WithHogwarts Legacyhere, we thought it best to address the elephant in the Common Room
WB Games and Avalanche Software’sHogwarts Legacyis gradually rolling out to players now, with early access on February 7 and full launch on February 10. Video games don’t exist in vacuums though, and the creator of theHarry Potterseries has been the center of issues souring the franchise. With that in mind, we wanted to take a moment to lay out the discussion, and how we’ll be handling coverage ofHogwarts Legacyhere at Destructoid.
Hogwarts Legacyis a game set in theHarry Potteruniverse, taking place prior to the books. It all falls under the Wizarding World umbrella, as the world ofHarry Potterhas stretched beyond the book series written by its author, JK Rowling.
Rowling herself, however, has drawn significant criticism for her comments on transgender people over the years. Intweets and social posts, Rowling has echoed talking points commonly collated under the “trans-exclusionary radical feminist” label, or TERF. At times, she hascompared gender-confirmation to conversion therapy, andboosted well-known supporters of this mindset.
Several outlets have put together excellent explainers on what Rowling has said, and why it’s harmful to her transgender fans.This GameSpot articleneatly discusses much of it. And much of this has spurred are-evaluation of the original worksofHarry Potteras well, including elements present inHogwarts Legacylike its approach to fantasy races.
In a FAQ posted on theHogwarts Legacysite, the developer and publisher directly address Rowling’s level of involvement with the game:
Q:What is J.K. Rowling’s involvement with the game? Is this a new story from J.K. Rowling?A:J.K. Rowling is not involved in the creation of the game, but as creator of the wizarding world and one of the world’s greatest storytellers, her extraordinary body of writing is the foundation of all projects in the Wizarding World. This is not a new story from J.K. Rowling, however we have collaborated closely with her team on all aspects of the game to ensure it remains in line with the magical experiences fans expect.
Though Rowling is not directly involved, she stillowns many of the rightsbehind the property and likely receives royalties of some amount from this like other IP holders would.
How is Destructoid handlingHogwarts Legacy?
As a site that covers video games, we aim to cover games in a way that best serves our readers. This means informing them, providing context, sharing new ideas, highlighting compelling discussions, and ultimately providing a valuable lens into the industry.
Hogwarts Legacyis on track to be one of the biggest releases of the year. It’s also a major franchise adaptation in a well-known IP — that alone is newsworthy. However, it’s also rooted in the original works ofHarry Potterand its author — as theHogwarts LegacyFAQ itself states, Rowling’s writing is “the foundation of all projects in the Wizarding World.”
With that in mind, our own Chris Carter will be handling the review ofHogwarts Legacy. We’ll give it due criticism and context, the same we’d give to any other game. Destructoid will also publish guides forHogwarts Legacy. And no writer who feels uncomfortable playing or discussingHogwarts Legacywill be made to do so.
Our role in criticism and coverage is to inform, contextualize, and provide valuable insight. And we’ll endeavor to giveHogwarts Legacythe due critique any serious work is deserved.
