Expected this February 10, Hogwarts Legacy: Hogwarts Legacy promises to delight Harry Potter fans. But a debate is shaking the video game around the potential earnings of the creator of the saga.
The Harry Potter universe is torn aroundHogwarts Legacy: Hogwarts Legacy. This video game comes out this Friday, February 10, but is already facing a lot of criticism. However, the controversy has nothing to do with the quality of the title.
• Why calls for a boycott?
Either way, the video game Hogwarts Legacy: Hogwarts Legacy doesn’t have much to be ashamed of. But as with every creation from the famous magical world of the sorcerer’s apprentice, it is JK Rowling who is in the spotlight. The creator of the literary saga has been the subject of immense disavowal since comments deemed transphobic in 2020.
Since then, creations from the Harry Potter universe have been systematically debated. The reason? The rights that the novelist receives when a work comes from her books. This was the case for the third part of the films Fantastic Beasts. And today is the turn ofHogwarts Legacy: Hogwarts Legacy to face up to calls for a boycott.
• What do we blame JK Rowling for?
On June 6, 2020, the author mocked a post on Twitter that mentioned “menstruating people.” A formulation that she ridiculed, believing that it was enough to speak of “women”, but defended by LGBT activists who recall that some transsexual men still menstruate. In March 2022, JK Rowling opposed a Scottish law aimed at facilitating transition paths.
The indignation had been instantaneous and the remarks condemned. Even the cast of Harry Potter had distanced themselves from the creator. Death threats have even been sent to JK Rowling. An English school bearing his name has since been renamed. Just like quidditch. The wizarding sport from the saga saw the American leagues of its very real adaptation prefer the name of “quadball”.
• Was the novelist involved in the creation of Hogwarts Legacy?
Unlike the second series of films from the Harry Potter universe, the video game Hogwarts Legacy: Hogwarts Legacy is not a direct creation of the author. As reminded the title’s official FAQ, “JK Rowling is not involved in the creation of the video game”. Despite everything, “his extraordinary corpus is the basis of all Wizarding World projects”, points out the site. This term “Wizarding World” is the name given to the extended universe from the magical world of Harry Potter.
• What is the response from the game development teams?
For the teams at Avalanche Software, it is particularly complicated to take a stand against the creator of the base material they have modeled over the past few years. However, the developers explained to IGN having attempted “to create a game that is representative of the rich and diverse world of Harry Potter, as well as the groups of people who play games”.
For them, this inevitably involves players included in the LGBT community. That’s why the studio took the liberty of creating the first transgender character in the Harry Potter saga. Sirona Ryan is crossed by the hero of the video game very early in the adventure. At the turn of a conversation, she evokes her transition by specifying that she is “in fact a witch, and not a wizard”.
• Is Hogwarts Legacy a good video game?
The editorial staff of Tech&Co was able to try the game in preview. During our test, the title left us with a very good impression. If fans of the license will be delighted to find all the references to films, but especially to books, Hogwarts Legacy: Hogwarts Legacy nonetheless accessible to all.
Placed in the shoes of a sorcerer’s apprentice propelled directly into fifth year of study, the player must follow his courses to learn new spells, while completing quests to advance the plot. A very great freedom gives the possibility of strolling in the school of magic Hogwarts and its surroundings. This very good adaptation of the universe in an adventure game can however leave the most seasoned players unsatisfied. Without the controller falling out of their hands.
• Is the success of the title affected by these debates?
It is difficult, if not impossible, to imagine that the game will not be among the best sellers of the year. Ranked among the most anticipated titles of 2023, Hogwarts Legacy: Hogwarts Legacy has already made an impression with a record set on Twitch. Tuesday, February 7, more than 1.25 million spectators gathered at the same time to observe the title. This allowed it to become the most-watched single-player video game on the live-streaming platform.
