Open letter regarding Hogwarts Legacy

We are Out Making Games (“OMG”), the UK’s network of LGBTQ+ games professionals, and we are writing to address the launch of Hogwarts Legacy and to reaffirm our support for the trans community.

There are approximately 500,000 trans and non-binary people in the United Kingdom. 41% of trans people have reported experiencing a hate crime or incident because of their gender identity within a 12 month period. 92% of trans young people have thought about taking their own life.

For many of us it is impossible to separate a product set in the Harry Potter universe from the creator of that universe, J. K. Rowling, and her transphobic activism. For many in the trans community, the release of Hogwarts Legacy will be closely associated with a rise in transphobic abuse. We encourage anyone in our trans community who may be struggling at this time to look after themselves and prioritise their wellbeing.

No game is the work of a single person. Hogwarts Legacy is born from the hard work and effort of a team of many game developers and workers over multiple years.

Yet it is undeniable that the sales of Hogwarts Legacy will increase Rowling's already substantial personal wealth, further enabling her to spread disinformation, support transphobic organisations and campaigns, and amplify her words which materially hurt the trans community.

A lot of people are going to buy this game - some because they aren’t aware of Rowling’s transphobia, some because they don’t care, and some because they think that abstaining won’t make a difference. If trans rights are an issue you care about, read up on J. K. Rowling’s history of transphobic activism and factor that into your decision.

We call on WB Games, Portkey Games and Avalanche Software to show their solidarity with the trans community by making a clear public statement of their support and making a significant public donation to trans charities.

We are also asking gamers to show their support for the trans community at this time by donating whatever they can afford to a trans charity of their choice. UK charities which support the trans community include Mermaids, Gendered Intelligence, Stonewall UK and AKT.

Out Making Games