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- Hogwarts Legacy's Developers On J. K. Rowling's Involvement
- Hogwarts Legacy Tries To Distance Itself From J. K. Rowling
Ever since Sony announced Hogwarts Legacy at a PlayStation 5 event in late 2020, some Harry Potter book readers have been eager to know whether J.K. Rowling will make money off of Hogwarts Legacy. Since Harry Potter’s success, J.K. Rowling’s name has instead become synonymous with her transphobic beliefs, with some fomer fans deciding to no longer support Rowling and her work.
Warner Bros. has attempted to create distance between Hogwarts Legacy and J. K. Rowling, repeatedly stating that she’s not directly involved. However, Rowling will inevitably earn royalties from Hogwarts Legacy, and continue to profit greatly from the success of the Wizarding World brand, leaving Harry Potter movie and book enjoyers feeling torn.
Related: What Hogwarts Legacy's Nintendo Switch Release Date Is
Hogwarts Legacy's Developers On J. K. Rowling's Involvement
Since Hogwarts Legacy’s initial announcement, many have questioned J. K. Rowling’s involvement, as well as her remuneration for the upcoming game. While some argue that boycotting Harry Potter will have little impact on Rowling's financial status, others argue that continuing to support her brand helps maintain her platform and influence. Without naming Rowling outright, Hogwarts Legacy's Game Director Alan Tew commented on the situation in a recent IGN article:
I think for us there are challenges in every game we've worked on. This game has been no different. When we bumped into those challenges, we went back and refocused on the stuff that we really care about. We know our fans fell in love with the Wizarding World, and we believe they fell in love with it for the right reasons... We know that's a diverse audience. For us, it's making sure that the audience, who always dreamed of having this game, had the opportunity to feel welcomed back. That they have a home here and that it's a good place to tell their story.
Immediately after this moment in the IGN interview, author Luke Winkie writes, "Tew stopped short of mentioning J.K. Rowling by name, nor did he say anything specific about trans issues or trans rights. I asked him a second question — if he, himself, ever had any second thoughts about working on this IP after Rowling's biases made headlines — and after a pause, Tew reiterated his earlier statement: That the team made Hogwarts Legacy for everyone."
While J. K. Rowling’s fortune shows no sign of dwindling, her reputation is no longer what it once was. During the height of COVID lockdowns, book sales soared. Despite this, J. K. Rowling's book sales lagged during the same period, an apparent response to the author's anti-trans tweets.
Hogwarts Legacy Tries To Distance Itself From J. K. Rowling
The Hogwarts Legacy website advises that J. K. Rowling isn’t directly involved, although "her team" are. However, as with all Harry Potter IPs, Rowling will undoubtedly earn royalties on Hogwarts Legacy. Unsurprisingly, this isn’t the first time a Wizarding World production has attempted to distance itself from Harry Potter’s creator due to her controversial statements. HBO Max’s Harry Potter: Return to Hogwarts special used several-year-old footage of J. K. Rowling instead of new interviews, with Rowling not in attendance.
Many of the actors who starred in the Harry Potter movies have publicly denounced Rowling’s controversial anti-trans comments. Daniel Radcliffe apologized to Harry Potter fans for the harm caused by Rowling's comments while voicing his support for transgender and nonbinary people.
Related: How J.K. Rowling's Controversies Affect The New Harry Potter Game
While the conversation around the game is complex and nuanced, players should be aware of how J. K. Rowling stands to profit from Hogwarts Legacy's release, as well as why Rowling’s anti-trans comments are so harmful. Although J. K. Rowling may not be a politician or lawmaker, her rhetoric has been shared far and wide, with quotes from the author frequently used in support of anti-trans legislation. The anti-trans remarks made by Rowling continue to spread the dangerous and false perception that transgender people inherently pose a threat to women’s rights and safety.
Hogwarts Legacy Boycotts
According to The Times, multiple calls for boycotts from various players across the world have begun sprouting up ahead of Hogwarts Legacy's first release date. Right now, simply searching "Hogwarts Legacy" on Twitter will reveal hundreds of different opinions from all ranges of people, and while it's impossible to say for sure just how much money J. K. Rowling will make from Hogwarts Legacy, it is true that every copy boycotted is one not sold. As reported by BuzzFeed News, Rowling herself has even responded to players calling for a Hogwarts Legacy boycott at least once:
According to an Axios article from August 2022, "when asked about people who might avoid the game to avoid supporting Rowing, [Head of Warner Bros. Games David] Haddad said: 'We're going to stay very focused on the game that we built and the great job that the Avalanche studio has done... We want everybody that loves this world and loves these stories and loves these characters.'"
More: Hogwarts Legacy On Switch Needs A Touch Of Magic
Source: Hogwarts Legacy, IGN, HBO Max/YouTube, BuzzFeed News, Axios
Editor’s Note: Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling has been accused of transphobia by those in the LGBTQ+ community. Although not directly involved in the development of Hogwarts Legacy, Rowling does stand to earn royalties from the game. We would like to reiterate our support for trans rights and that trans identities are valid. Support services are listed below for trans people impacted by discussions of transphobia.
