The Trouble with Hogwarts Legacy

As someone who grew up in the 90s and early ’00s, I grew up reading the Harry Potter books and watching the movies. Of course, for people reading this that didn’t grow up at that time, this was before we knew that JK Rowling was a transphobe.

Hogwarts Legacy is a great idea on paper for fans of the series. However, whether you are excited about the game or not, the shadow of JK Rowling’s beliefs hangs over it. While the developers of Hogwarts Legacy have tried to distance themselves from JK Rowling, and she might not have a hand in making the game herself, there has been consistent controversy surrounding aspects of the game from the start.

Let’s disregard the other controversial elements in the Harry Potter franchise for a moment. The fact remains that JK Rowling does actual harm to the Trans community with her money and influence. She is one of the wealthiest people in the UK, and her actions directly impact politics and other systems in society both in the UK and abroad. We also know she isn’t afraid to milk her IP for all it’s worth, thanks to several spinoff movies, a stage play, and who knows what else in the future.

The money from the game will go directly or indirectly towards actions and decisions that fuel action against the Transgender community. I’m not here to tell you what to do with your money. I’m not even here to tell you not to buy the game. However, whether you are interested in the game as a fan or if you’re wanting to pick it up secondhand so you don’t support anyone other than the retailer selling it, JK Rowling will still benefit from sales.

Whether it is from people talking about the game, reviewing the game, playing the game, or just purchasing it, she is getting something here. That’s a surprisingly bleak idea, right? Well, it’s the truth, and sometimes the truth isn’t pretty. So, look at this long and hard before you make your purchase decision. Since the game is being made by Warner Bros. Gaming division, this isn’t an indie developer who would go out of business if you chose not to buy this game or even if you chose to wait for a sale.

Normally I would say, “support the hard-working people who are making this game so they don’t lose their jobs.” While that still applies to some degree to a AAA studio, the fact that Hogwarts Legacy is still likely to be successful makes this concept null and void. Yes, the game looks beautiful. Yes, as a fan I would love to explore Hogwarts. However, is it worth it?

Odds are, even if a few people protest with their wallets, the game will still be a success. However, this is simply something people need to think about to make their own purchasing decision. As I said previously, I’m not here to tell you how to spend your money. However, since this is something I have been thinking about, I felt compelled to share.

We don’t know what the agreement is between JK Rowling and Warner Bros. We don’t know if she’ll get royalties based on how the game sells or if they just purchased the rights and gave her one lump sum already. There are all sorts of different agreements in place that could happen with this, and we just don’t know how much she is profiting on this game.

I’ll be honest with you. As a Harry Potter fan, I want to play Hogwarts Legacy. However, as a person who supports the trans community, and as a person who is against everything that JK Rowling stands for, I’m considering this carefully.

I would rather miss out and not purchase the game at launch, wait until a sale, or get ahold of it some other way a year or more down the line, than do something that would harm Trans people. I couldn’t support harming them directly, not when there are many I care about, and many who already have a lot to deal with.

There have already been a few articles on the site about Hogwarts Legacy, and there may be more. However, any coverage on the site will be posted in order to help you make a decision for yourself and your money. We’re not here to tell you how to spend your money, but we are here to help you understand what you are purchasing.