It’s Not Perfect, But It Is A Step Forward
According to a report from Bloomberg and sources “familiar with the game’s development”, Warner Bros and Avalanche Studios’ upcoming RPG, Hogwarts Legacy, will include a trans-inclusive character creator in a bid to make the game more inclusive. According to the source, players will be given a choice between being referred to as a ‘witch’ or ‘wizard’, which will affect the dormitory they are placed in, and then choose between either a masculine or feminine voice no matter their selected body type and features.
Cop that JK Rowling, ya fuck.
Hogwarts Legacy has been marred in controversy ever since it was first unveiled. Many fans were unwilling to support a game connected to Rowling; the Harry Potter creator who has become infamous for her problematic (and straight-up stupid) statements regarding transgender people. These comments also caused distress for many working on the project, which began years before Rowling’s xenophobia came to light, with rightfully pissed-off members of the development team leading the charge to make the game as inclusive as possible. As per the Bloomberg report, though, the push to advance the customer creation system was first met with resistance by those higher up in management, with Warner Bros. yet to clarify the reasons for this.
While the fleshed-out character creation is in no way a solution to what is quite a complex situation, it is good to see some progress being made. However, it doesn’t solve the issue of Rowling’s attachment to the brand, which seems now permanently poisoned due to her own actions, despite the developer’s insistence that “she is not directly involved in the creation of the game”. It will be interesting to see how the controversy affects public opinion and sales figures for what looks like a fun RPG made by a great team at Avalanche Studios.
Hogwarts Legacy was originally slated for a 2021 release; however, that date has now been moved to some time in 2022.