‘Hogwarts Legacy’ Creators Explain Why They Include a Trans Woman in the Game

‘Hogwarts Legacy’ already has its first reviews, and while the praise and praise stand out for the ‘Harry Potter’ adaptation, one video game character stood out for all that it implies: Her name is Sirona Ryan and she is the trans woman in charge of the Tres Escobas tavern in Hogsmeade. She is a notable character that players encounter very early in the storyline, as it is necessary to talk to her in the second story mission. This is rather a declaration of intent, taking into account the tremendous controversy since the announcement of the game which has divided fans of the saga into two groups: those who have defended the video game as mere entertainment and those who have supported the boycott as a moral argument with the not to give more money to JK Rowling, known for her criticized views on the identity of transgender people. However, this was not enough to free the Avalanche Software studio from the flagship debates, but further lit the flame.

The ‘Hogwarts Legacy’ development team, who have been careful not to mention the author in interviews, have tried to settle the controversy and win over the general public with this addition: “The team felt it was very important to create a game that was representative of the rich and diverse world of ‘Harry Potter’, as well as the groups of people who play the game. [videojuegos]including the LGBTQIA+ community”he explains to IGN. “We have a diverse cast of characters that players will meet throughout the game”. Proof of this are the various origins of NPCs in the video game, an aspect for which the author was also criticized for having simplified the names and characteristics of non-white characters (see Cho Chang, Korean name for a Chinese character). .

As for the reaction they would expect from the character, the studio remained very ambiguous, ensuring they are enthusiastic “launch the video game in general”as he says it “the best way to get to know any character is to enter the game”. Therefore, while all players know that Sirona is trans than her as soon as they interact with her for the first time, they will be able to learn more about her history if they choose to.

Before audiences and critics knew about Sirona Ryan, game director Alan Tew told IGN: “We know it’s a diverse crowd. For us, it’s about making sure the audience that has always dreamed of owning this game has a chance to feel welcome again.”That “They have a home here and it’s a good place to tell their story”.

Distract from the controversy?

The Gamer collects the testimonies of two video game specialists who oppose the strategy of including this character. On one side is Stephanie Sterling, trans video game journalist, who appointment to someone you know who has worked on the video game for some time: “I was told they added a trans NPC token to divert the conversation [J. K. Rowling]. It hardly appears”. On the other hand, the criticisms are also joined by YouTuber Liam Robertson, head of the video game blog ‘Did You Know Gaming’, who he confirmed his words: “They told me that too. Apparently they added trans representation after the initial controversy” and cites a source who claims he did it simply to look good, qualifying the character’s inclusion as “performance shit”.

Avalanche Software says the reason Sirone Ryan wasn’t in the promotional content was because “As with most of the game, we want players to discover all elements of the story and gameplay as they go along”. However, a Bloomberg publication in 2021 confirms that the studio was not in favor of positioning itself this way at the outset. As the media write, various developers “they fought to make the game as inclusive as possible” after JK Rowling’s statements, also pushing for the creation of an openly trans character, but the studio seemed not to have supported the idea. In the end, they’d settled for letting the players decide whether to identify themselves as a wizard or a witch, regardless of the choices they’d made in the character creation process in terms of body, voice and appearance, which already felt like a small victory. However, it seems the pressure from the critics ultimately made the studio more willing to include a trans character in the NPC cast.

‘Hogwarts Legacy’ comes to PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X | S this Friday February 10thwhile the PS4 and Xbox One versions will be available on April 4th and will be playable on Nintendo Switch from July 25th.