Rockstar has become one of the biggest gaming companies through genre-defining franchises such asGrand Theft AutoandRed Dead. However, its history is also littered with franchises that were once popular but have since been retired, includingMidnight ClubandBully. ThoughBullyfound critical acclaim upon release, it has yet to receive a sequel, and it rarely receives much attention from Rockstar, making prospects of a new project related to the IP unlikely.
Fortunately, gamers will get to have a school experience thanks toHogwarts Legacy. Although it may not matchBully’s tone,Hogwarts Legacyappears to be a highly immersive game that lets players become students in a fictional school, allowing them to navigate the different social groups as they attend classes. With its magical twist,Hogwarts Legacyhas the potential to be one of the best school simulators in recent years.
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The Misunderstood Story of Bully
When Rockstar announced it was going to releaseBully, it drew a lot of criticism and controversy. To some degree, this was to be expected, as the studio was mostly known for theGrand Theft Autofranchise, and the public was expecting the same crass humor and gratuitous violence to be included in a playground setting. When the game was released in 2006, gamers found that while it did have its controversial moments,Bullywas overall a game that stood against bullying. It also managed to gain favor with a large audience thanks to its authentic depiction of school life, along with the familiar cliques and the typical emotional highs and lows that come with it.
The popularity ofBullyhas had gamers clamoring for a sequel for over a decade. However, the franchise has lain dormant, and Rockstar has moved on to more lucrative projects. There has been speculation thatBullycould receive a remake, but with no confirmation from Rockstar, it would be wise to not be too optimistic. Fans ofBullywould love to explore the corridors of Bullworth Academy once again and have that authentic school experience, but the prospects of Rockstar delivering this seems low. Fortunately,Hogwarts Legacycould scratch that itch.
Hogwarts Legacy Could Pick Up Where Bully Left Off
Plenty ofHarry Pottergames exist, butHogwarts Legacypromises to be the most ambitious project yet. Developed by Avalanche Software,Hogwarts Legacylets players become a witch or wizard who is enrolled in their fifth year in the famed magical school. There, players will be sorted into one of four houses, and they will attend magical classes which includePotions and Care of Magical Creatures. Players will also be able to interact with fellow students and have companions to help them out along the way. While Hogwarts is quite different from Bullworth Academy,Hogwarts Legacycould potentially give gamers that authentic school experience thatBullyprovided.
InBully, conflict arose between the different cliques. Similarly, inHogwarts Legacy, there will likely be a little friendly friction between the four houses as they strive for House Cup. Historically,Slytherin and Gryffindorhave been sworn enemies, and it will be interesting to see how the game will handle conflict between students in these houses.Hogwarts Legacycould also, likeBully, satisfy the desire to get into juvenile mischief, thoughHogwarts Legacywill likely add a magical twist to things.
Hogwarts Legacywill never be able to entirely fill in the gap left byBully’s absence, as it was a unique title that had a certain flair fromRockstar Gamesthat other studios have yet to replicate. Unfortunately, it does not seem like gamers will be getting moreBullyany time soon. However, for players looking for a school simulator,Hogwarts Legacymay satisfy the craving.
Hogwarts Legacyis scheduled to release in 2022 on Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
