Hogwarts Legacy 2 is coming, and earlier this year, Warner Bros. (WB) hinted that the sequel would have some live-service features. This got a lot of fans protesting against the idea and prompted a Change.org petition. As of today, the petition has gathered almost 9,500 signatures, nearing its 10,000-signature goal.
After the success of the first game, WB better not mess it up. | Image Credit: Avalanche Software
But despite this growing support, history suggests that petitions rarely influence corporate decisions, particularly in the gaming industry. Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League should’ve been a lesson to the industry regarding live service models, but will it be one that WB learns?
Can Fans Stop Hogwarts Legacy 2 From Being Live Service?
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Hogwarts Legacy was celebrated for its single-player experience and how well it took us to the Wizarding World. The game’s open world and story-driven nature made it so people could play it at their own pace. A live-service element would easily overshadow it with monetized cosmetics, forced online requirements, and grind-heavy gameplay.
Warner Bros: Our Suicide Squad game has sold below our expectations
Also Warner Bros: WE MUST MAKE MORE LIVE SERVICE GAMES!!! HOGWARTS LEGACY 2 WILL BE LIVE SERVICE!! SUPERMAN WILL GET A LIVE SERVICE GAME!! OUR RACING GAME WILL BE LIVE SERVICE!! FUKING GENIUS https://t.co/ERdHCAF91q pic.twitter.com/hjnlCaUHFL
— Kj Superstar (@kjcole0811) March 6, 2024
Supporters of the petition argue that the charm of the original Hogwarts Legacy lay in its single-player experience, allowing players to immerse themselves in the Wizarding World without distractions like microtransactions or grind-heavy gameplay.
But WB’s interest in live-service games is evident. Despite the commercial failure of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and the terrible reviews that it got, the company might committed to this model. Especially if recent events are considered.
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League is currently on a huge 95% discount with it costing $3.50 on Steam due to the Autumn Sale. Because of this, some people have bought the game for cheap and the player count has seen a small boost.
Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League is now %95 off on Steam, down to just $3, only 8 months after release…
I have never seen a game go this dramatically on sale in my life, might pick it up because it genuinely can’t be THAT bad to not be worth $3 pic.twitter.com/eWBcG7V7aA
— Synth Potato🥔 (@SynthPotato) November 27, 2024
Seeing this might reinforce WB’s belief in the long-term viability of live-service games, even though they aren’t received well.
Warner Bros. Should Really Take A Moment To Think
A live service game is the last thing fans want. | Image Credit: Avalanche Software
Despite the petition’s growth, its effectiveness is questionable. Hogwarts Legacy 2 might just have a live-service model as game companies often overlook fan petitions, especially those without direct legal or financial implications. Live-service games offer a potentially lucrative revenue stream through microtransactions and sustained player engagement.
This aligns with not just WB’s but most companies’ strategy to maximize profitability. As a result, the petition’s influence may be more symbolic than practical. There are arguments for and against live service in Hogwarts Legacy 2.
Some people say that it comes with the potential for a longer lifespan with continuous updates and new content keeping players engaged. This model could also allow WB to adapt based on player feedback and improve the game over time.
But this would obviously come with always-online requirements and monetized cosmetics that could easily be abused. While you can argue that striking a balance would fix this, why bother if you can just not have it be live service?
Hogwarts Legacy was a story-focused game with hardly any potential for being live-service, WB would have to make the sequel very different for it to be a live-service title.
