Niantic, known for Pokémon Go, has been working with WB Games on a new augmented reality project set in the Harry Potter universe. Today, Niantic officially unveiled some gameplay details, giving us our first look at how the game will work.

In Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, players become recruits of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force and must investigate and contain a "Calamity" that has befallen the wizarding world.

harrypotter1
Players (or witches and wizards) from around the world will need to come together to cast spells and return Foundables, which are apparently artifacts, creatures, people, and memories, to their proper place after freeing them from Confoundable magic, all with the goal of keeping magic hidden from muggles.

As you step outside and explore the world, the Map will reveal Traces of magic, highlighting the location of magical Foundables. While these Traces can be found all around you, certain Foundables may be more likely to appear at various types of real-world locations including parks, banks, municipal buildings, college campuses, libraries, monuments, zoos, art galleries, and more. Cast a variety of spells to overcome the Confoundable magic, keep the magical Foundables safe, and send them back to the wizarding world. By returning Foundables, you'll earn unique rewards that can be tracked in the game Registry.

All in all, it sounds similar to Pokémon Go, with players locating magical artifacts instead of Pokémon, and using spells rather than Pokéballs to capture them. Players will have access to inns to replenish spell energy, magical ingredients for brewing potions, and portkeys that unlock AR portals into "iconic wizarding world locations."

harrypotter2
According to Niantic, combat will also be included when witches and wizards visit real-world locations called Fortresses, which host Wizarding Challenges. These are real-time multiplayer battles against dangerous foes, similar to the raids in Pokémon Go.

Players will be able to specialize in different magical professions, including auror, magizoologists, and professors, each with unique skills and abilities.

Niantic plans to launch Harry Potter: Wizards Unite on iOS and Android later in 2019.

Top Rated Comments

tothemoonsands Avatar
85 months ago
As an avid gamer and Harry Potter enthusiast....I still don't get the point of AR games like this and Pokemon Go. In my opinion, no AR game is as fun as a real video game (yet), and who wants to be that guy running around with a phone in front of their face?

AR glasses could change the equation, but then the question becomes what do the input controls look like? If it comes down to gestures, then once again...do you really want to be that guy? I, for one, do not want to live in a world where everyone is swiping mid-air!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Regbial Avatar
85 months ago
Oh no....
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MVMNT Avatar
85 months ago
Can’t wait to catch me a Pottermon or a Hermynee...
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Xenc Avatar
85 months ago
At least it’s not the nickel-and-diming money grab that was Hogwart’s Mystery.

https://uk.ign.com/articles/2018/04/30/harry-potter-hogwarts-mystery-players-upset-with-use-of-microtransactions
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Cat-tain Mewval Avatar
85 months ago
As an avid gamer and Harry Potter enthusiast....I still don't get the point of AR games like this and Pokemon Go. In my opinion, no AR game is as fun as a real video game (yet), and who wants to be that guy running around with a phone in front of their face?

AR glasses could change the equation, but then the question becomes what do the input controls look like? If it comes down to gestures, then once again...do you really want to be that guy? I, for one, do not want to live in a world where everyone is swiping mid-air!
You do realize that before Niantic manage to shoot themselves in the foot by disabling the user made trackers everybody loved, Pokemon Go was one of the most popular games in the world right? I would go to parks and see families playing this AR game together, there were crowds of people in not just parks but stores, malls, parking lots. Strangers offering advice and randomly socializing. It was one of the most amazing social experiments I've seen in my entire life. It was so social, there were people out with their kids at 10 and 11 at night at mall parking lots catching Pokemon. Pokemon Go was a lot of fun, you might not have understood it or maybe you just had Pidgeys or Ratatats in your area (Pidgey, you suck, I'd rather catch a Magikarp), but its a rare thing to find a game that crosses generational boundaries, creates impromptu social groups and is accessible to everyone regardless of skill. Plus it got people to explore the world around them as they "Tried to catch them all". Plenty of people wanted to be "that guy" and if you're worried about what other people think about you when you're playing a game you aren't a real gamer. Real gamers have zero fuks to give. It's gaming, not a popularity contest.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.1 Beta 1

