Ever since "Pokemon Go" took over the world, Potterheads have been left to wonder: Is "Harry Potter Go" real? "Pokemon Go" developer Niantic might not be making a Harry Potter-themed augmented reality (AR) app, but another company wants to make "Harry Potter Go" a reality. The not-yet-released Maguss app plans to use fans' "Harry Potter Go" petition ideas to create a magical mobile game.
(We have a lot of ideas about how this should look. Check out Bustle's Harry Potter Go illustrations.)
Over the weekend, an announcement that claimed Niantic had acquired the rights to create a "Harry Potter Go" app went viral. Potterheads found themselves disappointed on Monday when Gizmodo burst our bubbles to tell us that the "news" article was fake.
Maguss was originally conceived as a game that would allow players to hold magical duels in the real world, using bluetooth Maguss Wand peripherals in conjunction with wearables and the mobile app. The Maguss Wand Kickstarter campaign ended on September 13, 2015, having raised almost DKK 207,000 (approx. $30,000 U.S.), a little less than half of its DKK 450,000 (approx. $61,000 U.S.) goal.
After several months of radio silence, Maguss posted a July 23 update to its Kickstarter page, announcing its decision to develop as the highly requested "Harry Potter Go" app. It's important to note that Maguss is not affiliated with Warner Bros., J.K. Rowling, Scholastic, or Bloomsbury, but the developer isn't letting that get in the way of a cool idea.
According to the website, Maguss is currently gearing up for a crowdfunding campaign to pre-sell the battery-operated Maguss Wand peripheral, which will retail for $35, with an "early bird" price of $25. The app will be free, and players will not need a wand to play. Admit it, though: you want your own wand.
Although work is complete on the Maguss Wand and player-vs-player (PvP) combat, the mobile app is still in development. Maguss admits that this "is the most complex part of [the] project," and that its crowdfunding campaign will help produce the peripheral and finance the app's development.
It's unclear at this time whether Maguss still plans to use the wearable receivers that were listed as part of the gameplay last year. At that time, packages that included one wand, one receiver, and an app download were priced at $66 each.
Maguss has been in development for nearly two years, but it may have finally spotted the light at the end of a long tunnel. If we get it, "Harry Potter Go" stands a chance to be bigger than "Pokemon Go," and that's saying something. Mere days after its release, Niantic's AR game became the most popular mobile app of all time, surpassing Twitter and Candy Crush Saga — and that's without legions of fans asking for its release.
"Harry Potter Go" might still be a long way off, but Maguss could be the closest thing we get. Keep an eye on this one, Potterheads.
Images: Warner Bros.; Courtesy of Maguss Team
