Hogwarts: Legacy - Open World Harry Potter Game

[Still Wynning]

This is definitely…a take.


Or, maybe, just maybe, people don’t want to support a game made and supported by known transphobic and anti-Semitic bigots who incorporate said bigotry into said game.

 

[OtherwiseKnownAs]

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Seeing some coverage, and it seems you can just use the unforgivable curses like any other spell.

 

[Sithborg]

Who needs dark side points.

 

[Teelie]

There is literally no morality system in this game which seems fitting given the author.

 

[Gothamsknight]

Under 2 weeks to go!

 

[DarthSkywalker]

You know what gets me most about this? If the idea is to be inviting and kind, then ****ing state who you need to be inviting and kind to, considering what has been said. Say trans folk, we love you. We support you. We wish you good times at Hogwarts. But no, they cowards.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

This is definitely…a take.


Or, maybe, just maybe, people don’t want to support a game made and supported by known transphobic and anti-Semitic bigots who incorporate said bigotry into said game.

The thing about this, is we know who Rowling's is. Those that say, "well I wan to support the developer" (do these people buy every game to support developers), "she's already rich" or "I just want to play it because of my childhood". Whether they intend it or not, are saying that all supersedes their compassion for trans people. Who Rowling is using money to strip rights from. Basic human rights. We just saw another example of that in the UK with the English blocking a Scottish law making self-identification more simple for trans folk because of the TERF pressure.

I get it. I've wanted this game for over 20 years. But I can't do it. I look at the color of my skin, I know the battles, I see trans people suffering, the rise in transphobia, and it angers me, it scares me. It's just painful to watch so many just act like it doesn't matter. It shows the bigots are winning.

The YT Council of Geeks titled, Hollow "Ally-ship" (Stephen Fry, Hogwarts Legacy, and Rising Transphobia) that really captures the mood of this whole situation, and I'd suggest a watch.

 

[DKDetective]

The thing about this, is we know who Rowling's is. Those that say, "well I wan to support the developer" (do these people buy every game to support developers), "she's already rich" or "I just want to play it because of my childhood". Whether they intend it or not, are saying that all supersedes their compassion for trans people. Who Rowling is using money to strip rights from. Basic human rights. We just saw another example of that in the UK with the English blocking a Scottish law making self-identification more simple for trans folk because of the TERF pressure.

I get it. I've wanted this game for over 20 years. But I can't do it. I look at the color of my skin, I know the battles, I see trans people suffering, the rise in transphobia, and it angers me, it scares me. It's just painful to watch so many just act like it doesn't matter. It shows the bigots are winning.

The YT Council of Geeks titled, Hollow "Ally-ship" (Stephen Fry, Hogwarts Legacy, and Rising Transphobia) that really captures the mood of this whole situation, and I'd suggest a watch.

As you were saying about Reset Era, the one developer/franchise that gives me hope that the bigots aren't winning entirely in the gaming community is MachineGames and their Wolfenstein games. The allyship is seriously deep with those folks. And Lucasfilm have given them the keys to the kingdom to make a truly great Indiana Jones game, now that is the game I have really been waiting 20 years for.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

As you were saying about Reset Era, the one developer/franchise that gives me hope that the bigots aren't winning entirely in the gaming community is MachineGames and their Wolfenstein games. The allyship is seriously deep with those folks. And Lucasfilm have given them the keys to the kingdom to make a truly great Indiana Jones game, now that is the game I have really been waiting 20 years for.

You can't really go wrong with a crew that when given a chance to make something went straight to, "**** Nazis". Could anyone be more perfect for Indy?

And they're games are great. So they have the message, the storytelling and the gameplay. They're the complete package.

 

[Perfect Cell]

As you were saying about Reset Era, the one developer/franchise that gives me hope that the bigots aren't winning entirely in the gaming community is MachineGames and their Wolfenstein games. The allyship is seriously deep with those folks. And Lucasfilm have given them the keys to the kingdom to make a truly great Indiana Jones game, now that is the game I have really been waiting 20 years for.

Speaking of ResetEra, they actually banned any and all discussion of the game. The site has a substantial and tight-knit trans community, who were starting to feel less and less welcome on the site as their genuine concerns and objections were being drowned out by a sea of "Can't wait to play it!" and "I've got my pre-order already!". Which we've all seen pretty much everywhere online nowadays.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Speaking of ResetEra, they actually banned any and all discussion of the game. The site has a substantial and tight-knit trans community, who were starting to feel less and less welcome on the site as their genuine concerns and objections were being drowned out by a sea of "Can't wait to play it!" and "I've got my pre-order already!". Which we've all seen pretty much everywhere online nowadays.

 

[DKDetective]

You can't really go wrong with a crew that when given a chance to make something went straight to, "**** Nazis". Could anyone be more perfect for Indy?

And they're games are great. So they have the message, the storytelling and the gameplay. They're the complete package.

