For years, theHarry Potterfranchise has dominated pop culture, withHogwarts Legacyacting as the franchise’s most popular video game adaptation. It’s no wonder that controversy surrounding the franchise has sprung up at some point, as the firstHarry Potterbook was released almost thirty years ago. Nevertheless, it’s disappointing that such a well-loved piece of pop culture has been sullied in the eyes of many Potterheads despite new content for the franchise, likeHogwarts Legacy, continuing to release.
Unfortunately,Hogwarts Legacywas unable to unmuddy the name of theHarry Potterfranchise. While the game may have been met with a positive player and critic response, it was also the subject of boycotts upon release. Avalanche Software and Warner Bros. Games tried to placate fans within the game itself, but the developers’ attempt was poorly received. It goes without saying that Avalanche Software and Warner Bros. Games cannot try to avoid controversy the same wayHogwarts Legacydid in the game’s allegedly slated sequel.
J.K. Rowling Has Hurt Harry Potter and Hogwarts' Legacy
Creeping through the promotion and marketing forHogwarts Legacyprior to release was the never ending controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling’s transphobic comments. Rowling’s comments on the trans community, in conjunction with the reexamination ofportrayals of people of color in theHarry Potterbooks, have essentially reduced the legacy ofHarry Potterfrom a juggernaut in young adult fiction to a nostalgic, but messy, memory. The large majority of Rowling’s comments were posted on her X (formerly Twitter) account, with the catalyst of these views being publicly perceived when she liked a Tweet in 2018 that described transgender women as “men in dresses.” Since then, she has constantly posted about the issue on X and has been publicly labeled a TERF – a trans-exclusionary radical feminist.
Knowing J.K. Rowling’s controversial positions on the trans community specifically led Avalanche Software and Warner Bros. Games to include a minor transgender character inHogwarts Legacy. Sirona Ryan is the main bartenderat the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. The game establishes that she is fiercely loyal to Hogwarts and its students, as she stands up to Victor Rookwood in a key scene. Though it’s always great to see more representation in any kind of media, Sirona Ryan does not truly add much toHogwarts Legacy’s plot other than being a minor NPC. As such, some have viewed the character’s addition as performative representation rather than a meaningful statement against Rowling.
J.K. Rowling’s harmful statements toward the transgender community cannot be fixed by simply adding a transgender woman to her most popular work and main source of income. Candidly, there is nothing that Avalanche Software or Warner Bros. Games can do to avoid Rowling’s controversial statements, as it’s likely that she will never change her mind on the subject. But that doesn’t mean the developer can’t strive to improve the brand’s trans representation withHogwarts Legacy 2, likely with the intent of avoiding its predecessor’sboycott that was due to Rowling’s statements.
Hogwarts Legacy 2 Will Likely Take the Same Approach as its Predecessor
Transgender Potterheads still exist despite Rowling’s statements, so the expansion of Sirona Ryan as a character could be one way that Avalanche Software and Warner Bros. Games attempt to prevent a hypothetical boycott ofHogwarts Legacy 2. This expansion would have to be rather large and genuinely impact the story rather thanSirona Ryan’s rolefrom the previous game maintained, proving the character is not performative representation but something more substantial.
Right away, a few ideas spring to mind. Sirona Ryan’s role as the head proprietor of the Three Broomsticks could be beneficial to the plot if the bar serves asa key location inHogwarts Legacy 2. Perhaps she could once again come to the defense of her patrons, like the main students in the hypothetical sequel. If the game takes the mystery route, Sirona Ryan could essentially act as the archetypal trustworthy adult or mentor that mysteries led by teenagers tend to have. She could be a major quest giver and ally on certain tasks, appearing regularly throughout the entire game. Another option would be to include a transgender student as one of the key protagonists or companions inHogwarts Legacy 2.
The statements made by J.K. Rowling over the last seven years regarding the transgender community have unfortunately damaged a piece of media that was once widely loved. Though it ultimately comes down to fans deciding if they are willing to separate the art from the artist, and Avalanche cannot clean up Rowling’s mess,the developer behindHogwarts Legacycan do more than insert a very minor trans character in its next game. Hopefully, characters like Sirona Ryan can be featured more heavily inHogwarts Legacy 2, alongside transgender students, to bring a sense of comfort to trans Potterheads who decide to give the game a try.
