Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (released in the United States as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone) is a 2001 action-adventure video game developed by Argonaut Games and published by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation. Based on the 1997 novel of the same name (as well as its 2001 film adaptation), the player controls Harry Potter, who must navigate his first year in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and eventually confront the villainous Lord Voldemort.
The PlayStation version, which was released simultaneously with the Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Color versions, was developed concurrently with those versions with input from Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and the producers of the film to ensure a consistent presentation. The game received mixed reviews, with critics praising the faithful recreation of the Harry Potter universe and some gameplay elements, while criticizing its technical limitations, simplistic mechanics, and lack of depth. The PlayStation version sold 8 million copies by May 2003, making it the sixth best-selling PlayStation video game of all time.
Gameplay
thumb|left|In this example of gameplay from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry is being pursued by a mountain troll.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is an action-adventure game with platformer elements. The player controls Harry Potter, guiding him through a narrative reflecting that of the novel. The license was showcased at E3 2001, with titles for the Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation, and the PC scheduled for November 2001. The PlayStation version was developed by Argonaut Games as an action-platform game which integrated a 3D environment into its gameplay, using the game engine they had previously developed for the Croc games.
The game was produced by Jamie Walker, designed by Stephen Jarrett, and programmed by Ben Wyatt, with Wayne Billingham and Gary Bendelow serving as lead artist and lead animator, respectively. Guy Miller and Simon Phipps wrote and edited the script and dialogue, while Jeremy Soule composed the music. The soundtrack was released digitally in 2006.
The PlayStation version, along with the Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance versions, was designed with input from Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and the producers of the film adaptation to ensure that all three versions shared a consistent presentation. The PlayStation version was released with the other two versions in North America on 16 November 2001.
Reception
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone received "mixed or average" reviews according to review aggregator platform Metacritic. On the following month, it remained on the best selling home and handheld console game list as the best selling PlayStation game. It was the country's 15th best-selling home and handheld console game of 2001 as well as the fourth best-selling PlayStation game, having sold 761,263 copies by the end of the year.
By May 2003, the game sold eight million copies, making it the sixth best-selling PlayStation game and one of the best-selling video games of all time at that point. The PlayStation version received a "Platinum" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), indicating sales of at least 300,000 copies in the United Kingdom.
The PlayStation version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone received a nomination from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences for "Console Family Game of the Year" at the 5th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards.