This guide explains how to play Hogwarts Legacy early on Steam, and PC release times.
The hype around Hogwarts Legacy has been immense. The open-world Wizarding World RPG gives Potter fans what they’ve always dreamed of – the opportunity to attend the legendary school of witchcraft and wizardry themselves. And the promise of early access has fans sat in the chairs eagerly awaiting the game’s launch.
Of course, Hogwarts Legacy has been surrounded by controversy thanks to its association with Wizarding World creator J.K. Rowling and her views on gender identity. This has spurred a boycott that has picked up considerable steam over the past few months.
Despite the boycott, Hogwarts Legacy is off to a roaring start. The game has been at the top of the Steam best-sellers chart for weeks. And early reviews place the game at an impressive 85 on Metacritic.
With so much excitement for the new Potter game, fans want to know when they can get their hands on it.
As outlined on the official website, a purchase of Hogwarts Legacy Deluxe Edition gives players 72 hours early access. That means the game is playable three whole days before the official launch on Friday 10 February.
PS5 and Xbox players have had no trouble booting up the game on 7 February. But PC players haven’t been so lucky.
So, let’s go over how to play Hogwarts Legacy early on Steam and its release times on PC…
How To Play Hogwarts Legacy Early on Steam
As mentioned, Hogwarts Legacy is set to officially launch on Friday 10 February. Anyone who pre-orders the standard edition of the game – physical or digital – will be able to play it from that date.
But for those who can’t wait three more days to jump into Hogwarts, it is possible to play the game three days early.
This is how to play Hogwarts Legacy early on Steam: Fans must purchase Hogwarts Legacy Deluxe Edition through the Steam store to play the game early. They must then wait for the set release time, as detailed below.
N.B. Hogwarts Legacy is also available to purchase on the Epic Games store and will release on there at the same time as Steam.
Hogwarts Legacy Steam and PC Release Times
Unfortunately, PC players have to wait significantly longer for their “early access” than those on PS5 or Xbox.
Console players who ordered the Deluxe Edition can jump into Hogwarts Legacy as soon as the calendar flips over to 7 February.
For some reason, PC players have to wait until designated release times. And for players in some regions, that means waiting until the early evening to finally play the game.
These are the release times for Hogwarts Legacy on Steam and PC:
- GMT: 6pm
- PST: 10am
- EST: 1pm
- CET: 7pm
N.B. it is not possible to pre-load Hogwarts Legacy on Steam before the set release time.
The reason for the delay on PC appears to be a simultaneous release across all regions. Interestingly, this isn’t the case on PS5 and Xbox. And that has understandably frustrated those who are having to wait.
The lack of a pre-load option is only exacerbating fans’ frustrations. It means that they will have to wait for the launch time in their region and then begin the hefty 85gb download.
PC System Requirements
While you’re waiting for Hogwarts Legacy to go live, check out the system requirements below to be sure you will be able to enjoy it on your system:
Minimum system requirements:
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: 64-bit Windows 10
- Processor: Intel Core i5-6600 (3.3Ghz) or AMD Ryzen 5 1400 (3.2Ghz)
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 4GB or AMD Radeon RX 470 4GB
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 85 GB available space
- Additional Notes: SSD (Preferred), HDD (Supported), 720p/30 fps, Low Quality Settings
Recommended system requirements:
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: 64-bit Windows 10
- Processor: Intel Core i7-8700 (3.2Ghz) or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 (3.6 Ghz)
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 1080 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT or INTEL Arc A770
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 85 GB available space
- Additional Notes: SSD, 1080p/60 fps, High Quality Settings
Are you annoyed by the Hogwarts Legacy PC and Steam launch? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to check out our other gaming articles…
