Wired writer Jaina Rodriguez Grey recently wrote a piece on Hogwarts Legacy, the upcoming single-player game that has been five years in the making. With an estimated budget of $150 million and already broken records on Twitch for being the most-watched single-player game, Hogwarts Legacy is highly anticipated. Yet, Grey’s article takes an unexpected turn as she focuses on her personal grievances with J.K Rowling rather than discussing the merits of the game itself. Let’s take a closer look at this critique and what it says about the gaming industry.
At first glance, Grey’s article reads like any other critique of a video game. She begins by discussing the game’s development timeline and budget before delving into its success on Twitch. But then she transitions to her own personal opinion on Rowling and how she believes that the author is “transphobic.” This is something that many gamers have grappled with since Rowling revealed her views in 2020 – should we separate art from the artist? In this case, however, Grey does not address this question directly; instead, she goes off-topic and rants about Rowling for over half of her article.
What makes this critique so interesting is that it reveals something deeper about our relationship with video games. In some ways, we expect them to be perfect; they must meet certain standards of narrative complexity or visual quality before they can be deemed worthy of playing. And yet, when faced with criticisms such as those levied against Rowling or certain developers who may have previously expressed problematic views, we often shy away from addressing these issues head-on out of fear that our favorite games may be tarnished in some way. This type of avoidance only serves to perpetuate existing power structures in gaming culture where some voices are privileged over others.
Jaina Rodriguez Grey’s article does raise important questions about our relationship with video games and their creators; it reminds us that we should not simply turn a blind eye to problematic views just because we are invested in certain titles or franchises. While there may be no easy answers here — especially when considering whether or not one should separate art from the artist — it is clear that we need to have more thoughtful conversations about these topics if we are ever going to move forward in gaming culture and ensure that everyone can feel welcome and respected within it. Ultimately, only through honest dialogue can we make sure that everyone has a chance to enjoy video games without fear of judgment or discrimination based on their identity or beliefs.
