The upcoming Harry Potter game, Hogwarts Legacy, will have a broad and flexible character customisation tool that emphasises inclusivity. It goes in the complete opposite direction to the heavily transphobic comments made by JK Rowling and the support of Gamergate by a producer on the project
The news comes via Bloomberg, with reporter Jason Schreier detailing the character trans-inclusive customisation options. Players will be able to create their character with body type options and a choice of character voice that is not then tied to particular genders in the game. Instead, regardless of the character choices you make, you can then select between being a “witch” or a “wizard”, which are respectively female and male gendered terms in the Wizarding World.
It’s not clear if you will be able to create a character that identifies in the game as being trans, or choose pronouns beyond this, but it’s about as inclusive as you could expect from a typical video game. While there are still some notable examples which don’t get this right – Cyberpunk 2077 locks gender to voice, for example – it’s something that shouldn’t be seen as remarkable.
In fact, the only reason why this is being brought up, it seems, is because of Rowling’s transphobic public statements that were widely denounced, and the recent discovery that a producer on the game, Troy Leavitt, made YouTube videos with an anti-feminist and pro-Gamergate stance prior to getting the job. When some fans of Harry Potter already have a difficult time separating Rowling’s statements from the wider work in the fictional world, Warner Bros. have been cagey about if she will receive royalties and Leavitt’s position in the game’s development is not an encouraging sign.
The leak seems to be from insiders hoping to rehabilitate the game’s reputation and emphasise that some parts of the team are fighting to make it as inclusive as they possibly can. This includes pushing to have the character customisation included in the game and for a transgender character to be a part of the game world. The sources say that, while management has been resistant to this, character customisation is currently in the game.
Hogwarts Legacy is coming to PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC in 2022 – so a lot can still change in the game. The project was originally planned for 2021, after finally being revealed in mid-2020, but was pushed back to 2022 with WB citing the ongoing difficulties of remote game development as the main cause.
Source: Bloomberg
Leenick
Do people/actual gamers genuinely believe Jk is transphobic? It’s like one guy said it and it was accepted that she is and then constantly reported this way. One of the best authors to have lived to be labelled transphobic and then disregarded is sad
MrYd
Yes, she clearly is. She’s demonstrated this many times. Sometimes in a somewhat deranged and unusually obsessed with the issue way. Sometimes in a childish, petty way.
Like the time she tweeted something vaguely sensible and Stephen king retweeted it. An author who clearly likes her work (a few Harry Potter references in the later Dark Tower books). And she said nice things about him. Someone then questioned him over retweeting her (as if he would ever agree with her less sensible views) and he made it quite clear that “trans women are real women”.
At which point she deleted the nice things she said about him. And possibly unfollowed him. For daring to not agree with her deranged rantings.
She also seems to be a bit of a Twitter bully, unleashing her army of followers on anyone she decides deserves it.
But sure, she’s one of the most successful authors (different to best, obviously) to have lived, and had enough money that she could donate loads to charity and not notice any difference.
colmshan1990
She made it clear with her own actions and writings.
I grew up with Harry Potter and love that book series, but yes, by her own actions Rowling is transphobic.
Dan Jones
Gutted this game was delayed. I’m all for making video games more inclusive and this sounds great but on the other hand it also slightly feels like it has been deliberately released as a dig at JK Rowling.
Dan Jones
I noticed Demon’s Souls remake also removed gender from the character build section (simply allowing you to choose between body types A and B) as well as adding the ability to switch between different voices regardless.
Leenick
Sorry Dan. Wrong reply. I do think it is a dig at her too but without her there’d be no game to talk about in the first place so trying to separate their game from her doesn’t seem right to me.
Leenick
I think someone with her ability to write so well and with meaning to the words she uses shouldn’t be disregarded as childish and deranged. Particularly due to a lot of people who see gender identity as separate from biology.
I personally think that setting people up to believe they will be accepted as a woman is disingenuous. Reality is they can’t be women 100% but you can try to get close to it through behaviour and changing how you look through fashion or even surgery.
It’s something I have a lot of empathy for as I think it must be confusing and isolating to feel like that. However, I don’t think identity can be forced on the wider public with this because it only antagonises the group.
Then you get reactions like this to change perceptions and it just feels like pandering. When I see things like ‘now with added gay character’ it is annoying because it should not be something to separate each other into groups.
I think the last of us showed how gay characters should be in games. We didn’t know Ellie was gay and it didn’t matter either way because they depicted love in a way that was relatable to either sexual orientation.
WaxBull
Inclusivity is can only be a good thing, so long as it doesn’t intrude on the rights of people who agree or disagree. I’m a firm believer a man is a man and a woman a woman, no ifs or buts. But I fully respect all views and as such mine should be respected too. We can live in a world where our beliefs are respected no matter, so long as violence or bullying plays no part.
I admire those brave enough to promote equality amongst all this, but equally admire those unwilling to budge on their opinions and feelings despite media and “SJWs” demanding acceptance. JK Rowling is a person with an opinion, and I’ve seen no evidence that she wishes ill intent towards the transgender community. Yet because she won’t bend over and change her views she gets ridiculed. The world is fooking nuts!
MrYd
“I’m a firm believer a man is a man and a woman a woman”
Except that’s not what she thinks, is it? She’s all confused and thinks some women are men. And if you don’t agree with her, she’ll set her army of followers onto you.
And not all views should be respected. That’s just clearly a ridiculous position. I guess you’ve got a loophole there with “so long as violence or bullying plays no part”, so you don’t have to disagree with Hitler while respecting his views. But with 14m followers on Twitter, anything stupid she says is going to lead to some bullying, especially when she deliberately sets them off.
Nate
“I’m a firm believer a man is a man and a woman a woman, no ifs or buts. But I fully respect all views”
Firmly refusing to acknowledge the existence of a group of people is not being fully respectful to them. Your statement is no different than saying “I think all gay people are just confused straight people, but I respect their views.”
WaxBull
Ok, so I didn’t say Rowling shares my view? And I also didn’t say I don’t acknowledge the existence of a group of people. I’m Catholic, doesn’t mean I deny the existence of all other religions or indeed find them interesting.
Regardless of your interpretations I fully respect your comments and being triggered with my opinions. Peace to all. End of ;-)
MrYd
Ah, that explains it. Catholics. Basically a bizarre paedophile cult with an interesting loophole in that you can do whatever you want and apologise to god afterwards.
Probably one of the few groups that says things more offensive than JK Rowling.
WaxBull
That made me chuckle. Not sure whether you intended to or not but it came across as a Ricky Gervais take, guys a legend! Good way to end things and I appreciate the humour.
Leenick
Sjw culture and how you view groups is like the church pre-enlightenment period and like them you hold moral superiority and disrespecting this guys religion is fine with you but you’ll cry wolf when it is reversed on your beliefs. Also seen comparisons to the nazis which gets you cancelled btw so a rule for thee and not moi comes to mind. Just don’t do it because applying it to all your insults makes light of actual crimes against humanity.
I used to feel angry at religion for making me feel different or unwelcome but I reflected that the only people doing that are the ones telling me that I’m oppressed. You don’t have to believe in religion but respect the people that do and they won’t/shouldn’t change to suit the fluctuations in what is right by social standards of the moment. Once you understand the meaning behind religion you’ll understand why it should not fluctuate with pop culture because it is the word of God to people who believe and they will take that over the twitter mobs any day.
Stefan L
Aaaaaand that’s where we’ll close the comments section before this goes any further, thank you.