Hogwarts Legacy and J.K. Rowling · 9:56pm Mar 18th, 2022
I was going to write another multi-paragraph opinion piece on the debates currently happening since the gameplay reveal of Hogwarts Legacy yesterday, but this article explains things so much better than I ever could.
In short, do, watch, read, and play whatever makes you happy. But if you think it's fair or right to attempt to shutter an entire franchise that millions upon millions of kids have grown up with, and thousands and thousands have worked on, because of ONE PERSON, or attack those who have chosen to continue to enjoy this fantastical world, then please sit down, shut up, and piss off.
The longer game should be played; where the Wizarding World should be slowly separated from Rowling, and made more welcoming and inclusive. Avalanche Games have done every reasonable thing they can do to distance themselves from Rowling, short of putting themselves out of work.
Because the community of fans, artists, filmmakers, and writers are bigger than one woman who feels the need to continuously spew her opinions.
You can scream, rant, and rage against those of us who continue to enjoy the franchise, but I believe it does more harm than good to your intentions and movement, because it increases the chances over time of people no longer listening to you.
Yeah, regardless of what Rowling may think none of her personal beliefs are reflected in HP so why shouldn't people continue to enjoy it?
The main issue stems from the fact that no matter what, as long as she's still around, her estate will continue to get kickback and royalties from anything that makes money off of her IP, and that's what's stopping a lot of people (like myself) from continuing to gain as much enjoyment from the franchise as they used to.
It's not so cut and dry as to think *everyone* wants everyone to not enjoy what they enjoy for the hell of it, and moreso the quandries of the franchise still being *her* IP that continue to be present due to the nature of property.
I, myself, want people to enjoy what they want to enjoy. However, I personally can't support something knowing that, however indirectly, will support someone who I do not want to support.
I hope that communicates my thoughts on the matter will enough? I don't like the infighting as much as the next guy, but like a lot of things, it's more grey than just, one group shouting that people that enjoy the franchise are incorrect and bigots, and another group saying that anyone who spurned the franchise also wants everyone's enjoyment to tank along with it.
5644665
It's not cut and dry at all, but when trans people attack others for daring to enjoy anything Harry Potter / Wizarding World-related, then that deserves pushback.
It is not fair at all to demand that others stop enjoying something because you say so.
5644665
She's already rich, so its not like she cares if she gets your money or not. All you're accomplishing is depriving yourself of something that might otherwise have brought you joy to spite someone who won't even care.
I'm still going to continue to be a long time Harry Potter fan no matter what. :)
After all.... it's the franchise that made reading cool again. =3
Just buy her crap pre-owned and you're golden.
5644699
Not possible for PC digital downloads.
But there are rumors circulating that this will be an Epic Games Store exclusive, in which case, I will get it on PS4 if reviews are good enough. But PC is my preference, but it would have to be on Steam or GOG, I absolutely refuse to support Epic.
5644656
easy, people don't want her to profit off it.
Will I throw away what I already have? No. But I won't support her in any way if I can avoid it, if you can buy it used, even better. I'm not saying you can't buy stuff new either, just that personally I won't.
5644724
As I said before, she's already rich. She doesn't lose money when people decide to not buy HP stuff. It's just pointless spite.
5644726
It's not pointless to me. Hell it's not even "my fight" I'm straight. The point is that I don't want to support her in any way, just like I refuse to support EA. They're rich too but enough people have made a stand there that it's had consequences. Sure, JK could live in a place like mine and live off the interest for the rest of her life even if she never made another cent. But I personally have made a stand and that's good enough for me. You don't even need to follow my example, hell you can let her inherit all your money when you die and I still won't care. It's not about making a difference, it's about my personal ethics.
It’s entirely possible to enjoy a book, a game, a movie made by someone with whom you disagree with. The harsh truth of the matter…if you stopped buying the thing made by the person you disagree with, you pretty soon won’t be spending a cent. Food. Electricity. Convenience items. Boycotts have their place, but if you focus on every single thing you disagree with a person over, then you won’t ever be able to enjoy anything in life.
5644727
HP, has nothing to do with her current views. Why shouldn't she profit off a series that's brought joy to millions and ultimately harms no one? Nothing is accomplished by not giving her money she honestly deserves. As I said it's just spite for the sake of spite.
5644731
So... You're saying I HAVE to give her money otherwise it's spite for the sake of spite?
I'm not allowed to make a decision based on the dislike of something? She profited off me, I sat in line for most of the books, I bought my ex all the games (then 100%'ed them after she was done) saw most of the movies in theatres opening weekend. She got her money out of me and I wouldn't demand it back... But she's not getting more from me.
Just like Orson Scott Card will never get another cent out of me despite me having purchased nearly his entire catalog at least twice. Just because I enjoyed something or others supported someone doesn't mean I have to and if you think it does you can quite frankly get bent sir.
Regardless of how frustratingly dumb Rowling has been these past years, when I was a kid Harry helped me process my feelings about the murder of my father before I was born, and I will always love Harry Potter for that.
So, one must ignore the author ´cause she dared to say women are women and men are men.
Amazing.
5644656
She thinls women are women and men are men.
You know, basic biology stuff.
Pretty sure anything beyond that is fiction.
5644666
So is Jessie Earl writing this article suppose to count as an attack? Not like she hacked or blackmailed Gamespot. They just decided to let a writer use their platform. It's not different from these blogs you like to put out here on Fimfiction.
5644720
It's interesting to me how you're so outspoken about how much Epic sucks (not at all incorrectly) and how you'll take a moral stand against ever using them, but you're peeved about someone talking about the moral implications of giving money to a brand like HP.
5644656
I agree with the thought, on paper. But the thoughts don't stop the cold hard cash going to Rowling. A good chunk of that cash can go to movements making life much harder for real people. And financial success and pop culture relevance gives Rowling prestige that helps legitimize the much worse people she won't distance herself from.
5644796
Well, I feel humbled that you trusted us enough to share that part of your life.
5646049
It was the first article I found that gave a decent amount of explanation.
Of course there are moral implications. I doubt anyone is squeaky clean. I for sure am not. My whore of an ex-husband sure isn't, for as often as he droned on about minorities.
Do JKR's opinions suck? Entirely depends on your point of view.
Is she entitled to her opinions? Absolutely.
I am not judging anyone if they choose to boycott this game. That is entirely their choice, and I respect whatever choice they make. Even if they rant against her and the franchise while tweeting away on an iPhone and wearing shoes that were likely made in a sweatshop in China.
What I am saying is that I will not let what I read, watch, play, or otherwise enjoy be dictated by the trans community. If I am attacked for trying my best to make myself happy, that is when I stop minding my own business, and push back.
5646054
Oooooh. I thought you were referencing that article as prime example of someone attacking you for participating in the franchise. But you’re right, the article is very informative. Which confused me. I’ve actually watched a lot of the author’s work on YouTube, she goes by Jessie Gender. I found her channel few years ago when things with Rowling really took off online. Lately Jessie’s the franchise content focused more on Star Trek.