Highly-anticipated Harry Potter: Hogwarts Legacy was recently announced during Sony’s PlayStation 5 showcase. However, the series’ creator JK Rowling has been thoroughly criticized by fans and non-fans alike for a few years now due to her transphobic tweets.
To make things worse, Rowling’s newly released novel, Troubled Blood, features a cis-gendered male serial killer who wears feminine clothing in order to prey on women. Understandably, this caused a whole new controversy, as former fans are now upset that the entire Harry Potter franchise has been ruined because of her.
As such, it doesn’t come as a surprise that Warner Bros. has quickly clarified the author’s relationship with the upcoming RPG on their FAQ page. That is to say that she isn’t directly involved with the creation of the game’s story and development and that the title won’t feature a new narrative from her.
Although they do admit that the game, and every other project based on the Wizarding World, is based on the renowned Harry Potter series.
Also, they released a statement back in June after Rowling’s controversial tweets, although they didn’t specifically name her:
These statements and clarifications are much-needed and expected PR moves, however, they may not be enough to redeem the game for the hurt fans. After all, Rowling will most likely still receive royalties from Hogwarts Legacy.
Since fans want her to be held accountable for her discriminatory views, some are already calling to boycott the game. The argument “separate the art from the artist” rises up in this scenario, especially since the Harry Potter franchise has grown to include hundreds of collaborators beyond Rowling.
Of course, even developers of Harry Potter: Hogwarts Legacy have expressed hurt and shame for Rowling’s comments. It is without a doubt that a lot of the developers are fans of the franchise, but they feel betrayed by her.
Hogwarts Legacy showcased a very impressive trailer, featuring the grand school grounds of Hogwarts back in the 1800s. The title looks like a Harry Potter fan’s dream come true in so many ways, but we have yet to see whether or not it will succeed given its associations with J.K. Rowling.
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Legacy is scheduled to be released by 2021.