In the USA:
Trans Lifeline: (877) 565-8860
The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386
In Canada:
Trans Lifeline: (877) 330-6366
Youth Line: 1-800-268-9688
In the UK:
Switchboard: 01273 204050
Mermaids: 0808 801 0400
- Franchise:
- Harry Potter
- Platform:
- Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows, Steam
- Released:
- 2022-02-10
- Developer:
- Avalanche Software
- Publisher:
- Warner Bros. Games
- Genre:
- Adventure, Action RPG, Open-World
- Engine:
- Unreal Engine 4
- ESRB:
- T
- Summary:
- Set in the 1800s in the Wizarding World universe, Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world action RPG where players get to live out a student's life in the hallowed halls of Hogwarts and beyond. Aside from Hogwarts, players can also travel between iconic locales such as Hogsmeade and the Forbidden Forest. Starting as a fifth year, players will pick up more advanced spell casting and potion crafting and discover both friendly and antagonistic magical beasts across the entire Harry Potter universe, as they follow the path of light or darkness on their own wizarding journey.
- Mode:
- Single-Player
FAQs
“Hogwarts Legacy” has wingardium leviosa-ed Warner Bros. Games' sales, earning $850 million in global sales and moving more than 12 million units in just its first two weeks post-launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, according to numbers released Thursday by the video game company.
Did JK Rowling contribute to Hogwarts Legacy? ›
Rowling? A: J.K. Rowling was not involved in the creation of the game, but as creator of the wizarding world and one of the world's greatest storytellers, her extraordinary body of writing is the foundation of all projects in the Wizarding World. This is not a new story from J.K.
How many copies of Hogwarts Legacy sold? ›
Tom Ivan. Hogwarts Legacy sold over 12 million copies and raked in $850 million in sales globally in its first two weeks, according to publisher Warner Bros. Games.
Does JK Rowling make money from Harry Potter books? ›
Rowling has made most of her money from the Harry Potter franchise which includes book sales, movies, theme parks, and merchandise. She makes around $50 million to a $100 million each year and made $90 million between June 2018-June 2019.
Is Hogwarts Legacy selling well? ›
It's been announced that Hogwarts Legacy has sold 12 million copies in its first two weeks since launch, which translates to $850 million in revenue. It's easily the biggest launch for a WB game, which previously set records for Twitch concurrent viewers, and near-records for Steam single player games.
How much was Dobby paid in Hogwarts? ›
Eventually, Professor Dumbledore agreed to pay Dobby one Galleon per week to work at Hogwarts – he had offered more, but Dobby bargained him down.
How much money does J.K. Rowling make off of Hogwarts Legacy? ›
Multiple sources have cited that Rowling earns anywhere between $50 million to a $100 million each year from royalties.
Does J.K. Rowling get royalties from Universal Studios? ›
Anything you buy here, including Butterbeer, stickers, postage stamps, a Harry Potter-branded pen, will pay into JK Rowling and Warner Bros. ' coffers. JKR & WB also get an ANNUAL PAYMENT on July 1 every year through at least 2026, and they've already received 14 such payments. Thanks for the information.
Why boycott Hogwarts Legacy? ›
Some called for a boycott of “Hogwart's Legacy” due to the controversial statements made by “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling. Set long before the events of the core books, the game follows a similar heroic plot with a deep dedication to detail.
How many hours is Hogwarts Legacy? ›
It should take around 30-35 hours to beat Hogwarts Legacy if you focus primarily on the story. As it is an open-world game, filled with exploration and side quests, you could be playing it for a lot longer than that.
The highest-selling book in the series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, sold 120 million copies alone. 1 Even more impressive than the series' sales dominance is the relatively few number of novels in the series—there are only seven Harry Potter books.
What was the highest selling Harry Potter book? ›
The first novel in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, has sold in excess of 120 million copies, making it one of the best-selling books of all time.
Is J.K. Rowling a billionaire? ›
Billionaire author JK Rowling has lived a true rags-to-riches story. The writer of the famous Harry Potter stories about a young wizard and his friends always wanted to be an author, but had little success until she was in her 30s.
How much did J.K. Rowling have to do with the Harry Potter movies? ›
And even though Rowling may not have been directly involved in the creative process behind the movies, they're still based on her intellectual property and she still made millions of dollars off of them; Business Insider estimates at least $770 million for the films alone.
How much does J.K. Rowling make a day? ›
How much does J.K. Rowling earn a day? According to the site, Rowling earns approximately £6,190,042 per day, which equates to £203,508 per day; £8,480 every hour; or an incredible £142 per minute.
Which Harry Potter book is worth a lot of money? ›
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (book 1 - UK)
Hardcover first edition, first printings of the 1997 book Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, have become the 'Holy Grail' for Potter collectors. If you find one in the attic, you've hit the jackpot. Only 500 were published and 300 went to libraries.
Is JK Rowling's net worth? ›
The 2021 Sunday Times Rich List estimated Rowling's fortune at £820 million, ranking her as the 196th-richest person in the UK.
