Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - Coming Fall 2008

EA, makers of the Harry Potter games, have announced that the upcoming Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince game for Mac will be released to coincide with the arrival of the sixth Harry Potter movie, which is due in theaters November 21, 2008.

With this game, Macintosh gamers will relive the thrills, action and excitement of the original Harry Potter movie this holiday season.

In the game of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, players will return to Hogwarts to help Harry survive a fraught sixth year. They will also have a chance to engage in exciting wizard duels, mix and brew magical ingredients in Potions class and take to the air to lead the Gryffindor Quidditch team to victory. Players may even get sidetracked by Ron’s romantic entanglements as they journey towards a dramatic climax and discover the identity of the Half-Blood Prince.

This time, Voldemort is tightening his grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds and Hogwarts is no longer the safe haven it once was. Harry suspects that dangers may even lie within the castle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle that he knows is fast approaching. Together they work to find the key to unlock Voldemort’s defenses and, to this end, Dumbledore recruits his old friend and colleague, the well-connected and unsuspecting bon vivant Professor Horace Slughorn, whom he believes holds crucial information. 

Meanwhile, the students are under attack from a very different adversary as teenage hormones rage across the ramparts. Harry finds himself more and more drawn to Ginny, but so is Dean Thomas.  And Lavender Brown has decided that Ron is the one for her, only she hadn’t counted on Romilda Vane’s chocolates! And then there’s Hermione, simmering with jealously but determined not to show her feelings. As romance blossoms, one student remains aloof. He is determined to make his mark, albeit a dark one. Love is in the air, but tragedy lies ahead and Hogwarts may never be the same again.

Harvey Elliott, Head of EA Bright Light studio in the UK, described the game as a milestone experience:

We believe that the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince video game represents a milestone in the movie tie-in genre. Building on the technological advancements of previous games in the series and with a particular focus on the unique control system of Nintendo’s Wii, the team here is working closely with the filmmakers to create an immersive interactive experience that captures the story, the action, the excitement and, above all, the fun of the film.

Scott Johnson, Vice President, Business Development for Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment,  promised that Harry Potter gamers won’t be disappointed:

Working with EA, we look forward to offering fans a compelling Harry Potter video game, one which captures the thrilling storyline and high visual quality of the movie. The adherence to the rich fiction is a trademark of this franchise and with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince fans will experience the most authentic and enjoyable game in the series to date.

The game will also be available for other platforms: the Wii, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, , PSP (PlayStation Portable), Nintendo DS, Windows PC, and mobile devices.