Hogwarts Legacy Dev Refuses To Buy Their Own Game
Whether you're happily zooming around the grounds of Hogwarts on your broomstick, or banishing the infamous wizard game to the Forbidden Forest, chances are, you have an opinion on Hogwarts Legacy.
The long-awaited open-world Harry Potter game is finally here, and while a slew of delays meant some of us thought we'd never get to explore those hallowed halls, Hogwarts Legacy is everywhere right now - for better or worse.
Despite some vowing to boycott the Wizarding World, that hasn't stopped rave reviews and Hogwarts Legacy already breaking Twitch streaming records. Still, there are those that are avoiding it like a Dark Mark... including some of its own devs.
Disclaimer: While the creator of the Harry Potter franchise was not directly involved in the creation of Hogwarts Legacy, their comments on social media around transgender people are hurtful and dangerous given the size of their platform.
We’d implore you to read our explainer of the controversy so far, and consider supporting trans rights charities where possible.
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Hogwarts Legacy Dev Refuses To Buy The Game
The elephant in the room is the association between Hogwarts Legacy and the polarising views of J.K. Rowling - especially against the transgender community. Despite Warner Bros. Interactive trying to separate the art from the artist, Hogwarts Legacy is unfortunately tied to Rowling. Much like Harry and Voldemort.
Having worked on Hogwarts Legacy, Motion Capture Technician Parker Hartzler has taken to Twitter to confirm he won't be buying the game. Highlighting his name in the credits, Hartzler proved his involvement in Hogwarts Legacy.
Hartzler makes a clear stance on the matter, reiterating that not buying the game he worked on was "the least" he could do as a trans ally.
In the replies, he continued, "Another concluded: "Trans people do not deserve to have people like JKR grow and prosper - any ammunition to the wrong side is damage to a society I would otherwise wish to see in the future. One where people are not discriminated against for their gender, sexuality, or any piece of their identity."
There was plenty of support for Hartzler, with someone writing, "I'm sad that you feel like you have to try to satisfy unsatisfiable people but you're a good person for trying, I appreciate your contributions."
Another added, "I support this message! I also worked on this game as a 3rd party employee, and I'm proud of the work my team did. With that being said, I will not be buying or playing it."
Others weren't as kind. Someone said, "You helped to create something that will give JK money ironic," while another sneered, "I bought the most expensive version for both series and ps5 :^] Great game, been playing since Monday."
The Hogwarts Legacy Situation Is Getting Uglier
While Hartzler was clearly trying to do the right thing, he's been criticised from both sides. As one person pointed out in the comments, there are many who are willing to play Activision Blizzard games like Call of Duty and Overwatch despite the sexual harassment allegations levelled at the publisher.
Perhaps it's because Rowling’s franchise was interpreted to be so inclusive and the author has been so vocal on social media. Despite the controversy, Hogwarts Legacy looks poised to be one of the year's biggest games.
Still, transgender issues are marring what could otherwise be a pretty stellar title. There's also been controversy surrounding the inclusion of the Wizarding World's first transgender witch.
No matter what your thoughts are on Rowling, the trans community, or Hogwarts Legacy as a game, we can't escape the discourse surrounding the wizard game.
