Epic Offers Hogwarts Legacy Free, Sparks Store Crash

Epic Games Store has made the blockbuster video game Hogwarts Legacy available for free download until December 18, following its surprise announcement at The Game Awards. The promotion, which began immediately after the reveal, overwhelmed the platform with traffic, causing a worldwide crash that temporarily prevented users from accessing the storefront.

The open-world action RPG, set in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, was released in February 2023 by Warner Bros. Games and developer Avalanche Software. Players take on the role of a fifth-year student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, exploring the castle, attending classes, brewing potions, and engaging in magical duels. The game has received widespread acclaim for its immersive storytelling and faithful recreation of J.K. Rowling's universe, earning an average critic score of 84 out of 100 on review aggregators. It became 2023's bestselling game in the United States, surpassing titles like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and has sold more than 34 million copies worldwide, generating over $1 billion in revenue.

Epic Games revealed the giveaway during the annual awards show, where a teaser image of...