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Augmented reality game Pokémon Go was an instant hit after it was released in summer 2016. The fad led to rumor after rumor, including the potential for a Hogwarts-themed version of the game dubbed Harry Potter Go. What began as speculative memes and petitions developed into solid rumors that Niantic immediately decided to build upon its success by releasing a Harry Potter variant. Before long, the buzz transcended social media to reach news media, with reports that Harry Potter Go was set for a 2017 release. Some articles simply speculated, but outlets like Hello Giggles and NME reported in July 2016 that Harry Potter Go was definitely, well, a go: The story seems to have first appeared on JTXHNews, which referenced an apparently nonexistent interview with gaming outlet IGN: JTHXNews appears visually identical to hoax purveyors that spread viral fabrications claiming that celebrities are moving to (or experiencing flat tires in) small towns across Canada and the United States. On the same day NME reported that Harry Potter Go was in development, Gizmodo pointed out that no record of a Marcus Figeroa at Niantic exists, and no such announcement appeared anywhere other than a fake news outlet. Niantic made no such announcement in July or August 2016, and did not indicate that any plans for Harry Potter Go were in even the earliest planning stages. However, that doesn't rule out a Harry Potter Go game eventually appearing, as Pokémon Go was first conceived as an April Fool's Day hoax in 2014. On 8 November 2017, the hoax became reality when Niantic announced that it would be releasing a Pokémon Go-type augmented reality game for Harry Potter enthusiasts. The game will be called Harry Potter: Wizards Unite: While details remain sketchy so far, we have updated the rating on this page from False to True to update the new (augmented) reality.
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