And it wasn't even just your basic "**** Nazis", it was "**** Nazis" and watch them be beat by a lovable Resistance band of Jews, POCs, LGBTQ+ members, Leftists, and Intellectually disabled individuals. All of whom were treated as nuanced, complex characters worthy of respect. And all the while using the games' premise to explore and criticize the current resurgence of Fascism and tribal nationalism.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Just went over there and read the mod post on it. Good stuff:

After continued internal discussion, we began to start outlining the issues put forth by Rowling and the game in question and each time, and as we discussed it all, we kept coming back to the simple fact that Rowling is not only a bigot but is actively pushing, in her position as a wealthy and famous individual, for legislation that will hurt trans people. That she uses the influence and money gained from her success with Harry Potter to push transphobic legislation.

Therefore, the mod team has decided to expand our prior ban on promotion for the Hogwarts game to include the game itself. There will be no OT and no discussion of this game.

As a reminder, we do not allow for advocating or metacommentary on content ban decisions, which are decided by the mod team. Any that we see, whether for or against, will be met with threadbans at a minimum.

That bold bit really is the crux. It's an active campaign, that everyone involved with this game has to tiptoe around because they can't anger the TERF. Simon Pegg got me disappointed as **** being in it.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

And it wasn't even just your basic "**** Nazis", it was "**** Nazis" and watch them be beat by a lovable Resistance band of Jews, POCs, LGBTQ+ members, Leftists, and Intellectually disabled individuals. All of whom were treated as nuanced, complex characters worthy of respect. And all the while using the games' premise to explore and criticize the current resurgence of Fascism and tribal nationalism.

 

[Drizzle]

Will I eventually play this game? Possibly, but it'll be without spending a dime on it. I'm done giving Rowling my money.

 

[Sithborg]

I will say this I am glad Frank Herbert is dead so I don't have to deal with this kind of issue.

 

[DKDetective]

I will say this I am glad Frank Herbert is dead so I don't have to deal with this kind of issue.

I'm not sure that is very comparable to the Rowling though? Herbert, like all old dead white guy authors, definitely has problematic elements in his work, such as an overly male centric point of view, but as far as I know he never used his wealth or fame to actively promote hatred and legal discrimination against a vulnerable minority group. He's not Roald Dahl or Roger Waters or something.

For all of Herbert's flaws, there are a lot of progressive (for his time elements to his books, such as anti-colonial and white supremacy themes and critiques, deconstruction of the white saviour narrative, environmentalism, etc.

 

[Sithborg]

I'm not sure that is very comparable to the Rowling though? Herbert, like all old dead white guy authors, definitely has problematic elements in his work, such as an overly male centric point of view, but as far as I know he never used his wealth or fame to actively promote hatred and legal discrimination against a vulnerable minority group. He's not Roald Dahl or Roger Waters or something.

For all of Herbert's flaws, there are a lot of progressive (for his time elements to his books, such as anti-colonial and white supremacy themes and critiques, deconstruction of the white saviour narrative, environmentalism, etc.

He disowned his gay son.

Would he have taken to social media? Who knows. He also died before gay rights really became part of the spotlight.

 

[DKDetective]

He disowned his gay son.

Would he have taken to social media? Who knows. He also died before gay rights really became part of the spotlight.

Well, ****. Sadly incredibly common with men of that generation, but at least, he didn't go all Orson Scott Card and use his platform to promote that bigotry. Card's conduct over the last thirty years has really ruined the Ender Quartet for me, which was among my favourite works for a long, long time.

 

[BeserkerHilf]

The thing about this, is we know who Rowling's is. Those that say, "well I wan to support the developer" (do these people buy every game to support developers), "she's already rich" or "I just want to play it because of my childhood". Whether they intend it or not, are saying that all supersedes their compassion for trans people. Who Rowling is using money to strip rights from. Basic human rights. We just saw another example of that in the UK with the English blocking a Scottish law making self-identification more simple for trans folk because of the TERF pressure.

I get it. I've wanted this game for over 20 years. But I can't do it. I look at the color of my skin, I know the battles, I see trans people suffering, the rise in transphobia, and it angers me, it scares me. It's just painful to watch so many just act like it doesn't matter. It shows the bigots are winning.

The YT Council of Geeks titled, Hollow "Ally-ship" (Stephen Fry, Hogwarts Legacy, and Rising Transphobia) that really captures the mood of this whole situation, and I'd suggest a watch.

Pile on further with some even more objective reasoning: if you boycott this game and therefore put the developer in a tight spot financially due to poor sales, you're sending a message to other potential business partners to steer clear until the JKR is no longer associated/profiting from future projects.

 

[Erzengel]

What is the story gameplay like of this game? Is this like Hogwarts GTA?

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Pile on further with some even more objective reasoning: if you boycott this game and therefore put the developer in a tight spot financially due to poor sales, you're sending a message to other potential business partners to steer clear until the JKR is no longer associated/profiting from future projects.

It won't make a material difference here. Too many people don't care (enough) or will even buy it just to spite the community. But that doesn't change the truth behind boycotting it. And well, we all know that one person doing it will drive Joanna nuts. And honestly, it's worth it just for that.

 

[Gee]

OpenCritic - 86 average - 92% recommended - 52 reviews

 

[OtherwiseKnownAs]