EA Sports FC 26 launched worldwide on September 26, 2025 on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC, with Ultimate Edition early access beginning September 19. The annual football sim has been available for over two months as of December 6, 2025, making any Reddit post dated today suggesting it comes out in the future either outdated, mistaken, or referring to something else entirely. Meanwhile, Hogwarts Legacy 2 has not been officially announced with a release date, though Warner Bros Discovery CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels confirmed in November 2025 that the sequel is a major priority for the company and will continue to be a couple of years down the road, suggesting a 2027 or 2028 launch window at the earliest. The confusion likely stems from misreading announcement dates, mixing up fiscal year projections, or conflating completely unrelated gaming news into a single misleading headline.
EA Sports FC 26 Already Happened
EA Sports FC 26 has been playable since September 19 for Ultimate Edition purchasers and EA Play subscribers, with the Standard Edition launching September 26 for general audiences. The game represents the second annual entry since EA rebranded from FIFA to EA Sports FC following the end of their licensing partnership with football’s governing body. Reviews were mixed, with critics praising gameplay refinements while questioning whether incremental improvements justified another $70 annual purchase for what many view as roster updates and minor feature additions.
The game launched simultaneously across an impressive array of platforms including current and last-generation PlayStation and Xbox consoles, both versions of Nintendo Switch, PC via Steam, Origin, and Epic Games Store, plus Amazon Luna cloud gaming. This multiplatform strategy ensures maximum market penetration for EA’s most reliably profitable annual franchise, which consistently sells over 10 million copies regardless of critical reception. The September 26 launch date follows EA’s established pattern of releasing their football sim in late September to capitalize on the start of the European football season.
Hogwarts Legacy 2 Is Years Away
Warner Bros Discovery CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels provided the most concrete timeline information during a November 2025 Variety interview, stating that Hogwarts Legacy 2 remains a major priority for the company that will continue to be important a couple of years down the road. This language suggests 2027 or 2028 as realistic launch windows, aligning with typical AAA development cycles for open-world RPGs that require 4-5 years from concept to release. Given that the original Hogwarts Legacy launched in February 2023 and the sequel was greenlit immediately after its unprecedented commercial success, a 2027 release would represent roughly four years of development time.
The original game sold over 24 million copies by May 2024, making it one of the best-selling games of 2023 despite controversy surrounding Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling’s statements on transgender issues. This massive commercial success made a sequel inevitable, with Warner Bros viewing Hogwarts Legacy as a tentpole franchise comparable to Batman Arkham or Middle-earth games in their portfolio. The company’s strategy appears focused on coordinating the sequel’s launch with HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter TV series, which is now expected to premiere in 2027 after initial 2026 projections slipped due to production delays.
No Official Announcement Yet
Despite executives confirming development during investor calls and interviews, Warner Bros Games has not officially announced Hogwarts Legacy 2 with a trailer, release date, or even acknowledgment that the project exists beyond corporate financial discussions. This stands in contrast to how major publishers typically handle sequels to massive hits, where formal announcements come within a year of the original’s launch to maintain momentum and keep audiences engaged. The silence suggests either the game is very early in development, or Warner Bros is strategically waiting to announce closer to the HBO series premiere to maximize cross-media synergy.
Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier previously reported that Warner Bros Games is working on a Hogwarts Legacy sequel, lending credibility to executive statements with his track record for accurate insider information. However, even Schreier’s reporting didn’t include specific release windows or feature details, indicating the project remains early enough that concrete plans haven’t solidified. For context, AAA open-world games typically need 3-5 years from initial concept to launch, and given Hogwarts Legacy only released February 2023, a 2027 or 2028 window makes sense for avoiding rushed development.
Why The Confusion
The Reddit post title lumping EA Sports FC 26 and Hogwarts Legacy 2 together with come out in 2026 creates confusion because these are completely unrelated games with vastly different release situations. EA Sports FC 26 already launched in September 2025, making any suggestion it comes out in 2026 factually incorrect unless referring to some post-launch expansion or content update. Hogwarts Legacy 2 has no confirmed release date but executive comments suggest 2027 or later, not 2026. The most charitable interpretation is that the post conflated fiscal year 2026 (which for many companies runs through March or June 2026) with calendar year 2026.
