Over the past 20 years, numerous Harry Potter video games have been produced; Hogwarts Legacy seems like it will finally offer fans the open world interactive wizarding experience they’ve been waiting for. Unfortunately, however, some fans may be less enthusiastic and may begin distancing themselves from this franchise due to remarks by author J. K. Rowling regarding trans people.
Due to JK Rowling’s remarks regarding trans problems, many trans activists are taking to social media to urge Harry Potter fans not to purchase Hogwarts Legacy.
Avalanche Software and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment have joined forces to produce Hogwarts Legacy, set for release on February 10th. Fans of both books and movies alike eagerly anticipate its arrival, making this game one of the most anticipated releases this year. Harry Potter enthusiasts anticipate the Hogwart Legacy video game since it was initially announced in September 2020.
Sneak Glance
Here is a sneak glance at the game:
However, the game has continued to draw criticism from trans activists with only 11 days till its release.
The “Goblin Rebellion” storyline, which lets players lead an “oppressed race that is battling against its own servitude” and engage in combat, has come under fire. According to some gamers, the goblins are based on antisemitic caricatures.
Because of JK Rowling’s ideas on gender identity, trans activists have also denounced the game and some have even called for a boycott.
Trans activists reaction
Transgender rights advocates have stormed Twitter in protest of the impending release. One of the trans activists said: “Is there anything more significant than the Hogwarts Legacy boycott? Yes. Because it’s so simple to support transgender people, the basic minimum, should you boycott it? Yes, as well.”
A second added, “JK Rowling being a TERF (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) is a perfectly solid reason not to acquire Hogwarts Legacy.
A third person made the following observation: “If you play Hogwarts Legacy, you’re publicly declaring, “I’m comfortable with giving money to a TERF for a cheap nostalgia pop,” plus it’s terrible looking.”
Game Lovers reaction
Some gamers, though, are adamant about getting Hogwarts Legacy.
“The boycott of Hogwarts Legacy is foolish because it sets an absurdly high bar and makes those who play it believe that they are also transphobic. They aren’t. It’s nonsense to assume that simply because you purchase their products, you share their ideologies “One clashed.
Added by a second “People fail to realize that boycotting Hogwarts Legacy has NO IMPACT on J.K. Rowling. The only individuals who suffer from a boycott are the game developers who gave it their all to create the best game they could.”
But a different Twitter user urged: “Trans inclusiveness” is present in “Hogwarts Legacy.” They simply ask, “Do you want to remain in the witch’s dorm or the wizard’s dorm?” It has a binary gender choice, while body type and voice aren’t bound to either pronouns or vocabulary. There is greater trans inclusiveness in Call of Duty.”
They went on: “JKR, though, has no involvement in the game. Since it is her work and her impact on that work, she need not be directly involved. It includes its misguided views on minorities and structural inequalities.”
One additional user argued: “There is no physical prevention from playing Hogwarts Legacy by transgender persons, but if you do, we probably won’t be friends with you anymore. You have the responsibility; not us. You are free to decide.”
Accusations on JK Rowling
There were accusations of JK Rowling being transphobic by many trans activists in June 2020 after she sent a string of divisive tweets criticizing a headline about “those who menstruate.” In response to the author’s tweets, Harry Potter actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint spoke out in support of the trans community in 2021.
The representation of the goblin characters, according to some fans, is based on false antisemitic tropes, they claim. It was debated even during the Harry Potter series, especially in the final movie where the goblins have more prominence.
Some have used this as their justification for sticking with Hogwarts Legacy, claiming that a boycott would primarily hurt the game’s developers who have worked hard to make an experience that players would like.
Wrapping Up
However, it seems relatively safe to infer that J. K. Rowling will be receiving a sizeable portion of the royalties from sales of the game, even though she may not have had a direct hand in its creation. After all, she is the owner of the Harry Potter series. Rowling skipped the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts after continuing to express her opinions on gender identity. On February 10, 2023, Hogwarts Legacy is scheduled for release on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC even after a lot of criticism by trans activists. A Nintendo Switch version will follow on July 25.