Hogwarts Legacy announced, a Harry Potter RPG set 200 years before that nerk's day

After years of leaks and rumours, Warner Bros. today finally announced they're making a Harry Potter open-world action-RPG set around the Hogwarts Boarding School For Magicians. A twist: Hogwarts Legacy is set at the school back in the 1800s, so we should see none of that pesky Potter boy. Coming next year, it's being made by Avalanche Software, the studio behind Disney Infinity - not to be confused with the Just Cause and Mad Max gang at Avalanche Studios. Come see the announcement trailer.

We'll get to customise our own wee wizard, craft potions, learn spellcasting, make pals, and generally run around shooting "ZAP!" while throwing fireworks.

"Your character is a student who holds the key to an ancient secret that threatens to tear the wizarding world apart," WB said in today's announcement. "You have received a late acceptance to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and soon discover that you are no ordinary student: you possess an unusual ability to perceive and master Ancient Magic. Only you can decide if you will protect this secret for the good of all, or yield to the temptation of more sinister magic."

Magic even more ancient than the 1800s? Mate they didn't even have the Samsung Galaxy S6 back then, you can't get much older. What will I do - awe people with my new discovery, the wheel?

Hogwarts Legacy is coming in 2021 to PC, PlayStation 5, PS4, Xbox Series X, and Xbone. See its website for more info.

The announcement says nothing about JK Rowling being involved in any way, beyond her obvious business interests, so that's nice.