by The Harry Potter franchise shows no signs of slowing down, more than 25 years after the publication of JK Rowling’s first book.
Hogwarts Legacy, a new video game set in the Wizarding World, is the latest addition to the ever-growing Potter universe.
The game has already drawn a great deal of anticipation and controversy, with some fans calling for a boycott in protest of Rowling’s views on transgender rights.
Here’s everything you need to know about Hogwarts Legacy.
What is Hogwarts Legacy?
Hogwarts Legacy is an open world game set in the wizarding school in the 19th century, some 100 years before the events of the Harry Potter books.
Players take control of a fifth-year Hogwarts student who goes on a “perilous journey” to “discover a hidden truth of the Wizarding World.”
The game features familiar locations such as the Forbidden Forest, Diagon Alley, and Hogsmeade, as well as Hogwarts Castle itself.
The cast of voice actors includes Hot Fuzz star Simon Pegg, Downton Abbey’s Lesley Nicol and Luke Youngblood, who played Lee Jordan in the Potter films.
Read more: What does the future hold for the Wizarding World movies?
When will Hogwarts Legacy be released?
The immersive RPG will launch on February 10 on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC.
The PS4 and Xbox One versions will arrive on April 4, followed by the Nintendo Switch edition on July 25.
It is the first major Harry Potter video game since 2011’s Deathly Hallows – Part 2.
Why is the game controversial?
Some fans have urged players to boycott Hogwarts Legacy in protest against Harry Potter author JK Rowling.
Rowling has drawn criticism from some groups for her views on gender identity and trans rights. She has strongly denied the accusations of transphobia.
In December, he spoke out against the Scottish government’s plans to make it easier for people to legally change their gender in Scotland.
She called the proposal “the biggest single assault on the rights of Scottish women and girls in my lifetime.”
Warner Bros. has said that Rowling was not directly involved in the game’s creation, though they “collaborated closely” with her team.
Sebastian Croft, who voices a character in the game, has distanced himself from Rowling’s views and apologized to fans who are “hurt” by his involvement.
He tweeted: “I wholeheartedly believe that trans women are women and trans men are men…There is no LGB without the T.”
Several of the stars of the film franchise, including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, have previously spoken out in support of transgender rights.
The dispute also overshadowed the release of last year’s reunion special, Return to Hogwarts, and the latest spinoff film, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.
Hogwarts Legacy: Why are people boycotting one of the biggest games of the year?
