Pushing Buttons: ‘We can survive without it’ – the gamers boycotting Hogwarts Legacy
https://www.theguardian.com/games/2023/feb/08/pushing-buttons-hogwarts-legacy-jk-rowling
In this week’s newsletter: The big-budget Harry Potter spinoff should be an instant play for fans of the series, but for some author JK Rowling’s statements on sex and gender have made that decision complicated
I’ve spent the past week playing and reviewing Hogwarts Legacy, an exercise in wizarding wish-fulfilment that would once have been a no-brainer purchase for anyone who grew up fantasising about walking the hallowed halls of that imaginary castle. But like the rest of the Wizarding World, including the ailing Fantastic Beasts franchise, Hogwarts Legacy has become caught up in the controversy surrounding JK Rowling’s statements about sex and gender. (This is a pretty comprehensive breakdown of what she has publicly said.) As someone who unequivocally supports trans rights, Rowling’s comments have soured and complicated my relationship with Harry Potter – and I am far from alone.