Science & Tech

Pushback after new Harry Potter game branded a ‘genocide simulator’

Pushback after new Harry Potter game branded a ‘genocide simulator’
Hogwarts Legacy - Official Launch Trailer
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People boycotting the new Harry Potter video game Hogwarts Legacy have added a new tag to it in an effort to reduce people buying the game.

On Steam, a video game distribution site, users have added the custom tag “genocide simulator” to the game according to reports.

Now when people want to see what the game is about it appears to have a much darker theme.

The addition of the tag is part of a larger effort to reduce the number of people purchasing and playing the game as a way of standing against JK Rowling’s controversial views on transgender people.

Although Rowling had no hand in creating Hogwarts Legacy, she has obvious ties to the game as she is the creator of Harry Potter.

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And given Rowling's transphobic statements and views in the past, people feel they are standing in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community by boycotting the game.

Online the pushback against the new Harry Potter game has created tension.

Streamers have reportedly faced bullying and online criticism for playing the game as part of their job. One gamer began crying during a live stream after commenters attacked them for playing.

An entire website has been dedicated to finding gamers who play “that wizard game" to get people to unfollow them.

The game comes highly anticipated among the massive Harry Potter fanbase and it's expected to produce big numbers. So, for those boycotting the game and advocating against it, they feel it's important to align themselves with the transgender community.

However, for the people who want to play the game, they feel it's unfair that they're branded transphobic because of Rowling's views.

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