It’s been a long time since a “Harry Potter” video game has been so eagerly awaited. But there is also loud criticism of “Hogwarts Legacy”. It’s up to the creator.
Highly awaited and discussed: In the midst of a heated debate about the rights of trans people, “Hogwarts Legacy” will be released on Friday, the first major video game from the “Harry Potter” empire in years. Because of critical statements by “Harry Potter” author Joanne K. Rowling about trans women, activists in particular called for a boycott of the action role-playing game in advance. A discussion also flared up in the German gaming and streaming scene.
Recently, a snippet of a clip by streamer Erik «Gronkh» Range was shared on Twitter. Rowling “doesn’t matter to him,” he said. “Does she have to play a role in my life?” Range asked the camera – criticism hailed. The tenor: As a white man who also identifies with his ascribed gender, it is of course easy for him to stay out of it. A few days later, the streamer spoke up again – tens of thousands watched. “Maybe I should have said: I think the woman sucks. I think their takes suck,” he said, emphasizing that he didn’t care about trans people.
Trans people or transgender people are people who do not feel they belong to the gender they were assigned at birth.
JK Rowling made a fortune with «Harry Potter»: books, films, merchandising, adventure worlds. Publicly, however, the creator of this universe has been under criticism for a long time. The 57-year-old has repeatedly spoken out against the social and legal equality of trans women with women who were born with female sex organs. “Harry” actor Daniel Radcliffe also distanced himself.
A debate is currently raging, especially in Scotland, where Rowling is involved in an initiative against violence against girls and women. Because a law of the regional government provides for simplifying the often lengthy and bureaucratic process of gender reassignment in official documents. Critics like Rowling warn the law gives men easier access to rooms where women undress and are vulnerable. The conservative British central government wants to block the project.
Because of the close connection to Rowling, there have long been loud calls to boycott “Hogwarts Legacy”. Gaming forum ResetEra has banned any mention of the game, and website GameSpot published an essay on Rowling’s “anti-transgender attitude.”
Rowling is demonstratively relaxed. When asked how she coped with the fact that she had lost so many fans because of her attitude, she answered dryly on Twitter in October 2022: “I looked at my recent license income and I think the pain goes away pretty quickly.” Rowling also gets support online.
The US development studio Avalanche is apparently aware of the delicate issue. On the FAQ page there is an extra question as to whether Rowling has anything to do with the game. Answer: The author is “one of the greatest storytellers in the world”. While she wasn’t directly involved in the development, Rowling’s team worked closely.
“Hogwarts Legacy” is far from the first “Harry Potter” game, but the first major one in over a decade. The title is a role-playing game, the end of the game takes on the role of a student at Hogwarts Magic School. In the game’s character editor, voice, gender and appearance can be set independently, which is now often standard in role-playing games. In addition, a trans woman plays a larger supporting role.
The boycott calls seem to be doing little to stop the game. Millions of people recently watched streamers play on the Twitch platform. According to the “steamdb.info” site, “Hogwarts Legacy” has been one of the top-selling titles for weeks – even before it was even released. According to “opencritic.com”, the game has received very good reviews. Gaming expert Martin Kimber spoke of a “beautifully designed love letter” to the “Potter” universe.
Many fans are torn. Transman Asher Chelder of fansite MuggleNet admitted to Sky News that Rowling’s views hurt people. But he’s been looking forward to the game since the announcement. “I’ve found a lot of solace in the show and it’s something I can’t shake. It’s part of me,” he said.