The latest Hogwarts Legacy gameplay footage, as revealed during March 2022’s State of Play presentation, gave Harry Potter fans a glimpse into each House’s common room at Hogwarts Castle. As expected, they all feature vastly different designs that help convey the energy and values of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Seeing as players in Hogwarts Legacy will be allowed to pick their character’s House at the start of the game, knowing what each common room looks like could help persuade particularly indecisive Hogwarts students to decide which suits them best.

While most of the Hogwarts common rooms have appeared, or at least been described, in other Harry Potter media such as the novels and certain games like the Lego Harry Potter crossover, Gryffindor is the only one that’s received a significant amount of screentime in just about every part of the series. This is especially true of the Harry Potter films. Hogwarts Legacy, however, will revolve around a protagonist who most likely starts with no pre-established ties to any Hogwarts House. Once players use the Sorting Hat to place their character into a House of their choosing, they will presumably be allowed to spend quite a bit of time in the common rooms and dormitories of previously under-utilized Houses like Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.

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Exploration is a vital part of the upcoming RPG, as evidenced by Hogwarts Legacy‘s massive open-world map that extends well beyond Hogwarts Castle and other well-known Harry Potter locales like Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. It’s reasonable to assume that there will be quite a few secrets to be found inside of every House’s common room. It could also serve as a hub location for Hogwarts Legacy‘s protagonist and their companions, allowing them to easily find and interact with characters who might otherwise be difficult to track down in Hogwarts Castle’s many rooms and corridors. The details regarding Hogwarts Legacy‘s mechanics in regards to common rooms aren’t entirely clear just yet, but for the time being, wizarding enthusiasts can at least admire their designs.

Gryffindor Common Room Makes A Return In Hogwarts Legacy

Even when being recreated in video games, the Gryffindor common room is easily the most recognizable of the four thanks to its extensive inclusion in the Harry Potter movies and its position as a significant setting throughout the novels. Its entrance, hidden behind an enchanted painting, is arguably just as notable as its interior, consisting of a busy bulletin board, comfy red armchairs, and a fireplace that takes up almost an entire wall. It’s also regularly used as a party space. Given how iconic this common room is, it’s likely that developers put quite a bit of time into making Hogwarts Legacy‘s interpretation of House Gryffindor look just right.

The Gryffindor living areas in Hogwarts Legacy seem quite a bit larger than their portrayal in the Harry Potter films. However, the common room is still easily identifiable thanks to the large amount of red and gold drapery spanning the walls and floors. It looks as though there’s plenty of light in the room, and a couple of globes are scattered around to perhaps reflect the adventurous nature of Gryffindor students. Much like the dormitory bedrooms of Gryffindor, which were revealed in some of the Hogwarts Legacy footage released ahead of the State of Play presentation, the familiarity of the common room should be exciting for Harry Potter fans to return to even considering Hogwarts Legacy‘s lack of returning characters.

Slytherin’s Hogwarts Legacy Common Room Is The Most Unique

While most of the other common rooms in Hogwarts are located in the castle’s towers, save for House Hufflepuff, Slytherin’s is arguably the most notable exception to this. The Slytherin common room is located in the castle dungeons and is described as grand in appearance but cold in terms of the atmosphere. In addition, the common room extends partially under Hogwarts lake, casting the room in a distinctive greenish tint – fitting, given the House colors are green and silver – and providing Slytherin students with a unique underwater view. Although the Slytherin common room was featured briefly in the Harry Potter films, many are hoping that Hogwarts Legacy will explore the area more extensively and allow players to spend more time appreciating its unusual construction.

Unfortunately, sticking the Slytherin House common room in the dungeons is one of many examples of the unfair negative perception Slytherin is given throughout the Harry Potter series, and it looks as though Hogwarts Legacy won’t be fully able to escape that. Stone pillars and imposing arches can be seen as prominent accents throughout the State of Play footage, and compared to the other House common rooms, there seems to be less of a focus on comfortable seating areas. On the other hand, the ornate tile floors and massive windows stand out to such a degree that it’s more than worthwhile to let Hogwarts Legacy‘s Sorting Hat choose Slytherin.

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Astronomy Fans Will Love Ravenclaw’s Starry Common Room

Ravenclaw’s common room is located in another one of the castle towers, same as Gryffindor, though the overall atmosphere is vastly different. Ravenclaw House leans into its status as a home for thinkers by providing its wizards with plenty of books, art, and even constellations to study, thanks to the stars covering the domed ceiling. Descriptions from the Harry Potter canon also state that Ravenclaw common room houses a small library for students to browse. While arguably not as cozy as the Gryffindor common room may be, there should be plenty to look at and interact with. Hopefully, Hogwarts Legacy will make good use of the opportunity.

As featured in the latest Hogwarts Legacy footage, the Ravenclaw common room does at least seem off to a good start in terms of decor. Marble busts can be seen decorating various corners of the room, and there are telescopes that players may be able to use to view the night sky out of the common room’s large arched windows. The carpet on the center of the floor also leans into the astronomy theme. Unfortunately, House Ravenclaw is one of the least explored Houses in the Harry Potter films and novels. It might be worthwhile for Harry Potter fans to consider picking it as their character’s House if only to fully explore Ravenclaw’s common room and dormitories in Hogwarts Legacy.

Hufflepuff’s Common Room Is The Coziest In Hogwarts Legacy

Another sorely neglected Hogwarts House that appears in Hogwarts Legacy is Hufflepuff. Fortunately, from the look of things, it will be given some much-needed time to shine if players opt to sort the Hogwarts Legacy protagonist into Hufflepuff. Although the entrance is located right next to the kitchens, the Hufflepuff common room is actually positioned in the basement, with its windows placed precisely at ground level. Round doors, patchwork quilts, and an abundance of plants and flowers help make the low-ceilinged room feel like a comfortable burrow. Appropriate, considering Hufflepuff’s mascot.

Though Hogwarts Legacy seems to expand the space quite a bit, same as with the other House common rooms, it still holds all the staples that make Hufflepuff’s living space unique. Cacti and flowers of all varieties can be seen in the Hogwarts Legacy State of Play gameplay footage, and the room is covered in mismatched rugs and armchairs. Circular doors and carved wooden arches make it seem homier, giving off the impression of a welcoming communal space more than just a school dormitory. Each of the common rooms featured in Hogwarts Legacy serves to highlight the unique qualities of the students who belong to those Houses. As more information is released, it should be interesting to see how else the Sorting Hat’s choice could impact player experience throughout the game.

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Editor’s Note: Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling has been accused of transphobia by those in the LGBTQ+ community. Although not directly involved in the development of Hogwarts Legacy, Rowling does stand to earn royalties from the game. We would like to reiterate our support for trans rights and that trans identities are valid. Support services are listed below for trans people impacted by discussions of transphobia.

In the USA:

  • Trans Lifeline: (877) 565-8860
  • The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

In Canada:

  • Trans Lifeline: (877) 330-6366
  • Youth Line: 1-800-268-9688

In the UK:

  • Switchboard: 01273 204050
  • Mermaids: 0808 801 0400
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About The Author


Ky Shinkle
(529 Articles Published)

Ky Shinkle is a Senior Gaming Features Writer for Screen Rant as well as an overall avid gamer and writer. Her prior experience is primarily that of a narrative designer for video games, although her writing has covered all formats from screenplays and novels to stage scripts. A graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design, when she isn’t writing she works on digital media projects and other types of fiction writing. Ky currently works out of Ohio and enjoys spending her free time either playing RPGs or running with her dog.

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