Harry Potter: Wizards Unite available to play now in the US and UK

Wands at the ready. Here comes the equivalent of Pokemon Go -- but for The Boy Who Lived.

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Shelby Brown (she/her/hers) is an editor for CNET's services team. She covers tips and tricks for apps, operating systems and devices, as well as mobile gaming and Apple Arcade news. Shelby also oversees Tech Tips coverage. Before joining CNET, she covered app news for Download.com and served as a freelancer for Louisville.com.

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Shelby Brown

June 20, 2019 8:29 a.m. PT

2 min read

Harry Potter Wizards Unite - Buckbeak — The game will let you interact with fantastic beasts -- through your phone.
Niantic Labs and WB Games

Attention, witches and wizards: The much-anticipated Harry Potter: Wizard Unite mobile game launched today for Android and iOS . CNET confirmed the AR game is available in the US and UK. (Here's how you get started playing Harry Potter: Wizards Unite on your iPhone or Android phone.)

The Harry Potter game was originally supposed to debut Friday. The news arrived Tuesday in a tweet -- the muggle version of owl delivery.

The game opened for signups in November and launched its beta in Australia and New Zealand in May. Harry Potter: Wizards Unite is a joint effort of WB Games and Niantic under the Portkey Games label.

Versus: Harry Potter: Wizards Unit beats Pokemon Go every way but one

The worldwide launch of Harry Potter: Wizards Unite begins this Friday, June 21! Keep your eyes peeled and wand ready for more information as the game goes live in your region soon. #WizardsUnite pic.twitter.com/ckk4s4mi8a
— Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (@HPWizardsUnite) June 19, 2019

First announced in 2017, the Harry Potter game is similar to the Niantic augmented reality game Pokemon Go, which lets players wander the real world while pointing their phones at virtual landmarks. Based on J.K. Rowling's magical world, Wizards Unite sends players out to interact with fantastic beasts, learn spells and duel with other witches and wizards.

In the game, you're part of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force and its your duty to find magical traces of calamity. You piece together clues to uncover the cause. When you come across evidence, your log your discoveries about the anomalies.

You can create your wizarding avatar by snapping a photo of yourself and picking out your robes. You'll be sorted into a Hogwarts house and given a wand. Don't worry, though, you can swap if you're particularly attached to your Pottermore sorting and already have a house. The game will also give you a job as an auror, magizoologist or professor. Each offers specific skills and abilities, but you can swap your profession too.

Originally published June 19.
Update, June 20: Adds details about Wizards Unite game.