Monday September 22, 2025 12:44 pm PDT by
Apple released the first beta of iOS 26.1 today, just a week after launching iOS 26. iOS 26.1 mainly adds new languages to Apple Intelligence, but there are a few other features that are worth knowing about. New Apple Intelligence Languages Apple Intelligence is now available in Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. AirPo...
apple tv 4k new orange

Next Apple TV Expected to Launch This Year With These New Features

Monday September 22, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
The next Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Likely Features N1 Chip With Wi-Fi 7 Last year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the next Apple TV would be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, which is...
Apple Intelligence General Feature 2

iOS 26.1 Adds New Apple Intelligence Languages and Expands AirPods Live Translation

Monday September 22, 2025 11:15 am PDT by
With iOS 26.1, Apple Intelligence is gaining support for additional languages, including Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. Apple announced plans to expand the languages that can be used with Apple Intelligence last year, and now the added language support is here. Apple Intelligence is now available in the following...
iPhone 17 Pro USB C Port

iPhone 17 Pro Max's USB-C Charging Speeds Tested With Apple Chargers

Monday September 22, 2025 7:29 am PDT by
The website ChargerLAB has tested the iPhone 17 Pro Max's USB-C charging speeds with a variety of Apple's chargers, from 18W to 140W. The device reached a peak charging speed of around 36W with the following Apple chargers:40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max 61W USB-C Power Adapter 67W USB-C Power Adapter 70W USB-C Power Adapter 96W USB-C Power Adapter 140W USB-C Power AdapterFor...
iPhone 17 Pro and Air N1 Feature

Some iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone Air Users Experiencing Intermittent Wi-Fi Issue

Monday September 22, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple's latest iPhone models launched on Friday, and some early adopters of the devices are experiencing intermittent Wi-Fi issues. Affected customers say Wi-Fi connectivity periodically cuts out on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air, with hundreds of comments about the issue posted across the MacRumors Forums, Reddit, and the Apple Support Community over the...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone Like 'Two Titanium iPhone Airs' Joined at the Hinge

Monday September 22, 2025 2:16 am PDT by
Next year's rumored foldable iPhone will showcase an ultra-thin design resembling "two titanium iPhone Airs side-by-side," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in the Q&A section of his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says Apple's first foldable device will be "super thin and a design achievement," combining Apple's thinnest iPhone form factor with cutting-edge folding...
iPhone 17 Pro and Air Feature

Two iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air Colors Appear to Scratch More Easily

Friday September 19, 2025 10:02 am PDT by
As reported by Bloomberg today, some of the new iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air models on display at Apple Stores today are already scratched and scuffed. French blog Consomac also reported on this topic. The scratches appear to be most prominent on models with darker finishes, including the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max in Deep Blue, and the iPhone Air in Space Black. Images Credit: Consoma ...
iPhone 17 Pro Colors

Skipped the iPhone 17 Pro? Here's What is Rumored for iPhone 18 Pro

Tuesday September 23, 2025 8:55 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still a year away, there are already a few rumors about the devices that offer an early look ahead. Below, we have recapped some of the early iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. This story was published previously, and it has been updated to reflect the latest rumors. Many early rumors prove to be true, but nothing is confirmed yet, and Apple's...
ios 26 digital id passport wallet

Apple Confirms iOS 26 Wallet Passport Feature is Coming in 2025

Tuesday September 23, 2025 1:06 pm PDT by
Digital ID, the iOS 26 feature that lets U.S. passport holders add their passports to the Wallet app, is coming later in 2025, Apple confirmed today. Apple updated the release timing wording of Digital ID on its iOS 26 features page. "Digital ID will be coming later this year with US passports only," it reads. Prior to today, the footnote for the feature said "Digital ID will be available ...