Hogwarts Legacy

Hogwarts Legacy strives to be an inclusive game, with subtle tweaks to character creation aiming to allow all players to feel welcome.

[preview of the game](https://www.gameshub.com/news/opinions-analysis/hogwarts-legacy-preview-release-date-gameplay-characters-combat-38579/) we were able to get hands-on with. we tried to basically bring in as much as we possibly could, with the timeframe that we have.’ ‘So that’s something we wanted to pursue – we wanted the world to feel genuine, and didn’t want to leave anything behind … Avalanche Software was siloed from other Wizarding World projects in that regard, as the studio aimed to tell a story that remained seperate from other properties in the franchise. It’s worth noting that much of this creation process, and the development of Hogwarts Legacy itself, took place well before J.K. In crafting an open world Harry Potter game, the team aimed to deliver a strong fantasy experience for long-time fans, and ‘fulfil dreams’ for those who’ve become enamoured by the Wizarding World – or have, perhaps, fallen out of love with it in recent times. [We’re] trying to make the story unique, and also trying to make the story separated from other parts of the world.’ That also allowed the team scope to include new concepts, alongside established creatures and lore. Being able to embody your own hero – one that looks like you, sounds like you, and completely represents you – gives Hogwarts Legacy a more personal feeling. That said, it has taken steps to distance Hogwarts Legacy from her, making particularly clear in company Q&As that the game may have been created alongside the Wizarding World team, but A result of this design philosophy is that anyone can embody a witch or wizard in the game. In recent times, the message of Harry Potter has largely been diluted by the

A young wizard holds up her new wand. Image: Warner Bros. Games. Warner Bros.' big Harry Potter game is just around the corner and ...

[distance themselves](https://www.wizardingworld.com/news/introducing-hogwarts-legacy-open-world-role-playing-game-set-in-wizarding-world) [from the ethical debate](https://www.vulture.com/article/hogwarts-legacy-controversy-j-k-rowling.html) around buying or boycotting the game. Rowling](https://jezebel.com/jk-rowling-is-still-a-terf-1847327522). [one over at Gamesradar](https://www.gamesradar.com/hogwarts-legacy-preview/) discussed the game’s amorality at some length. [larger controversy](https://kotaku.com/hogwarts-legacy-controversy-reddit-harry-potter-rowling-1849933298) surrounding Hogwarts Legacy’s connection to [transphobic author J.K. I’ll be the first to admit that rote morality meters in games can be unimaginative and a real drag. “This is the ultimate embodiment of role-playing; allowing the player to be evil.

Hogwarts Legacy game director Alan Tew comments on the ongoing J.K. Rowling controversy that surrounds the upcoming Wizarding World title.

For us, it's making sure that the audience, who always dreamed of having this game, had the opportunity to feel welcomed back. "We know our fans fell in love with the Wizarding World, and we believe they fell in love with it for the right reasons." [Hogwarts Legacy marketing than ever in recent weeks, revealing key characters](https://gamerant.com/hogwarts-legacy-magical-theory-professor-fig/), story beats, character creation, previews, and more, and IGN recently spoke with Tew regarding this J.K. Whatever justification someone uses, including how Rowling is not directly tied to the game (but indirectly and profiting since it's her world), she has found herself and her beliefs attached to the game. Rowling's transphobic rhetoric has spilled over into some of the game's audience and so on. Many grew up with the Wizarding World and have wanted an open-world RPG set in its universe like this one, but J.K.

The game director of Hogwarts Legacy has addressed controversy around the game by saying that he hopes its "diverse audience" can feel "welcomed back" to ...

We've been hands-on with the game, and you can read our thoughts in our [Hogwarts Legacy preview](https://www.gamesradar.com/hogwarts-legacy-preview/). If you'd like to offer your support to the communities affected by Rowling's rhetoric, consider donating to the Rowling is not involved in the development of Hogwarts Legacy, GamesRadar+ does acknowledge the author's role in the creation of the Wizarding World, as well as her publicly stated, harmful views regarding the rights of transgender people. For us, it's making sure that the audience, who always dreamed of having this game, had the opportunity to feel welcomed back. Many of the film series' stars, including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Bonnie Wright, and Tom Felton, have spoken out against those views over recent years. When we bumped into those challenges, we went back and refocused on the stuff that we really care about."

Hogwarts Legacy game director Alan Tew has commented on the controversy surrounding the game and Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling.

