Harry Potter Defenders
Rules, setup, strategy, release date and price for MinaLima's Defenders of Hogwarts board game.
Harry Potter Defenders is the board game Defenders of Hogwarts, the first game from MinaLima, the studio behind the graphic props in the Harry Potter films. Death Eaters have got into Hogwarts. Up to four players each take a house and race to prepare the castle's defences, while one player runs the Dark Arts and tries to take it over first.
Harry Potter Defenders is a deck-building game played on an illustrated map of Hogwarts Castle and its grounds. You play cards to move your pawns through corridors, secret passageways and locked doors, collect three items, and trade them for Defence Shields. The first house to hold two shields wins, unless the Dark Arts Player gets there first.
Harry Potter Defenders status, October 11, 2026: the Kickstarter and late pledges have closed. Backer copies are due to ship this month, limited retail follows in autumn 2026, and the global release lands in spring 2027. Full timeline →
Harry Potter Defenders guides
How Harry Potter Defenders plays
| House Players (1–4) | Dark Arts Player (1) | |
|---|---|---|
| Wins by | Collecting 2 Defence Shields | Taking 3 Progress Tokens (Giant, Acromantula, Dementor) and landing pawns on a target location |
| Each turn | Explore, Learn or Replenish | Explore or Replenish |
| Gets stronger by | Buying cards and climbing the Hogwarts Loyalty Track | The Dark Arts Path moving from white to orange to red |
| Key tension | Every time you refill your hand, the Dark Arts Path advances | Bumping students back to the Great Hall |
How a Defence Shield is built
Stand on a Defence Shield space holding all three items. Two shields wins the game.
Read the full Harry Potter Defenders rules →
Harry Potter Defenders by the numbers
Kickstarter funding vs goal
British pounds. The campaign ran June 30 – July 24, 2026.
Show data table
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| Funding goal | £50,000 |
| Raised at close | £1,224,472 |
| Incl. late pledges | £1,313,755 |
Backers by pledge tier
Most backers chose the base game. Late pledges came through the Hive pledge manager.
Show data table
| During campaign | Late pledge | Total backers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Defender · £58 | 4,894 | 450 | 5,344 |
| The Guardian · £115 | 3,587 | 249 | 3,836 |
| The Collector · £280 | 1,424 | 95 | 1,519 |
Who made Harry Potter Defenders
MinaLima is the London studio of Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima, the graphic designers behind the Marauder's Map, the Daily Prophet and other paper props from the Harry Potter films. They led the art and creative direction of Harry Potter Defenders. The original game design is by David Waterman, an industrial designer, for whom this is a first tabletop game. It is made under licence from Warner Bros.
Is Harry Potter Defenders any good?
Early verdicts are mixed-to-positive. Reviewers praise the art and the gold-accented board almost everywhere and enjoy the card combos later in the game. Common complaints are a slow opening, repeated bumping back to the Great Hall, skip-a-turn cards, and houses that all play the same. Its BoardGameGeek rating is still based on a small number of split votes. If you want a cooperative game instead, see our Hogwarts Battle comparison.
Harry Potter Defenders videos
Harry Potter Defenders FAQ
What is Harry Potter Defenders?
Harry Potter Defenders is the name most people search for Defenders of Hogwarts, a 2–5 player board game by MinaLima. One player runs the Dark Arts, the others each play a Hogwarts house, and everyone races to their own win condition on a map of Hogwarts.
Is Harry Potter Defenders an RPG or video game?
Neither. Harry Potter Defenders is a physical tabletop game. Some news headlines called it an RPG because you choose a side to play. More on that here.
Is Harry Potter Defenders cooperative?
No. MinaLima confirms it is competitive with a single winner, with no co-op or solo mode. House Players can help each other against the Dark Arts, but only one of them wins.
When is the Harry Potter Defenders release date?
Kickstarter backers receive it from October 2026. Limited copies go on sale at House of MinaLima stores and minalima.com in autumn 2026, with a global release in spring 2027. Full timeline.
How much does Harry Potter Defenders cost?
The recommended retail price is £75 including UK VAT. The Kickstarter base tier was £58 (about $78). No official US retail price yet. Where to buy.
How many players and how long does it take?
2 to 5 players, about 90 minutes, ages 13 and up. One player is always the Dark Arts Player.