Imagine being so controversial that one of the most prominent catch basins of internet toxicity, ResetEra, has decided to issue a site-wide ban on discussions about you. This is exactly what happened to the upcoming open-world Harry Potter game, Hogwarts Legacy.
General manager of the site, B-Dubs, explained the rationale behind the ban in an official staff announcement, saying:
After continued internal discussion, we began to start outlining the issues put forth by Rowling and the game in question and each time, and as we discussed it all, we kept coming back to the simple fact that Rowling is not only a bigot but is actively pushing, in her position as a wealthy and famous individual, for legislation that will hurt trans people.
Therefore, the mod team has decided to expand our prior ban on promotion for the Hogwarts game to include the game itself. There will be no OT and no discussion of this game.
As a reminder, we do not allow for advocating or metacommentary on content ban decisions, which are decided by the mod team. Any that we see, whether for or against, will be met with threadbans at a minimum.
J.K. Rowling, the author behind the Wizarding World franchise, has been the subject of much criticism in recent years due to what many are describing as transphobic remarks against the LGBTQ+ community. Portkey Games, the publishing arm of the Wizarding World, has tried to distance Hogwarts Legacy from J.K. Rowling while also including a more inclusive character creator. But, this hasn't helped the game's reputation within the much-maligned community as well as those that have been part of the franchise for a long time.
ResetEra's ban is more inclusive compared to the one implemented by a certain subreddit and will likely fuel discussions of Hogwarts Legacy when and after it comes out.
In addition to ResetEra and r/Gamingcirclejerk, Hogwarts Legacy is banned from the Steam versions in Russia, Belarus, and Turkey. However, unlike in Belarus and Russia, the ban in Turkey has less to do about a controversial legislation and more with a loophole that lets Turkish accounts (even those accessed with a VPN) buy the more expensive versions of Hogwarts Legacy, or any game for that matter, for a lower price. Sources claim that Hogwarts Legacy is banned in Russia and Belarus on other platforms as well, but we cannot confirm this as of the time of writing.
Speaking of Hogwarts Legacy, a recent leak confirmed that the Chamber of Secrets won't be in the game. The good news is that the game should have plenty enough content to keep you entertained for hours. Despite the controversies and Warner Bros. canceling pre-orders of the game, Hogwarts Legacy continues to top the Steam sales charts.
