Massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) such asWorld of Warcraftare seemingly able to last forever. Updates and expansions are consistently released, but players would likely keep up the grind even if they weren’t. As the video game industry continues developing moreongoing live-service titlesacross different platforms, not every venture is so lucky. Mobile games in particular have a history of shutting down, making their contents inaccessible.Harry Potter: Wizards Uniteis one of the next titles that will suffer this fate.
Popular augmented reality (AR) mobile developer Niantic announcedHarry Potter: Wizards Uniteis shuttering its doorsfor good in the near future. In today’s blog post detailing the shut down, Niantic confirms it will no longer be available to download or support microtransactions on July 03, 2025, and then will become entirely unplayable on July 26, 2025. Though there will be gameplay changes that makeWizards Unitemore accessible through the end of its life, many fans are undoubtedly disappointed to see this happen just two years in. That quick life cycle may also be a warning for those trying Niantic’s newest title,Pikmin Bloom.
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Harry Potter: Wizards Unite Feels Like a Match Made in Heaven
Harry Potter, the British book series-turned-worldwide multimedia empire, is one of the largest franchises ever. In 2016, CNBC reportedHarry Potterwas worth around $25 billion largely on the back of book and toy sales. Another breakdown by Title Max in 2019 said it was worth $30 billion, standing as the 10thhighest-grossing media franchise of all time.
First on that 2019 list wasPokemon, and one big factor in its continual rise to prominance over the last few years is the success ofPokemon GO; another AR mobile game developed by Niantic. When it launched in 2016,Pokemon GOproved the viability of taking real-world gameplay developed for its prior ventureIngressand slapping on a popular skin with some unique mechanics befitting that property.Harry Potter: Wizards Unitewas the experiment to followPokemon GO, and while it also found a fanbase willing to wander the Wizarding World, that game never hit the same peaks as its older sibling.
Niantic does not specify whyWizards Uniteand its associated community forums and social media channels are shutting down just two years after launch, its blog post merely thanks the “millions of witches and wizards around the globe [who] have embarked on real-world adventures.” However, it’s safe to assume overall downloads and cash flow never caught up toPokemon GO, which had its highest player spending since launchduringPokemon GOFest 2020, so Niantic is allocating its server space and development power toPikmin Bloom- which released last month.
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Pikmin Bloom May Not Keep Up
Despite being one of Nintendo’s core franchises with representation in crossover games likeSuper Smash Bros.andreal-world attractions like Super Nintendo World,Pikminhas never been a powerhouse. Mario and Link are household names on-par withPokemon’s Pikachu, but the miniscule plant-like Pikmin would be harder for common folk to pluck out of a line-up.Pikmin 3 Deluxeon Switch is its most successful title yet, but doesn’t come close to cracking Nintendo’s top-selling titles list as of June 07, 2025.
Pokemon’s name recognition was a boon during the launch ofPokemon GO, which capitalized on the property using a rock-solid premise: Letting players catch Pokemon in real life. It could be argued thatWizards Unitewas just as clever about designing a premise that fits the source material, asHarry Potterfeatures a whole universe hidden just out of sight for non-magical peoples; something the mobile game’s players were thus able to access. Even so, despiteHarry Potterfrequently being in the news thanks to new movies andcontroversies surrounding creator J.K. Rowling,Wizards Unitedid not last long in the grand sceme of things.
Some may feelPikmin Bloomhaving the backing of Nintendo ensures it will have a longer life akin toPokemon GO, but even that isn’t a guarantee. Nintendo and various developers under its wing have released a few mobile games. While Intelligent System’sFire Emblem Heroescontinues to thrive years after launch,Dr. Mario Worldjust shut downafter opening its doors in 2019. Fans ofPikmin Bloomwill have to get as much out of it as they can, as there’s no telling when it will go the way ofWizards Unite,Dr. Mario World, or other defunct mobile titles likeMinecraft Earth.
Harry Potter: Wizards Uniteis available now for iOS and Android devices, but shuts down on Aug 06, 2025.
