Technologies

Hogwarts Legacy: When the Game Launches on Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One

Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world game set in the wizarding world.

Hogwarts Legacy officially launched earlier this month, allowing wizarding fans the chance to enter their own magical fantasy. The open-world RPG is set in the Harry Potter universe, and it seems like the game that many fans of the books have long hoped for.

The new game from developer Avalanche Software lets playersexperience the famed school of witchcraft and wizardry as a student in the 1800s, before the events of the Harry Potter books. Here are some basic things to know about Hogwarts Legacy, including when you can snag a copy depending on your platform.

What’s the story?

Hogwarts Legacy players will «embark on a dangerous journey to uncover a hidden truth of the wizarding world,» according to the game’s website. You can explore Hogwarts Castle, where you attend classes. You can also go beyond it to new and familiar locations, per the website.

You can customize your character, choose a Hogwarts house and grow your magical abilities by brewing potions, mastering spells and taming beasts. Hogwarts Legacy sticks to the lore but doesn’t adapt the Harry Potter books and films.

What systems can I play Hogwarts Legacy on?

PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC versions of the game launched on Feb. 10. Those looking to play the PS4 and Xbox One versions will, unfortunately, need to wait until April 4.

Nintendo Switch users will have to hang on even longer, until July 25, to play Hogwarts Legacy.

The game was first announced in 2020, and its release dates have changed three times. It’s published by Warner Bros. Games under its Portkey Games label.

Is there early access?

The Deluxe Edition or Digital Deluxe Edition for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC included 72 hours of early access, starting Feb. 7.

The PS4 and Xbox One versions won’t have an early access period.

Where can I buy Hogwarts Legacy?

If you’re interested in the Standard Edition, you can buy the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions from stores, including GameStop, Amazon and Best Buy for $70 (about 57, AU$99). You can preorder the PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch versions from those stores for $60 (roughly 49, $AU85). The PC version is available for $60 at Steam and the Epic Games store.

You can view more ways to purchase Hogwarts Legacy (including how to buy the Deluxe Edition) on the game’s website. The Collector’s Edition has already sold out, but you may be able to find it online for a markup. The official site breaks down what comes with each edition.

What are critics saying?

The game has a Metacritic score of 84 on PS5. (The score is higher on Xbox Series X|S, and a bit lower on PC, but the PS5 score is based on the most reviews, 84.)

CNET critic Sean Keane played the PS5 version and writes in a positive review that «it captures the wonder of the early books, with an intriguing original narrative, engagingly varied gameplay and intricately designed world to explore.»

J.K. Rowling and Hogwarts Legacy

The game’s connection to Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has led her critics to call for a boycott, according to The Week. Over the past few years, Rowling has repeatedly made comments that mocked transgender individuals and infuriated trans advocates.

The Hogwarts Legacy website notes that Rowling isn’t involved in the creation of Hogwarts Legacy. But her writing is the foundation for the project and she still makes money off of sales.

Technologies

iPhone 17 Preorders Spike and Overall Phone Sales Aren’t Slowing Down Despite Tariffs

Global smartphone shipments saw a notable increase in the third quarter of 2025. Plus, preorders for Apple’s new iPhone 17 beat out the iPhone 16.

Despite tariffs and market uncertainty, global smartphone shipments increased 2.6% in the third quarter of 2025, compared to the same time last year, according to the International Data Corporation. Additionally, preorders for the iPhone 17, which launched last month, outpaced last year’s iPhone 16.

These increased sales include premium phones like the latest iPhones and Samsung foldables, suggesting yet again that pricier phones still sell in periods of economic strain. It’s a remarkable achievement, says IDC senior research director Nabila Popal, citing shrewd financing options as the reason people keep buying these high-end phones, which cost anywhere from $800 to nearly $2,000.

«[Phone makers] have mastered the art of innovation not only in hardware and software to entice upgrades but also in removing purchase friction. They have flawlessly combined cutting-edge devices with innovative financing models and aggressive trade-in programs that make the upgrading decision a ‘no-brainer’ for consumers,» Popal said in an IDC press release.

Apple sold 58.6 million iPhones this quarter, an increase of 2.9% over the same period in 2024, with more preorders for the iPhone 17 series than its predecessor. But Samsung wasn’t far behind, with its Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 selling better than all of the company’s prior foldables. The company still reigns atop the phone market with 61.4 million phones sold, representing 19% of the market in the third quarter of this year — an increase of 6.3% from the same period last year. Meanwhile, Apple lands slightly behind Samsung with 18.2% market share this quarter.

The other phone makers trailing Apple and Samsung are, in order: Xiaomi, with 13.5% of the market; Transsion, with 9%; and Vivo with 8.9%. The remaining companies in the phones industry, from Chinese stalwarts like Oppo and Honor to Motorola and Google, make up the remaining 31.4% of the market for the quarter. All told, 322.7 million phones were sold, up from 314.6 million in the third quarter of 2024, according to IDC.

IDC’s findings for the third quarter continue the small but steady growth of phone sales over the year, including a modest 1% increase in the preceding three months — which includes the April deadline when President Donald Trump unveiled sweeping tariffs. In the second quarter, IDC cited midrange devices like Samsung’s Galaxy A36 and other phones that started incorporating AI. But even persistent tariffs haven’t slowed down people’s appetites for pricier phones in the third quarter.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Tuesday, Oct. 14

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Oct. 14.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s Mini Crossword has an odd vertical shape, with an extra Across clue, and only four Down clues. The clues are not terribly difficult, but one or two could be tricky. Read on if you need the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.