Back in 2016, San Francisco-based game maker Niantic released Pokemon Go. To say it was a success would be an understatement. Pokemon Go became a massive hit and by the end of its run, it had been downloaded more than 500 million times.
Wanting to capitalize on the popularity of the game, Niantic went on the lookout for more partnerships. They found one of the biggest in Harry Potter. And in 2019, the game was released on a large scale. Today, Niantic announced that the game will be closing at the end of January 2022.
Players were able to choose both their wizarding house and wand. In addition to stopping by inns and greenhouses, gamers were also able to fight against mythical creatures from both the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts franchises.
For whatever reason, though, the title failed to resonate with players the same way that Pokemon Go did. Niantic said in a statement:
“When we launched Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, our vision was to allow players to experience the wizarding world right in their real-world surroundings as they stepped outside and explored their neighborhoods. Over the years, millions of witches and wizards around the globe have embarked on real-world adventures, coming together to keep magic hidden safe within the wizarding world while joining forces to take on The Unforgiveable.”
Niantic also noted the game’s failure to catch on, continuing, “Not all games are meant to last forever. Our goal with Harry Potter: Wizards Unite was to bring the magic of the wizarding world to life for millions of players as they stepped outside and explored their neighborhoods. We accomplished that together, delivering a two-year narrative story arc that will soon complete.”