Alternatively, the confusion might stem from someone misreading an article about Warner Bros’ 2026 fiscal year projections where executives discussed Hogwarts Legacy 2 as a future priority without specifying exact timing. Corporate earnings calls frequently discuss games in development years before release, and casual readers might interpret major priority as coming soon when executives mean strategically important to long-term revenue regardless of when it ships. The conflation with EA Sports FC 26 remains unexplained unless the original source was a list of anticipated games that mixed already-released titles with genuine future releases.
What To Actually Expect
EA Sports FC 26 will continue receiving updates, seasonal content, and Ultimate Team promotions through summer 2026 when EA Sports FC 27 enters its pre-release marketing cycle. The annual franchise operates on a predictable rhythm where the current year’s game receives support until the next entry arrives, at which point most of the player base migrates to the new version. For anyone interested in EA Sports FC 26, it’s available right now across all major platforms and has been for months.
Hogwarts Legacy 2 will likely receive an official announcement sometime in 2026, possibly during a Summer Game Fest showcase or dedicated Warner Bros Games presentation coordinated with HBO’s Harry Potter series marketing. The actual release probably won’t occur until 2027 or 2028 based on development timelines and executive comments, with platform support likely focusing on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC while skipping PlayStation 4 and Xbox One due to those consoles being 14-15 years old by then. Whether the sequel addresses criticisms of the original’s repetitive side content, basic RPG systems, and narrative pacing issues remains unknown, but Warner Bros will certainly prioritize commercial appeal over risky creative experimentation given the first game’s massive sales.
FAQs
When did EA Sports FC 26 release?
EA Sports FC 26 launched September 26, 2025 worldwide on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. Ultimate Edition early access began September 19, 2025.
Is Hogwarts Legacy 2 coming in 2026?
No. Warner Bros executives indicated Hogwarts Legacy 2 is a couple of years down the road as of November 2025, suggesting 2027 or 2028 launch windows. No official release date has been announced.
Has Hogwarts Legacy 2 been officially announced?
No formal announcement with trailer or release date has occurred. However, Warner Bros Discovery CFO confirmed the sequel is a major priority during November 2025 investor communications, and Jason Schreier reported it’s in development.
Will Hogwarts Legacy 2 be on PS4?
Unlikely. By 2027-2028 when the sequel would release, PlayStation 4 will be 14-15 years old. Most analysts expect the game to target PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC exclusively, possibly with PlayStation 6 versions if that console launches.
What platforms is EA Sports FC 26 on?
EA Sports FC 26 is available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC via Steam/Origin/Epic, and Amazon Luna cloud gaming.
When will we see Hogwarts Legacy 2 gameplay?
Likely not until 2026 at the earliest, with full reveals probably coordinating with HBO’s Harry Potter TV series marketing which is expected to premiere in 2027 after production delays pushed it from 2026.
Is EA Sports FC 26 worth buying?
Depends on your interest in football sims and whether you owned FC 25. Reviews suggest incremental improvements rather than revolutionary changes, making it a better purchase for newcomers or those who skipped previous years.
Conclusion
The confusion between EA Sports FC 26 and Hogwarts Legacy 2 highlights how gaming news cycles create misleading narratives when information gets compressed or misinterpreted. EA’s annual football sim already launched months ago and has been playable since September, while Warner Bros’ Harry Potter sequel won’t arrive for at least another two years based on executive comments and typical development timelines. The two games share nothing in common beyond being sequels to successful franchises from major publishers, making any headline grouping them together inherently suspicious. For players wondering when they can actually play these games, EA Sports FC 26 is available right now across every major platform, while Hogwarts Legacy 2 requires patience until 2027 or 2028 when Warner Bros coordinates its release with the HBO TV series for maximum transmedia synergy. The lesson here is to verify gaming news through multiple credible sources rather than trusting Reddit post titles that might conflate unrelated information or misunderstand corporate earnings call language about fiscal year projections versus actual release dates.