Harry Potter: Magic Awakened EOS Announced, Guess The Spells Didn’t Work After All!

NetEase's collectible card game, Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, is shutting down in select regions. The end-of-service (EOS) announcement impacts the Americas, Europe, and Oceania, with servers ceasing operation on October 29th, 2024. Players in Asia and certain MENA regions can continue playing.

Initially released in China in September 2021, the game saw a promising start. A global launch followed in June 2022, but it failed to maintain initial momentum.

Reasons for the EOS:

While the game initially garnered praise for its Clash Royale-inspired gameplay and captivating Hogwarts atmosphere, its popularity waned. Reddit discussions highlight player frustration over a shift towards pay-to-win mechanics. A controversial rewards system rework negatively impacted free-to-play players, slowing progression and diminishing the advantage skilled players once enjoyed. These factors, combined with a lack of sustained player engagement, led to the decision to shut down the game in these regions.

The game has already been removed from the Google Play Store in affected regions (as of August 26th). Players in unaffected regions can still experience the game's dorm life, classes, secrets, and wizard duels.