If you pre-order Hogwarts Legacy, you'll get a few nice benefits. But what bonus content is in store for you if you pre-order the upcoming Harry Potter RPG? And is it worth it? Let's check it out.
Hogwarts Legacy will be out very soon (unless you're waiting to play Hogwarts Legacy on old-gen consoles or the Switch), so rather than going over the more speculative aspects of the game, like the spells, potions, and locations, we need to discuss more immediate and practical concerns.
We aren't going to tell you whether to buy the game or not, that's for you to decide. But, if you are going to get the game, here's all the information we can provide regarding pre-orders.
You will find a complete list of all the benefits you get for pre-ordering Hogwarts Legacy below, as well as our opinion on whether it's worth it. And for the sake of transparency, you should be aware that I'm a big Potter fan... so I'm kind of biased (and I'm praying it's not going to be another Cyberpunk situation).
Hogwarts Legacy Pre-Order Bonus Content: Overview
There are lots of benefits you get for pre-ordering, but the exact bonuses you get will depend on whether you're pre-ordering the Standard Edition of Hogwarts Legacy or the Deluxe / Collector's Edition, and whether you're pre-ordering the game on a PlayStation console or another platform.
| Standard Edition Pre-Order Bonuses | Deluxe / Collector's Edition Pre-Order Bonuses | |
PS5 | Onyx Hippogriff, Felix Felicis Potion Recipe | 72-Hour Early Access, Onyx Hippogriff, Felix Felicis Potion Recipe |
| PS4 | Onyx Hippogriff, Felix Felicis Potion Recipe | Onyx Hippogriff, Felix Felicis Potion Recipe |
| Xbox Series X/S & PC | Onyx Hippogriff | 72-Hour Early Access, Onyx Hippogriff |
| Xbox One, Switch | Onyx Hippogriff | Onyx Hippogriff |
PlayStation gets an unfair amount of additional content, or at least it looks like that on paper. But let's break down exactly what each of these items give you.
Onyx Hippogriff
If you pre-order any edition of Hogwarts Legacy on any platform, you will get the Onyx Hippogriff (it's purple-colored, but the same as other Hippogriffs in all other aspects). This is the "big one", the reward that everybody will want. We've seen gameplay of Hippogriffs, and they do indeed look like very impressive mounts.
As cool as the Onyx Hippogriff will be, however, you should know that lots of mounts are available throughout Hogwarts Legacy without pre-ordering, including Hippogriffs. So don't worry about missing out on a cool, flying mount if you don't pre-order.
Felix Felicis Potion Recipe (Only Included With PS4 / PS5 Pre-Orders)
This is the recipe for the Felix Felicis potion, not the potion itself. So you will still need to find the ingredients and brew it yourself. When you take Felix Felicis in-game, the potion allows you to see valuable items hidden nearby. It's therefore going to be quite useful for exploring Hogwarts, but not an absolutely must-brew potion. And it has no use in combat.
We still don't have confirmation from the developers that this potion will be brewable without getting the recipe as a pre-order bonus, but we will update you if we hear anything.
72-Hour Early Access (Only Included With Deluxe / Collector's Edition For PS5, Xbox Series X/S & PC)
If you pre-order the Deluxe or the Collector's Edition of Hogwarts Legacy on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, or the PC, then you can begin playing the game 72 hours before the official release date. This would therefore allow you to begin playing the game on Tuesday, February 7 at 10 AM PST/ 1PM EST. (if you're on Xbox set your account location to New Zealand and you will get the game as early as possible).
Interested in the Onyx Hippogriff? We don't blame you, but that isn't the only mount in the game...
Is Pre-Ordering Hogwarts Legacy Worth It?
If you're going to buy the Deluxe or Collector's Edition anyway, then yes, you should pre-order for the 72-hour early access. But if you are only planning to get the Standard Edition then we don't recommend pre-ordering unless you're on a PS4 or PS5.
The only thing you would get for pre-ordering the standard edition if you aren't on PlayStation is the Onyx Hippogriff, and as we discussed, there are tons of great mounts in this game to use instead. You might even think that another mount, like a Thestral, will better suit your character's style.
Those were all the pre-order benefits for Hogwarts Legacy, and our opinion on whether it's worth it. If you think you want to pre-order the game, you can pick up a copy here:
Hopefully you found that helpful... but if all it's done is make you even more excited to delve into the world of Harry Potter again, why not check out the Fallout-style building mechanics that will be in Hogwarts Legacy?