Harry Potter: Wizards Unite will shut down in January

Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, the augmented reality game from the creators of Pokemon Go, will shut down early next year.

The front page of the official Harry Potter: Wizards Unite website now announces that the game will be removed from app stores on December 6, with a full shutdown to follow on January 31, 2022. New tweaks to the game that went live today will give players a better shot at finishing up any outstanding business they may still have in the wizarding world:

• All Daily Assignments will have their rewards increased
• All Potion Brew times will be reduced by 50% with Master Notes
• The daily cap on sending and opening Gifts will be removed
• Barrufio’s Brain Elixir potion will now award 3× player XP
• 1920s Portkey Portmanteaus will appear on the map more frequently and associated Fragment rewards will be doubled
• Spell Energy and Ingredients will appear on the map more frequently

Niantic does not plan to provide refunds for any microtransaction purchases made in the game, though making new purchases will be disabled when Wizards Unite is removed from stores in December. The developer says players "will have the full opportunity to enjoy your remaining Gold" thanks to the gameplay changes, as well as a full schedule of special events set to run through November and December, with more to be announced for January.

The main storyline of the game, which has followed grown-up versions of Harry and Hermione attempting to stop a Calamity that threatens the fate of both the mundane and magical worlds, will also play out to its conclusion before Wizards Unite goes offline.

Niantic didn't say why it's shutting down Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, but at least its older sibling Pokemon Go is still going strong.