Developer of Hogwarts Legacy Not Purchasing Their Own Product
Though Hogwarts Legacy has been getting mostly positive reviews from gamers and critics, the controversy around J.K. Rowling’s transphobic remarks have made some people reluctant to purchase the game. This feeling even extends to a member of the game’s motion capture team, who has chosen not to buy Hogwarts Legacy due to the raging debate about Rowling’s words. This has cast a dark shadow over the game’s release, which is a shame for those who were looking forward to living out their wizard fantasies in the game.
A new video game set in the world of Harry Potter, Hogwarts Legacy, brings players to the wizardry school roughly a hundred years before the young wizard’s arrival. As a fifth year student, they must explore their courses and the castle with the aid of their field guide. Additionally, they must discover the secret of a powerful magic — one that only few, including the student, are able to wield and threatens to plunge the magical world into chaos.
The credits of the large video game Hogwarts Legacy included the name of a motion capture technician, Parker Hartzler. After the game’s release, Hartzler tweeted about his work, and mentioned that he did not plan on purchasing it. He explained that not supporting a product based on J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World was the minimum he could do as an ally of the transgender community.
Hartzler continued his thoughts on Twitter, expressing his belief that someone like Rowling shouldn’t be allowed to “blossom and flourish” while displaying bigotry towards the transgender community. He was cognizant that his stance might lead to some negative feedback from others, such as people who don’t care or deem him a hypocrite for working on the game. In response to questions why he didn’t receive a copy of the game for his contribution, Hartzler stated that he was part of a team hired by WB Games and Avalanche and not part of the main Avalanche group.
Hartzler’s opinion on the game is a sign of the negative sentiment that has come to be associated with the Wizarding World, in light of its connection to Rowling. This further points to the challenges that any potential projects based in the Harry Potter universe might face. This is further supported by the likes of Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, both of whom are known for their roles in the films, speaking out against Rowling. It is yet to be established what consequences Rowling may have to face as a result.
Hogwarts Legacy is offered to be played on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. It is anticipated to be released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on April 4, 2023, with its launch on the Nintendo Switch being scheduled for July 25, 2023.