A Role Playing Games Blog
Why is there no Harry Potter RPG?
Harry Potter has been a great success. Author Joanne K. Rowling created a series of books that has rekindled the love for books in many children and even a lot of adults. Each Harry Potter book was an instant bestseller and the movies were huge cinema box office hits. But there still is no Harry Potter roleplaying game.
That’s really a shame, since in my opinion such a game could be a good way to introduce Harry Potter fans of all ages to the roleplaying hobby. There’s already a very detailed setting with various interesting places, its own culture, monsters, fantasy sports, etc., so you won’t have to create a lot of background to fill in the gaps in the background. Naturally players would be most interested in playing the young wizards attending Hogwarts or another school for wizards and witches.
I haven’t read the books (I have only watched the movies), so I don’t know how the story about Harry and his friends ends, but I am pretty sure there’s still a lot of conflict and mystery in the world of “Harry Potter” even after the end of the series. So, why hasn’t anyone tried to get a license for a Harry Potter RPG? Do the publishers think the fans of the series are not interested in roleplaying or is perhaps J.K. Rowling herself against using her world in roleplaying games?
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I'm not a fan of the HP books but I can see how it would make a really good RPG and a good gateway game for younger people to get into the hobby. However if what Dice Monkey says is true then it probably won't happen unless someone adapted a current game (would Witchcraft work?).
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The HP IP is incredibly tightly controlled to protect its value: Thus they are very quick to jump on anyone violating the IP – Much like Lucas Arts, they make WotC's protection look downright friendly. I think the main reason is that the cost of the licensing probably is probably prohibitive, especially given the very small sales numbers of even successful RPGs – financially it probably would be a loser for most larger companies (or viewed as too risky) and small publishers can't afford to even get into the game.
I have no idea what Green Ronin is paying for JRR Martin's Song of Ice & Fire license, but I'll bet it's taking a huge bite out of their profits and severely limits their publication freedom, both in terms of the pace at which they publish and what kinds of supplements they can produce.
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#4 written by Stargazer 2 years ago
@MJ: I don't think that the Song of Ice & Fire license is really limiting Green Ronin. Even Guardians of Order was able to pay for the license back in the day, but perhaps it was one of the factors that lead to its demise.
But I think a well-marketed HP RPG could earn a lot of money. Like the Star Wars license it's like printing money.
@Scott: If you are interested in running a homebrew HP game, you could probably a lot of games. I am no expert on the Witchcraft rules, but this could work.
Our fellow blogger Vulcan Stev has already statted out a few major characters using the Savage Worlds rules.
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Because there'd be too many godmod DMPCs running around, save or dies would be too easy to use, reducto is just broken, and it's too hard to actually win major fights with magic as opposed to getting saved by the randomness of the universe.
I would play it.
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Unfortunately, now I seriously want to homebrew a Harry Potter RPG, even if I never play it. Which I probably won't.
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There are online HP and HP-style RP communities, and LARPers.
I suspect that the majority of the HP fanbase is more interested in straight RP then then rules and combat.
Not to mention, horrendous writing and need for universal appeal would probably result in an end product which was dumbed down and generally awful.
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A very good question. Thanks for the link luv in the comments. That article came out before I actually joined the network.
My gut feeling is that Ms. Rowling is asking to much for the RP license. There are quite a few online and PBP games out there. Would a HPrpg sell? Shoot my nephews brought HP Clue to open game night last night. So it would sell I just don't that it would sell enough to offset whatever the licensing costs would be unless it was brought to market using an established system.
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As Dice Monkey said above, Rowling has stated she does not want such a game to be made. She is uber-protective of her IP and does not want to relinquish such control over it. Hasn't stopped people from doing homebrews, though. For d20 you can find Redhurst, and Jared Sorensen also designed one though I don't have a link for it right now.
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I remember reading an post recently in my reader where the author noted this exact thing—and then described how huge online communities of HP fans are running rampant through chat rooms and online forums, roleplaying freely amongst themselves with no need for to-hit rolls, magic spell descriptions or Barter checks.
The article noted that this fundamental disconnect between the published RPG community and HP fans (who could be seen as the future of the hobby) may well doom the industry. They don't want—and would likely have no use for—a published HP RPG, even if Rowling would consent to have one created.
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I suggest for those interested to check out our game "Witch Girls Adventures"
We've run a few for fun Harry Potter games for various Comic stores with our rules.
You can check us out here
http://www.witchgirlsadventures.com -
#13 written by luke 2 years ago
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#15 written by luke 2 years ago
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As I understand it, J.K. Rowling doesn't want there to be an RPG due to the fact that she doesn't want people messing with her world, and she's got at tight reign over her property. She doesn't want anyone else coming out with HP books.
That's just what I've heard, though.
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