Following a string of controversies, it has been announced that Hogwarts Legacy, the game from Warner Bros centred around the world of Harry Potter, will include a character creator that allows for trans witches/wizards.
A recent report from Bloomberg reveals that despite Harry Potter's author J.K. Rowling's opinions on gender identity, the team working on the game want the game to be inclusive. According to the report, when players first start the game there will be a character creator that allows them to build the witch or wizard you want.
Character creators typically lock voice depth, gendered terms, and hairstyles to a specific body type. This isn't trans-inclusive a lot of the time, and the industry is steadily moving away from this static model, allowing for players to add any combination of physical attributes to gendered language. The upshot of this is that it makes the experience more inclusive to everyone. Play how you like, right?
It has been revealed that Hogwarts Legacy will be taking this approach despite the history J.K. Rowling has in making comments and statements widely seen as anti-transgender by many of those inside and out of the LGBTQ+ community. Those working on the game have come forward previously to state they are are "not directly involved" with the author holds despite the obvious franchise association. The team are also working with LGBTQ+ right groups to ensure inclusivity, it seems.
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More recently, it was circulated that a prominent developer working on Hogwarts Legacy kept a Gamergate and anti-feminist/social justice orientated YouTube channel which caused the game more controversy. The producer, as far as we know, is still working on the project. This in combination with J.K Rowling's history of trans comments has led the game's promotion to be banned from ResetEra, one of the biggest gaming forums on the internet.
Right now the game is set for a 2022 release after a significant delay was announced.
Featured Image Credit: AvalancheTopics: Harry Potter, Hogwarts Legacy, News, Warner Bros