“Hogwarts Legacy” Will Have Trans-Inclusive Character Customizations

A new report from Bloomberg says the upcoming Hogwarts Legacy video game will allow for players to select their character’s voice, body type, and gender independently of one another. As a result, transgender players should be able to more accurately see themselves represented in the game.

According to sources familiar with the game’s development, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, players will be able to choose a masculine or feminine voice regardless of their body type. Then they can select whether they are a witch or wizard, which will determine which dormitory they sleep in and how they are addressed within the game. There were no specifics as to whether gender-neutral pronouns are a possibility.

Members of the Hogwarts Legacy development team, unhappy with J.K. Rowling’s comments from last year, have apparently been pushing not only for these options but also for a transgender character to be included. Despite some initial resistance from management, the customization options are now in the game.

These types of customizations are not uncommon in modern video games, including the mobile game Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, where already, players can add makeup or facial hair regardless of gender. In Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, meanwhile, players are entirely gender-neutral.

Published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and developed by Avalanche Software, Hogwarts Legacy is currently expected to be released sometime in 2022, after being delayed from 2021. The immersive open-world role-playing game will take place in the wizarding world of the late 1800s and feature spells, potions, beasts, combat, and dangerous missions. It will be available for multiple consoles.

How do you feel about these customization options? Do you think they will affect how likely fans are to purchase the game?