MinaLima is launching a new tabletop experience titled Defenders of Hogwarts, which allows players to either protect the school or align with Lord Voldemort. The game is designed for two to five players aged 13 and older and is slated for a late 2024 Kickstarter campaign.

MinaLima's shift from film props to the Battle of Hogwarts

The creative duo of Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima, known collectively as MinaLima,are bringing their cinematic deign expertise to the tabletop. having crafted iconic props for the Harry Potter film series—including the Daily Prophet and the Marauder's Map—MinaLima is applying that same aesthetic to the game's components. According to the report, the board and cards will feature the duo's signature aged parchment textures and whimsical fonts to make them feel like authentic wizarding artifacts.

This transition from screen to board allows MinaLima to leverage their history with the franchise, which extends to the graphic design for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley at Universal Orlando Resort. By focusing on the Battle of Hogwarts from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the game anchors its visual and narrative identity in the most intense period of the series' timeline.

The hidden role mechanic and the path to Voldemort's army

Unlike many licensed titles, Defenders of Hogwarts features a dynamic alignment system that can change the nature of the game mid-session. Players begin as students with unique skills, such as potions knowledge or dueling abilities, but their actions dictate their loyalty.. As reported, using forbidden spells or aiding Death Eater infiltrators pushes a player toward a "dark" alignment, while heroic acts keep them in the "light."

Once a player crosses a specific threshold of dark actions, they reveal their allegiance, transforming the match into a hidden role conflict. The player who joins Lord Voldemort's side then receives secret missions to sabotage the other defenders. This creates a high-stakes environment where the 90-minute playtime is defined by suspicion and shifting loyalties, with the dark player attempting to summon the Dark Mark or open secret passages while the defenders fight to secure the castle.

Moving beyond the cooperative style of Hogwarts Battle

The introduction of a competitive, dual-path mechanic marks a departure from previous titles like Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle or Harry Potter: Death Eaters Rising, which leaned heavily on cooperative play. By allowing players to actively work against one another, Defenders of Hogwarts mirrors the moral ambiguity and themes of power and prejudice found in the later Harry Potter novels.

This shift reflects a broader trend in modern board gaming where "traitor" mechanics—similar to those found in social deduction games—are used to increase replayability. By moving away from a purely cooperative model, MinaLima is challenging players to navigate the interpersonal tension of betrayal, making the game as much about reading your friends as it is about managing resources in the Forbidden Forest or the Great Hall.

The mystery of the unannounced game designer and future expansions

While the visual direction is firmly in the hands of MinaLima, the report notes that the actual game designer remains unannounced. This leaves a significant question regarding the mechanical depth of the game: will the gameplay be as innovative as the alignment system suggests, or will it rely on standard dice-roll movement and action points?

Furthermore, while MinaLima has hinted at future expansions that could include the Ministry of Magic or Diagon Alley, the specific details of these additions remain vague. There is also the matter of the "exclusive bonus" promised to early Kickstarter sign-ups; the source does not specify if this will be a physical token, a limited-edition card, or a digital reward, leaving fans to speculate on the value of the early-bird incentive.