A couple of days ago, Warner Bros. and Avalanche Software announced their upcoming RPG game called Hogwarts Legacy. Of course, the reveal of Hogwarts Legacy is also a confirmation of the long-rumored open-world Harry Potter game that many fans of the Wizarding World have been waiting for. However, though the reception of the upcoming game has been mostly-positive, Hogwarts Legacy finds itself in the middle of a controversy due to some statements made by the franchise’s creator, J.K. Rowling.
To the uninitiated, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is currently in hot water after making comments that many views as transphobic in nature. Due to this, many fans of the Harry Potter franchise are now reluctant to pick up the game, given that some view that purchasing it would be indirect support for Rowling, and to some extent, her controversial beliefs. This led to many fans who are have been waiting for a game like Hogwarts Legacy to be made, asking just how involved J.K Rowling is in the process of its creation.
Before delving into J.K. Rowling’s involvement in the creation of Hogwarts Legacy, it is important to lay out the effects of Rowling’s controversy in the upcoming game. As previously mentioned, the issue surrounding the author appears to have cast a shadow towards the announcement of the long-awaited Harry Potter game. The disapproval by some is understandable, especially since Rowling’s recent comments on the trans community has effectively isolated a large group of people within and outside her fanbase. The situation is also ironic given that the Harry Potter franchise has always promoted inclusivity, especially to those who find themselves different from the rest.
While a great number of fans have put their foot down on boycotting the upcoming game, there are those who find themselves torn, especially since Hogwarts Legacy is the game that many fans of the franchise have been dreaming of. Although a good number of Harry Potter fans have denounced the author’s views on the trans community, some are finding it extremely difficult not to support the game of their dreams and are also questioning whether the game’s developers should pay the price for Rowling’s statements. Of course, the bigger question now is, just how involved is Rowling in the creation of Hogwarts Legacy, and will she ever profit from the game?
In what appears to be an effort on the developer’s part to distance itself from Hogwarts Legacy, the FAQ section of the game made it clear that Rowling is not involved in the creation of the game. The studio revealed that while the works of J.K. Rowling, most specifically, the world and the lore, obviously have some role, Rowling had no direct part in the development of Hogwarts Legacy nor its story, which will not be in the same timeframe as that of the Harry Potter books. And while Warner Bros. nor Avalanche Software have yet to address the Rowling controversy head-on, this is a clear indication that they are separating themselves from the author, despite having to use the world she has established as the basis of the game.
Regarding the question of whether or not Rowling will benefit from the game financially, the developer hasn’t yet made that clear. Of course, given that Rowling is the owner of the copyright of every single element of the Wizarding World, it is practically guaranteed that she will profit from the game, either through an upfront payment to license her intellectual property, or from royalties from the game’s profits, or even both. In the end, it would be fairly difficult to completely separate Rowling from Hogwarts Legacy, and it is now up to the players themselves whether or not they would support the upcoming game. In that case, it should be noted that funding and profit of the game is more likely skewed than Avalanche Software than Rowling, a serious consideration for those who want the game but are still torn.
Hogwarts Legacy is currently in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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