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Prema Arasu, Postdoctoral research fellow, The University of Western Australia

Hogwarts Legacy's game mechanics reflect the gender essentialism at the heart of Harry Potter

Warner Bros. Games

The controversial and keenly anticipated open-world role-playing game Hogwarts Legacy was released a week ago, and reviews have been mixed. Some have praised the sweeping expanses of Hogwarts castle and its surrounds, and others have criticised its stagnant loot-collection mechanics. Much of the discourse has centred on tensions and expression around gender.

The game has been subject to controversy regarding the anti-trans remarks made by the Wizarding World franchise’s creator, Harry Potter series author JK Rowling.

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