Transgender Witches And Wizards Will Feature In Hogwarts Legacy
As the Secrets of Dumbledore and his loving past are set to be explored in the upcoming Fantastic Beasts third instalment, Hogwarts as we know it has moved on from the bewitched ways of Salazar Slytherin and his discrimination.
Expected to be released in 2022, Hogwarts Legacy will continue to open its diverse doors. Now, it's reported to allow players to create transgender protagonists as they explore the enchanted castle and its many hidden secrets.
The novels of Harry Potter and its detailed lore have always attempted to spur on inclusiveness within their ranks, being a magical world for everyone to escape to - whether you're muggle-born or pureblood. Highlighted by the sexual orientation of the greatest wizard of all time, Albus Dumbledore and his admiration for future foe Gellert Grindelwald, the books and films have often tried to portray an embracing aura.
However, the damaging words and divisive transgender views of author JK. Rowling has left a distaste in the mouths of Potterheads, and Warner Bros is keen to rectify it with the long-awaited open-world Harry Potter game.
Will Hogwarts Legacy Include Transgender Characters?
With the Harry Potter spinoff allowing you to create your own story within the wizarding world with a personalised character, reports have surfaced that Warner Bros will be adding a transgender option for the protagonists - allowing players to represent themselves in more ways than a boy or girl.
According to Bloomberg, Hogwarts Legacy players will be able to select a trans character and customise them however they see fit. Despite the option being met with "resistance from management at first", Bloomberg added that "Some members of the Hogwarts Legacy dev team had been pushing hard for this, uncomfortable with Rowling's position and rattled by the effects she has had on a game they've put a lot into."
What Are The Hogwarts Legacy Transgender Customisation Features?
The report claims that players will be first met with the decision to be placed into the "Witch" or "Wizard" dorms, before being able to create their character however they deem fit. Options for transgender characters are expected to be from body types to physical features that you will see and hear in-game, such as their voices.
"When players start up the game, they will be able to create a character that has a masculine or feminine voice no matter what their body looks like, according to people familiar with the game’s development," Bloomberg wrote.
The reports come after Warner Bros followed the large majority of the Harry Potter cast in speaking out against the views of J.K. Rowling, before cutting ties with the author for the Hogwarts Legacy project.
Although the comments leave a lingering jab in the side of fans, like hearing Dolores Umbridge squeak her chipper and snide laugh in the films, Hogwarts Legacy is appearing to try and open the castle gates to every witch, wizard, muggle, and squib this year.
