Hogwarts Legacy isn’t exactly seeing a picture-perfect rollout without a single ounce of controversy. Many have made it clear that they won’t be picking up the game, and efforts have been made to boycott the title entirely. You might not be caught up on all of the reasons for this though, and the heaps of coverage around whether or not people will even buy the game likely has you wondering: Why are people boycotting Hogwarts Legacy?
Rest assured that you’re not alone in asking this question, and keeping track of everything around the matter has been no easy feat. That’s why we’ve compiled a guide on the subject.
Why Is Hogwarts Legacy Being Boycotted? Explained
The main reason Hogwarts Legacy is facing a boycott from potential players is due to stances taken by J.K. Rowling, the creator of the Harry Potter franchise which Hogwarts Legacy is a part of.
In 2018, J.K. Rowling faced criticism for liking a transphobic post on Twitter. While this was said to be a mistake by Rowling’s PR team, her social media presence and political views regarding Transgender people was met with more scrutiny in the years that followed.
This reached a head in June of 2020 when Rowling made a post to her website providing a more detailed breakdown of her views on Transgenderism. The post was met with widespread criticism and outrage due to its use of Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist, or TERF, talking points, as well as views that were exclusionary to Trans-women specifically.
Rowling has since responded by becoming more active on Twitter, sharing or interacting with anti-Trans figures and making jokes or comments that are meant to cause more outrage among the Trans community and those who support them.
In light of this, supporters and members of the Transgender community have called for a boycott of Hogwarts Legacy to show solidarity with Transgender people and Transgender women in particular. It is also seen as a way to directly impact Rowling, due to the financial gains she stands to receive from purchases of the game via her ownership of the Harry Potter property as its creator.
Those participating would abstain from buying or playing the game in any form, both at the game’s launch and for the foreseeable future.
Are There Other Forms of Protest Against Hogwarts Legacy
In addition to those boycotting Hogwarts Legacy, there are also those who are protesting in other ways. Some are maintaining a position that they won’t purchase the game until it is available used.
This would bypass the act of paying for the game in a way that leads to Rowling receiving profits of any kind, with the second-hand retailer receiving the profits instead. Others have said they will pirate the game, allowing them to play the game without making any sort of purchase.
Hopefully this made it easier to understand why people are boycotting Hogwarts Legacy. For more on the game, check out any of the related articles down below.
