Gilmore Girls Meets Hogwarts Legacy In This Cozy Witch Life Sim

Published Sep 13, 2026, 11:00 PM EDT

Tom Wilson is a Gaming Features Writer at Screen Rant. Over the past five years, Tom has worked as the Editor-in-Chief at The Game Crater, as a Staff Writer for GamingIntel, a List Writer at TheGamer, and, of course, as a Senior Writer at ScreenRant. Tom has experience writing reviews, guides, news, and features, and has been responsible for teams of writers, training them and editing their work.

Tom graduated with a Masters in Multimedia Journalism, and has since gone on to build up his portfolio of games journalism work.

It is no small stretch to imagine that fans of Hogwarts Legacy are likely also fans of cozy life sim experiences. By that very same token, it may also not be a stretch to assume that fans of Hogwarts Legacy thoroughly enjoy the warm, autumnal vibes of the exceptionally cozy series, Gilmore Girls. Even should you not be into one or the other, the combination of the two, rather surprisingly, works brilliantly, as has been proven time and time again.

From Charmed to Sabrina the Teenage Witch, the world is aflutter with cozy witch-focused shows that combine the low-stakes, small-town vibes of Gilmore Girls with the spell-slinging and drama of Hogwarts Legacy. However, while there are numerous shows that have illustrated the combination can work, there are few good examples of games that have. Sure, there are several games like Hogwarts Legacy, but not nearly as many cozy games akin to it as there should be. Fortunately, that's all changing with the release of a brand-new witch life sim that promises to be the Charmed of video games.

Cozy Hogwarts Legacy Sounds Perfect

One of the biggest criticisms of Hogwarts Legacy was that it didn't afford the player enough roleplaying opportunities. While the castle grounds were incredible to explore, there were few ways to actively interact with it: no minigames or social encounters, no meaningful reason to spend time in your dorm or hang out with friends. The lack of life sim elements shaped Hogwarts Legacy into a more narrative-driven action-adventure title, which is absolutely not a problem, but far from the Harry Potter simulator some may have hoped for.

Fortunately, Witchbrook, the long-gestating and forever-delayed upcoming witch life sim game from developer Chucklefish, promises to deliver the Harry Potter simulator many have wanted for decades, with a healthy sprinkling of Gilmore Girls-esque vibes in there for good measure. Witchbrook is an open-world life sim game in which players attend Witchbrook Academy, go to lessons, hang out with friends, romance compatible companions, explore the nearby town, take on odd jobs for the locals, and more.

Many have compared it, and deservedly so, to Kiki's Delivery Service, in part because delivering parcels to the residents of the town is a key component of Witchbrook's gameplay loop. However, its cozy, small-town vibe, quirky denizens, and delightfully detailed world absolutely feel akin to Gilmore Girls, as does its potential for teenage angst and romance. At the very least, Witchbrook should prove to be a fun distraction as we all await the launch of the now officially announced Hogwarts Legacy 2, so long as, of course, Chucklefish ever actually releases it.

Witchbrook Could Be The Ultimate Witch Life Sim

One of the biggest disappointments of Witchbrook, thus far, is that it hasn't actually been released. Chucklefish has promised the game would come out numerous times, with it intending for the game to come out in 2025, but has never actually delivered. For a while, it struggled to communicate with fans, offering little insight into the game or when fans could expect it, and barely showcased any actual gameplay or what the gameplay loop would entail.

Witchbrook was originally announced back in 2016, although back then it was known as Spellbound. A trailer for the game was showcased during a Nintendo Direct in 2025, stating it would release in Winter 2025, but that never ended up happening. Chucklefish has now said it won't confirm a release date until it is certain the game will release on time.

That has all changed now (although we still don't know when Witchbrook's official release date will be), as Chucklefish began posting screenshots and gameplay clips to its official Discord channel a short while ago, finally appeasing fans. It's a good thing it has, too, as opinions on whether it will ever come out or deliver the ultimate witch school sim we've all been dying to play began to waver and even veer squarely into the negative.

It does feel like Witchbrook could truly end up being the very best witch life sim game on the market and even set the bar rather high for Hogwarts Legacy 2, should it opt to include more life sim mechanics. One can hope that Chucklefish manages to pull it off, if only to appease those of us who've been waiting since it was very first announced. At the very least, Witchbrook should endeavor to deliver an experience akin to Hogwarts Legacy meets Gilmore Girls, as the world is very much in need of a cozy, life-affirming experience right about now.

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