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IGN: Who is the developer of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban? We know that Chamber of Secrets was created by Eurocom, working EA Studios, and Sorcerer's Stone by Warthog, so who is working on this title?

Kevin Shrapnell: PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube are all being developed by an internal team at EA's Chertsey Studio.

IGN: How closely will the new game follow the book and the movie?

Kevin: As with previous releases, the game POA follows the general plot and story but provides additional gameplay throughout Hogwarts School and grounds as well as in numerous spell challenges and encounters.

IGN: The Prisoner of Azkaban is a significantly darker book (and we assume movie) than the first two Harry Potter outings. Will the game reflect this?

Kevin: Yes, from the very first level of the game the player has to deal with the looming presence of the Dementors - the unstoppable guards of Azkaban. Also the characters are in their third year and have greater responsibilities as well as more powerful magic.

Friendship and loyalty are key themes in POA and the player has to collaborate with and help their companions throughout the game. For example, Harry passes out when he encounters the Dementor on the Hogwarts Express for the first time -- and Ron has to drag Harry to safety while Hermione runs to get help from a teacher. This sequence has the player directly control Ron to save Harry.

IGN: Sounds cool. Will the Prisoner of Azkaban title otherwise play and look similarly to EA's two other Potter adventure games?

Kevin: POA is an adventure game, so there are some similarities in terms of play style but there are lots of new elements introduced in this game. The dynamic and play between the three friends, which we call 'companion play' is all new for POA and offers new challenges and experiences.

IGN: Are the same art assets being re-used?

Kevin: The vast majority of the game has been built for POA and has not been seen or used elsewhere. Some of Hogwarts School from Chamber of Secrets has been used as a starting point for POA but as a minimum everything has had geometry and texture rework and new lighting and effects.

IGN: Is the title running on an all-new engine?

Kevin: Some of the underlying systems have been kept from Chamber of Secrets, but the core technologies have been massively overhauled. We have targeted two main areas for improvement: performance and load frequency. We have also added a number of new systems including more power lighting and special effects systems. The Xbox and GCN technologies are both completely new.

IGN: What different elements from the other Potter games can we expect in The Prisoner of Azkaban?

Kevin: Companion game play is new for POA -- play as Harry, Ron and Hermione to complete the adventure. Companion puzzle solving and combat requires the characters to work together and play each of their strengths. POA also has single and multiplayer mini-games available in game and from the front end, as well as a new yet-to-be-announced game mode.

IGN: How long has the game been in development?

Kevin: The game has been in development since the end of Chamber of Secrets. Early concept and design work started in parallel with technology evaluations in 2002, but the bulk of the work has been carried out in 2003 and will be completed over the coming months.

IGN: Will there be any differences between the various console versions of Prisoner of Azkaban?

Kevin: The core games are the same between the three console versions. The GameCube version can connect to the GBA and the PS2 has some extra unique gameplay (yet to be announced) as well as some technology differences.

IGN: You mentioned that players will be able to control Ron and Hermione. Anybody or anything else?

Kevin: Yes, they will also get the opportunity to control Hedwig and to fly Buckbeak, the Hippogriff.

IGN: Will the title feature Potter-related collectibles such as wizard cards?

Kevin: Yes, we have revamped the way that card collecting works so that they are collected in smaller sets and there are more types of cards (more than just Wizard cards). Completion of a set triggers a reward for the player.

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