Hogwarts Legacy, with many trying to distance themselves as much as they could for a game that benefits Rowling.

Hogwarts Legacy was announced last summer as an original RPG in the Harry Potter universe. Players will take control of a student at the magical school of Hogwarts decades prior to the arrival of "the boy who lived". The game will open up a lot of unseen angles to this universe, such as expanding on its history while also showcasing iconic locations. The game looks very promising, but more recent developments have caused some concern. The game's lead designer, Troy Leavitt, has been under fire after journalist Liam Robertson discovered that he has a history of spreading controversial Gamergate rhetoric on a personal YouTube channel.

Related: Is Hogwarts Legacy A Single-Player Game Or A Harry Potter MMO

Warner Bros. hasn't addressed the issue directly, but it has tried to rectify it in a different way. Bloomberg is reporting that developer Avalanche is making an effort to include trans characters in Hogwarts Legacy by giving freedom in character creation. Players can reportedly choose a male or female voice, regardless of body type, and also choose if they're addressed as a witch or wizard which also determines their dorm. This hasn't been "officially" confirmed by Warner Bros. or Avalanche, as it was reported using anonymous sources.

Hogwarts Legacy

It's unclear if this was a PR effort to try and get in the good graces of fans or if this has always been something planned for a while. Hogwarts Legacy was recently delayed from 2021 to 2022, giving the team more time to work on the game and ensure it lives up to the hype. There's no concrete release date at the moment, but it's likely we'll find out more later this year.

Of course, inclusivity is important, but this doesn't fix the issue – if anything it may make it more concerning. If there are people working on trying to include trans characters but don't even them personally, it could impact their portrayal. It may be done incorrectly, distastefully, or just not with the level of care it deserves, only being used as a marketing tactic for Hogwarts Legacy rather than a progressive attempt at inclusivity.

Next: Hogwarts Legacy: 10 Wizarding Lessons Students Will Be Able To Attend In The Game

Hogwarts Legacy will release next year on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC.

Source: Bloomberg

Editor’s Note: Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling has been accused of transphobia by those in the LGBTQ+ community. Although not directly involved in the development of Hogwarts Legacy, Rowling does stand to earn royalties from the game. We would like to reiterate our for trans rights and that trans identities are valid. services are listed below for trans people impacted by discussions of transphobia.

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