A year ago today, Harry Potter fans rejoiced when Niantic and Portkey Games announced the development of Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. After the success of Pokémon GO, some Harry Potter fans imagined a wizarding version, affectionately dubbed Harry Potter GO. Now this imagined game would become a reality!

Unfortunately, it’s been a year since that initial exciting announcement, and the excitement has waned to an almost nonexistent level, with just a handful of expectant fans still theorizing and discussing the game’s potential.


Players of Ingress and Pokémon GO have long understood the frustration of Niantic’s poor communication skills. Future Wizards Unite players have spent the last year discovering just how uncommunicative Niantic can be.

That’s not to say Niantic has stayed entirely silent about Wizards Unite. However, the confirmed information is scant.

Wizards Unite will be an augmented reality game based on Niantic’s Real World Platform

The Wizards Unite map will use the same data as Ingress and Pokémon GO

Gameplay will involve: Taking part in a series of adventures Searching for magical creatures Bumping into iconic wizarding world characters Casting spells Discovering magical artefacts Building a wizarding career Fighting legendary beasts Teaming up with other players to take down powerful enemies



And that’s it. These are the only confirmed facts regarding Wizards Unite.

However, Niantic has shared a great deal of information about their plans to improve augmented reality. Niantic has acquired several tech companies and demonstrated some amazing augmented reality features. All of these could affect Wizards Unite. For more information, check out our previous coverage on these topics.

Multiple Niantic employees, including CEO John Hanke, have hinted vaguely at release dates for end of 2018 or even 2019. Since it’s already November 2018, with no word on a public beta test, a 2019 release date has become more likely.

For a summary of all Niantic statements on a Wizards Unite release date, read my previous article on the topic.

Most recently, Niantic teased Harry Potter fans with an Instagram post showing Niantic employees in Pokémon and Harry Potter costumes.

Other than a teaser photo acknowledging the Harry Potter fandom alongside the Pokémon fandom, Niantic revealed nothing new.

I Want Wizards Unite

Every month, we feature the Wizards Unite YouTubers, affectionately nicknamed #WUTubers. Adam the Auror designed a shirt that simply says I Want Wizards Unite. Several #WUTubers have made videos about why they want Wizards Unite.

Why do YOU want to play Wizards Unite? Comment down below!