The Hogwarts Legacy’s Controversy Gaming, Transphobia, And Social Media Debates

The chapter discursively examines the online controversy surrounding the launch of the video game Hogwarts Legacy, in relation to J.K. Rowling’s contentious public statements on transgender identity. Using a corpus-based approach, the research analyses nearly ten thousand posts published on X (formerly Twitter) between January 20 and February 23, 2023, encompassing the period before, during, and after the game’s release. The corpus was analysed using #LancsBox software to investigate whether a) gamers oppose or support Rowling’s views, b) players believe they can support the transgender community while playing the game, and c) their posts contain transphobic content. The analysis reveals a polarized gaming community divided into three distinct groups: those defending the right to purchase the game without being labelled transphobic, those boycotting it in solidarity with the transgender community, and those remaining neutral while supporting the developers. Findings also indicate that most discourse exhibits covert rather than overt transphobia, as evidenced by the near-absence of transphobic slurs and the discourses about Sirona Ryan, the game’s first transgender character. The research demonstrates that players do not perceive purchasing the game necessarily as an indication of transphobic attitudes; some users go as far as proposing charitable donations to transgender organizations as a compromise solution.