New “Hogwarts Legacy” PlayStation 5 Trailer Showcases Next-Gen Immersion Features
Last week, Hogwarts Legacy treated us to some new shots of Hogwarts Castle and snippets of Hogsmeade Village in a 20-minute ASMR video. Today, we learned more about how players will experience the game, specifically those playing on PlayStation 5.
In a new trailer, fans can see how PlayStation 5’s DualSense controllers will bring players closer to the action and immerse them in the wizarding world. In addition to the controllers lighting up to reflect a player’s House colors, haptic feedback will reflect the action in the game. According to PlayStation, the haptic effects have been channeled to the right side of the controller to become “an extension of the wand you hold in the game.”
Assuming that all magical folks are right-handed, this means that players will feel the spells they cast and block through vibrations in the controller. In addition, non-wand-related activities such as flying, crushing ingredients in Potions, and rather interestingly, “the screech of a Mandrake seedling” will also generate haptic feedback.
The DualSense controller will further immerse players through adaptive triggers. As shown in the trailer, these adaptive triggers on the controller will change resistance to reflect the force needed for certain spells. But it’s not just the controller that will bring players further into the wizarding world. The Playstation 5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech promises to surround players with ambient sounds of Hogwarts Legacy.
But what else do we see in the trailer?
With a mix of gameplay and cinematics, we’ve got another look at Hogwarts and Hogsmeade in the 1800s. A glimpse of the school kitchens (at 0:08) reveals one giant cauldron with some stairs winding up the side and a couple of house-elves preparing food.
We also get a shot of what looks to be the prefects’ bathroom (0:13), judging by the sheer number of fountains and mermaid paintings on the wall. Another look at the Hogwarts House common rooms can be seen (0:16), and it once again looks as though Ravenclaws have their book-accurate colors of blue and bronze. There are many dueling clips in this trailer to show off the haptic feedback, and some do take place in unfamiliar locations. While we’re pausing and replaying the trailer to decipher where these duel scenes might take place (in Hogwarts? Hogsmeade? Diagon Alley?), we can’t help but think about the gaming experience for those who would naturally use their left arm as their wand arm. Hopefully, PlayStation will consider an option to change the isolation of haptic feedback to the left side of the controller.
We’re excited to see this incredibly detailed game become even more immersive for some players and can’t wait to explore Hogwarts Castle and its grounds when the game hits shelves. Hogwarts Legacy is expected to be released in time for the holiday season this year and will be available on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series, Nintendo Switch, and PC.