books 1-4 and 5-7 on iOS and Nintendo Switch, but I preordered a copy of Hogwarts Legacy for the Switch and I can’t wait for it to arrive!
What is your favorite game and why?
My favorite Harry Potter game is Harry Potter Lego books 1-4 and 5-7. I just love blowing things up and then putting them back together, and the characters are so cute.
Who is your favorite character and why?
I couldn’t just pick one, so I chose two.
I have always loved George Weasley, and his sarcastic quips, some of which never made it into the movie scripts. For example, in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Ron and Hermione become Hogwarts Perfects. Mrs. Weasley walks in on Ron Hermione, Harry, Fred, and George in a bedroom when she finds out, she is so excited, she said, “…. You’re a prefect? That’s everyone in the family!” To which George immediately replies, “ What are Fred and I? Next door neighbors?” That line makes me laugh out loud every time.The other character I love is Hagrid. Hagrid is so loving to both Humans and Magical creatures and thinks of Harry as family. From bringing Harry to his Aunt and Uncle as a child, bringing him a birthday cake on his 11th birthday with his Hogwarts letter, taking Harry to Diagon Alley to pick up all his things for school, buying him his owl Hedwig as a birthday present and asking Harry to tea after his first week at school, these are just a few things from the first book that gave Hagrid a special place in my heart. Not to mention his love for Norbert the dragon.
Do you have a favorite magical creature and why?
My all-time favorite magical creature, other than Hedwig of course, is Buckbeak the Hippogriff. Hippogriffs are just such cool creatures and they are proud creatures. Buckbeak was shown to be very loyal and protective of those who treat him with kindness and respect. Buckbeak also defended Harry from Severus Snape in book 6, and his loyalty towards Harry was undying, further proven when he joined the Battle of Hogwarts in book 7.
You can find me on Instagram, Tik-Tok, and Twitter as @nikostorm99
Fan Interview with
Nightmare @NetRunnerGames
What’s your favorite memory of the Harry Potter series?
My fondest memory of the entire series would have to be when I watched the first film when I was around 6 or 7 years old. The series was in its third book by that time and after having read the first two I was incredibly excited to see these characters that were only part of my imagination come alive into the big screen.
Seeing the wizarding world and all its splendor blew my young mind away to the point that I wanted to redecorate my entire room to the theme of the Gryffindor common room.What’s your favorite book?
My favorite book would have to be Harry Potter and the Order of The Phoenix. In my opinion this book plays the most crucial key in the entire series.
This is the book where Harry finally becomes the leader we all wanted him to be and where he undergoes the most growth along with Ron and Hermione. This is also the book were JK Rowling created one of the most hated characters (Dolores Umbridge) in all of literature and gave her what she deserved.
The book also explains critical questions and plot points such as why Harry has to stay with the Dursleys, the importance of the Prophecy and when Dumbledore first hears about it from Professor Sybill Trelawney and how Neville Longbottom’s destiny is connected to Harry’s as foretold by the prophecy.What’s your least favorite book?
My least favorite book would have to be Harry Potter and Chamber of Secrets. Harry, Ron and Hermione all form the perfect balance on why they always succeed in all the challenges they faced throughout the series.
This book challenges that balance by removing Hermione from this perfectly balance equation and leaving Harry and Ron to fend on their own without her quirky remarks and invaluable knowledge of the Wizarding World.
Other than also revealing the first of Voldemort’s Horcruxes (Tom Riddles Diary), and the sinister dark magic behind them, this book does not really move the overall plot of the series forward as much as the other six do.What’s your favorite film?
My favorite film in the series would have to be Harry Potter and Deathly Hollows Part 2. This film attempts to go back to start of the series back when Christopher Columbus directed the films of fitting as much magic from the books into the film.
The director, David Yates, gave characters, such as Severus Snape, the respect he deserves by giving him a truly emotional extended sequence of scenes in which Snapes true nature as a hero and Harry’s hidden guardian is finally revealed.
This film builds up immensely scene by scene all leading up to the emblematic finally at the battle of Hogwarts. The actors and the director also do an amazing job in giving us a satisfying conclusion to characters that we have read, watched and learned to love for over ten years.
While the film does omit some crucial plot points of the book, in order to have a reasonable runtime, it more than makes up for it with colossal action sequences, tearing emotional content and a critical ending that pays respects of the highest standards to JK Rowling’s universe and fans that have been part of its inception since the first book was published back in 1997.What’s your least favorite film?
Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince would have to take the spot of my least favorite film.Unlike the other 7 films this one came in short in capturing the magic of the books. While the film did bring back Quidditch into the films, as well as paying close attention to Voldemort’s secret and past, it lacks in bringing more depth to our characters.
Gamatroid 