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The next 'Pokémon Go'? 'Harry Potter: Wizards Unite' launches in the US and UK

Posted at 8:14 AM, Jun 22, 2019
and last updated 2019-06-22 11:14:09-04

Get ready to swap your Pokéballs for a wand.

Niantic Labs, the creator of "Pokémon Go," just released its successor: " Harry Potter: Wizards Unite ."

The augmented reality game was released Friday in the US and UK on Android and iOS. It is not immediately known when it will release in other regions.

In "Harry Potter: Wizards Unite," players take on the role of wizards that are tasked with containing magic around the world. Players can brew potions and cast spells, and they can teleport using a magical device called a Portkey to "iconic Wizarding World locations."

The "Pokémon Go" craze may have long since died down, but Niantic Labs is likely hoping "Harry Potter: Wizards Unite" will find similar success.

Niantic CEO John Hanke revealed during the Game Developers Conference earlier this year that "Pokémon Go" has been installed more than one billion times in over 150 countries, and it has also earned more than $2 billion in revenue.

"Harry Potter: Wizards Unite" is free to download and play, but in-game currency can be purchased with real money.

Analytics firm App Annie expects consumer spending for "Harry Potter: Wizards Unite" to exceed $100 million in the first 30 days of the game's release, which it says is "no small feat."

"Pokémon Go" broke the $100 million barrier in its first two weeks of release, and it became the fastest game to earn over $1 billion in consumer spending.

So, the bar is set high, and "Harry Potter: Wizards Unite" certainly has big shoes to fill.

Even so, if the game breaks $100 million in consumer spending within 30 days, that estimate would put it well ahead of the next closest game, "Candy Crush Saga."

"Harry Potter: Wizards Unite" is co-developed and co-published by Niantic, Inc. and WB Games San Francisco as part of Portkey Games. (Warner Bros. is part of WarnerMedia, CNN's parent company.)