Does the new video game “Hogwarts Legacy” have a trans character?

Claim:

The Hogwarts Legacy video game, set in the wizarding world of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter book series, introduces a transgender character to the franchise.

Evaluation:

A new video game based on the fictional world of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter book series is causing controversy Recording of a trans character, particularly due to allegations of transphobia against Rowling. Scheduled for release on February 10th, 2023 on some gaming consoles and with a wider release in April, the open-world RPG is set in Rowling’s wizarding world more than 100 years ago.

players are introduced in the game to Sirona Ryan, the owner of the pub Three Broomsticks in the village of Hogsmeade. She informs the player characters that it took her classmates some time to realize that she “was actually a witch, not a sorceress”. The player character interacts with her during a mission with a goblin named Lodgok who is her friend.

The team behind Hogwarts Legacy portkey games confirmed this detail in an interview with IGN, a popular gaming news website:

The team felt it was very important to create a game that represents the rich and diverse world of Harry Potter, as well as the groups of people who play games, including the LGBTQIA+ community. We have a diverse cast of characters that players will encounter throughout the game.

When asked why the character wasn’t featured in promotional materials, the company said, “As with most games, we want players to discover all the different elements of the story and gameplay as they play through it.”

The games official site explains: “JK Rowling is not involved in the development of the game, but as the creator of the wizarding world and one of the world’s greatest storytellers, her extraordinary work forms the basis of all projects in the wizarding world. This isn’t a new story from JK Rowling, but we’ve worked closely with her team on all aspects of the game to ensure it delivers the magical experiences fans have come to expect.”

The company added“Every experience offered at Portkey Games takes place in and is authentic to the wizarding world. JK Rowling has entrusted the design and creation of the games to Warner Bros. Games and the contributor developers, who are collaborating with her team on all aspects of the games.”

Since 2018, Rowling has been accused of being transphobic, which she denies. She once liked a tweet that said trans women were “men in dresses,” an act she later claimed was for research purposes. they also mocked the idea that the phrase “people who menstruate” could refer to anyone other than women. She has made a number of statements over the years that seem to question and belittle the experiences of trans people, prompting many to do so label she is a TERF (a trans exclusionary radical feminist).

Have a number of gaming review sites decided to boycott the game, while others have published caveat reviews stating Rowlings’ views. IGN wrote:

The elephant in the room with Hogwarts Legacy is Harry Potter creator JK Rowling, whose comments about transgender people have left a sour taste in the mouth of many current and former Potter fans, both at IGN and around the world, over the past few years. This has led some to call for a boycott of the wizarding world at large – including Hogwarts Legacy, although Rowling was not directly involved and there are good reasons (both in-game and out) to believe that Avalanche’s developers don’t necessarily share it views. Regardless, IGN has always stood up for human rights causes and will continue to do so, supporting people speaking to their wallets however they choose. […] As critics, it’s our job to answer the question of whether we find Hogwarts Legacy entertaining and why; whether it is ethical to gamble is a separate but nonetheless very important question.

However, Axios reports that Rowling may still be in it benefit out of the game.

Accordingly BloombergThe game allows players to customize their character’s voices, body type, and gender position, allowing them to create transgender characters as part of the gameplay experience.

In December 2022, Rowling tweeted about calls to boycott the game from video producer and writer Jessie Earl, saying, “The truly righteous would not only burn their books and films, but the local library, anything with an owl on it and their own pet dogs.” .”

Jessie Earl, who is trans, acknowledged the inclusion of trans characters in a essay for GameSpot:

Rowling isn’t directly involved in the game, and while the president of WB Interactive failed to condemn Rowling’s words, developers within the company have been working to allow you to create a transgender character in the game. However, it’s still difficult for any trans person to look at any element of the Harry Potter franchise and not see the damage that continues to be perpetuated by the woman who created it. […] Rowling is still at the forefront of the franchise, benefiting not only financially from each sale but also through popularity. The more relevant Harry Potter remains, the more platform Rowling is given to uphold anti-transgender language. […]

You’re not a bad person if you want to play Hogwarts Legacy. The most important thing is not to judge the game or give up your love for Harry Potter, but to wrestle with the complexity of it and decide for yourself. Trans people cannot ignore the pain that is inseparable from the franchise, and neither should those who wish to care for them.

Warner Brothers’ Head of Gaming David Haddad said axios in response to questions about boycotts: “We will continue to be very focused on the game we have made and the great work Avalanche studio has done. […] We want everyone who loves this world and loves these stories and loves these characters.”

Sources