As she has continued to [double down on social media](https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1269389298664701952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1269389298664701952%7Ctwgr%5E56e8a0a515574385bc08ecfd96c29319b3b3b14a%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.glamour.com%2Fstory%2Fa-complete-breakdown-of-the-jk-rowling-transgender-comments-controversy), prominent talent from the [Harry Potter universe](https://www.escapistmagazine.com/return-to-hogwarts-hbo-max-special-will-reunite-full-harry-potter-cast/) – such as film stars [Daniel Radcliffe](https://www.thetrevorproject.org/blog/daniel-radcliffe-responds-to-j-k-rowlings-tweets-on-gender-identity/), [Emma Watson](https://twitter.com/EmmaWatson/status/1270826851070619649), and [Rupert Grint](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/weald-school-drops-jk-rowling-from-its-house-names-after-transphobia-row-shlm9gbh6) – have spoken out against the author. We know our fans fell in love with the Wizarding World, and we believe they fell in love with it for the right reasons. It’s a blanket reply that Tew reiterated when IGN asked if he personally ever had any hesitations when it came to working in the Harry Potter universe. His words arrived as part of an interview with [IGN](https://www.ign.com/articles/hogwarts-legacy-developers-respond-to-controversy), where the site questioned him about how Rowling’s transphobic comments and the resulting controversy have impacted the team and Hogwarts Legacy. This response from the Hogwarts Legacy director also notably dodges the topic of trans issues. [Hogwarts Legacy](https://www.escapistmagazine.com/hogwarts-legacy-gameplay-showcase-stream-castle/) game director Alan Tew has commented on the controversy surrounding the game and Harry Potter author and primary rights holder [JK Rowling](https://www.escapistmagazine.com/does-jk-rowling-make-money-off-of-hogwarts-legacy/).

Posted Jan. 25, 2023, 10:15 p.m.. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Legacy allows players to zoom around on broomsticks, master exotic spellbooks, and break bread with ...

Vocal tones, body types, and pronouns — that is, the choice to be referred to as either a witch or a wizard — are all on separate sliders. We know our fans fell in love with the Wizarding World, and we believe they fell in love with it for the right reasons," he said. The character creator here is broadly inclusive, and allows for a wide array of gender variance. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Legacy allows players to zoom around on broomsticks, master exotic spellbooks, and break bread with their fellow students on the castle grounds. Among other things, the Portkey team has attempted to balm some of that textual fraughtness with Hogwarts Legacy's gameplay. Is it possible to divorce the themes of love and belonging — so crucial to the Harry Potter canon — from its mercurial author?

Hogwarts Legacy developers have confirmed that players won't be punished by a morality system for using Unforgivable Curses.

Additionally, this was important because it comes from a place of non-judgment by the game creators. Rowland also explained that the focus on player choice was paramount for the development team. “This is because it is the ultimate embodiment of role-playing; allowing the player to be evil.

Avalanche Software talked more about the lack of a morality system in Hogwarts Legacy, noting that it wasn't a judgmental game.

Narrative Director Moira Squier said the world does react to players using those curses, but, as was previously stated, there’s no morality system that judges players for doing so. Lead Designer Kelly Murphy said that it was important to let players be evil because that extreme is “the ultimate embodiment of role-playing.” “This was important because it comes from a place of non-judgment by the game creators,” said Murphy.

Hogwarts Legacy is a gorgeous adventure with hefty, satisfying combat and exploration – but its launch arrives at a difficult time.

That said, there remains a long shadow over the game – one that it’s unlikely to escape, even with all the magic in its world. It should be given the chance to breathe, and to exist as a standalone adventure that breathes new life into a beloved childhood franchise. Messaging around the game from Avalanche has so far focussed on inclusion and the power of representation, in a subtle pushback against Rowling’s influence – without ‘crossing the line’, so to speak. Duelling is a major part of Hogwarts Legacy, with many students engaged in the sport. This is the game that long-time fans have waited several decades to see – an open-world adventure buoyed by modern technology advances, and a loving attention to detail. Our preview of Hogwarts Legacy began with a brief foray into the custom character creator, which contains a vast array of masculine and feminine faces – but no real reverence for gender. This is present in the creation menu of the game, which allows you to select ‘Witch’ or ‘Wizard’ status regardless of gender identity and appearance. She has also frequently [posted anti-trans articles](https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1604210828877729792) on Twitter, [self-identified as a TERF](https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1270749170215903232) (Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist), and frequently [targeted fans attempting to explain the harm she’s caused](https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1604180531155017731), in an attempt to have them ‘dogpiled’ by her rabid fanbase. For the part of Avalanche Software and Warner Bros. While developed in earnest, during the height of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts fever, it now exists in the ‘after’ – a period defined only by Rowling’s unfortunate, ignorant views and refusal to acknowledge just how much harm her rants have caused. Interactive Entertainment established the Hogwarts Legacy development team, the Harry Potter franchise has taken a turn in its public perception – thanks to author J.K. When it began development, it was likely the Harry Potter video game adaptation long-time fans had dreamed of, with a vast open world, engaging spell-based combat, unique lore, an array of diverse characters, and the ability to embody your own original witch or wizard.