Gamers Raise Thousands By Donating Hogwarts Legacy Price To Trans Charity
Forget the house sigils of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, some gamers are flying the blue, white, and pink flag above Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry.
As comments from divisive author J.K. Rowling continue to cast a Dark Mark over Avalanche Software's magical adventure, the debate over whether you can play the game and be an LGBTQ+ ally rages on.
While Warner Bros. Interactive has assured fans Rowling has had no part in the game, others have pointed out she'll have been paid royalties for using the world she created.
How Are Gamers Combatting Hogwarts Legacy?
It's a heated argument, with hardcore gamers and casual muggles alike split into two camps. Making their stance clear, some are taking the money they would've spent on Hogwarts Legacy and are donating it to a transgender support charity.
As spotted by GamesRadar, Twitch streamer Boba has started a campaign against Hogwarts Legacy - titled "Support Mermaids not JK." Mermaids is a UK charity that says it's been "supporting transgender, nonbinary and gender-diverse children, young people, and their families since 1995."
While anyone can donate to Boba's Tiltify charity fund, the main purpose is to get those who might part with their cash to play Hogwarts Legacy to donate their money to trans causes.
"I'm fundraising for Mermaids," says the description "Any amount is accepted but especially the amounts for the cost of Hogwarts Legacy - $59.99 for standard edition, $69.99 for deluxe (£50.00). Any amount helps."
At the time, the campaign has raised £5,370, which works out to $6,630. Opinions were split on using your Hogwarts Legacy money to donate to trans causes, and as you can imagine, the comments soon got pretty heated.
Supporting Hogwarts Legacy, one wrote, "The game isn't perpetuating those ideals though," while another rallied behind Boba and added, "I have ¢69 and even tho I don't have enough for chicken nuggets, I have enough to not give it to JK."
Landing somewhere in the middle, someone concluded, "This frustrates me. The game in no way conveys HER opinions (which are of course wrong), many people worked hard on this game.
"You are essentially punishing those hard-working people (some of which are members of the LGBTQ+ community) in telling people not to support it."
A fourth concluded, "It's a bit ridiculous to stop people from playing a video game for political reasons. I just want to run around Hogwarts and support the developers of what seems to be a fantastic game.
"JK Rowling is already loaded so boycotting this hurts only the developers."
Will Hogwarts Legacy Be 2023's Biggest Game?
No matter what your thoughts are on Rowling, trans rights, or whether a boycott will harm the developers, Hogwarts Legacy is everywhere right now.
We're just weeks away from its February 10 release date (if you didn't have your pre-orders cancelled), and Warner Bros. Interactive is on the marketing assault with new trailers and marketing materials.
Hogwarts Legacy might already be at the top of the charts, but the trans debate is becoming equally discussed. Only recently, voice actor Sebastian Croft addressed complaints he was starring in the game.
In a year that Starfield and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom release, our nostalgic love for Harry Potter and the fact Hogwarts Legacy is a multi-console release will likely see it become this year's Elden Ring.