Avalanche Software's Hogwarts Legacy has received ample criticism ahead of its scheduled release date, and one of the game's voice actors has responded.Sebastian Croft, who is arguably best known for playing Benjamin Hope in Netflix's Heartstopper, responded to a Twitter post that criticized the actor for appearing in the upcoming game. "I was cast in this project over 3 years ago, back when all Harry Potter was to me, was the magical world I grew up with. This was long before I was aware of JK Rowling’s views. I believe wholeheartedly that trans women are women and trans men are men," he wrote.
Croft further responded in a follow-up Tweet, stating, "I know far more now than I did 3 years ago, and hope to learn far more in the next 3. I’m really sorry to anyone hurt by this announcement. There is no LGB without the T."
Hogwarts Legacy's Controversies
Over the past several years, Hogwarts Legacy and the Wizarding World as a whole have become controversial topics in many fandom spaces because of Rowling's transphobic stance. While some notable celebrities have come to Rowling's defense, with Succession's Brian Cox being a recent example, many cast members from the Harry Potter movies like Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Harry Melling have shown their support of the trans community and spoken out against the author.
While Rowling was not involved in creating Hogwarts Legacy, many people have labeled the game transphobic because of its connection to the author. Some took to Steam to flood the game's pre-sale page with inflammatory tags, including "transphobia," as a form of protest. Multiple calls for boycotts of the title have also occurred in the build-up to its release. In response, Avalanche Software confirmed that players will be able to make their characters gender-nonconforming and transgender.
Transphobia isn't the only criticism being thrown at Hogwarts Legacy. Many individuals have pointed out that the Harry Potter franchise's depiction of goblins incorporates anti-Jewish stereotypes and the video game's missing-student subplot seemingly leans into 20th-century conspiracies about Jewish people stealing children.
Even though Hogwarts Legacy remains controversial, the game has managed to climb the best-selling charts thanks to pre-sales. The title will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC on Feb. 10.
Source: Twitter