Will Hogwarts Legacy have multiple endings? ›
Hogwarts Legacy Has Three Endings, but They're Not Very Different. What Hogwarts Legacy ending you get depends on decisions you make near the end of the game.
What gender is Dobby? ›
Dobby (28 June (year unknown) - March, 1998) was a male house-elf who served the Malfoy family.
How old is Kreacher? ›
Responding to a fan's question of what happened to him after the Harry Potter books ended, Rowling replied with the sad – and actually quite blunt – news that he had passed away. “He died, aged 666” she wrote. Oh. We always thought the Black family's House Elf actually looked older, anyway.
Dobby's girlfriend Winkey
Winkey was a freed female elf who served the Crouch family After being freed Winky fell into a depression and began drinking heavily. At one point Dobby got Winky a job at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
How much did Daniel Radcliffe make from Harry Potter? ›
How much did Daniel Radcliffe make from Harry Potter? Radcliffe reportedly made $95.6 million from the Harry Potter franchise as a whole.
How often are book royalties paid? ›
Royalties are calculated and paid out every six months, but according to a fixed schedule that differs from publisher to publisher. For example, one major publisher sends their royalties out in April and October. The April statement and money (if any) covers books sold from July to December of the previous year.
Who funds Universal Studios? ›
Universal Pictures
| 2021 version of 2012 logo |
|---|
| 10 Universal City Plaza in Universal City |
|---|
| Revenue | US$11.622 billion (2022) |
| Owner | Comcast |
| Parent | NBCUniversal Film and Entertainment (NBCUniversal) |
16 more rowsHogwarts Legacy has been the target of an internet firestorm because of the game's association with JK Rowling, an author who has made transphobic comments, and therefore poisoned Harry Potter as a whole for many fans, including this game specifically.
Will Hogwarts Legacy let you be evil? ›
In the recent GamesRadar interview (01/25/2023), narrative director Moira Squier confirmed that you can be evil in Hogwarts Legacy.
Why is there no Quidditch in Hogwarts Legacy? ›
Quidditch is omitted from Hogwarts Legacy due to the lore
Headmaster Nigellus Black announces that Quidditch season will be canceled for the rest of the term due to an unfortunate accident involving a student during a session, much to the students' and protagonist's dismay.
How much money does Hogwarts mystery make? ›
Overall, this game has earned nearly $300 million in revenue. That tells us that the players are spending a lot of money on this game. Up until now, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery was downloaded more than 90 million times.
How many people play Hogwarts Legacy? ›
According to SteamDB, the Hogwarts Legacy player count currently sits at 879,308 peak players on the Steam version of the game. Obviously, these figures don't take into account those playing on Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5.
How much money does it take to make Hogwarts? ›
With a total real-life build cost of $174.5m, Hogwarts is the least expensive structure on this list – but which structure is the most expensive to translate from fiction to reality, and why? Read on to find out.
Hogwarts Legacy does not feature any microtransactions or in-game purchases, according to the Community Manager, Chandler Wood, on Twitter.
What is wizarding money worth? ›
According to the post, one gold galleon equals $25, one silver sickle equals $1.50 and one bronze knut equals $. 05.
Does Harry pay to go to Hogwarts? ›
How much does Hogwarts cost to attend in the Harry Potter series? Nothing. J.K.Rowling clarified in a tweet that Hogwarts does not ask any fees of students who attend it, because the Ministry of Magic covers all the expenses of the school.
Did Harry pay to go to Hogwarts? ›
According to a tweet by JK Rowling, the tuition fees of Hogwarts is paid for by the Ministry of Magic. Students only need to pay for their wand, books, supplies, clothing and equipment.
Can you romance in Hogwarts Legacy? ›
Unfortunately for all you romantics, Hogwarts Legacy does not have romance. The game does not venture into the realm of young love.
Will Hogwarts Legacy eventually be multiplayer? ›
Does Hogwarts Legacy have multiplayer? No, Hogwarts Legacy does not have a multiplayer mode or co-op support. The developers confirmed on the game's official Frequently Asked Questions page, "Hogwarts Legacy is a single-player experience and does not have online or co-op gameplay."
Who is the richest Harry Potter star? ›
Radcliffe is currently the wealthiest actor from the Harry Potter franchise. The rest of the main kid cast's ranking, in order from highest to lowest estimated net worth, is: Emma Watsonat $85 million. Rupert Grintat $50 million.
Is there an 8th year at Hogwarts? ›
A seventh year is a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry who is in their seventh and final year of formal magical education.
How much money did the Weasleys have? ›
The Weasley's genuinely had no money
We discover in Chamber of Secrets that their Gringotts vault consists of 1 Galleon and a couple of Sickles (that can't be more than £18).
Will Hogwarts Legacy let you play Quidditch? ›
As sad as it is to say, you cannot play Quidditch in Hogwarts Legacy. While you do gain access to a flying broom, and can visit the school's Quidditch field, it can't be used to play this magical sport.
Avada Kedavra, The Killing Curse in Hogwarts Legacy- Details
Avada Kedavra being the most powerful and dreadful of the 3 Unforgivable Curses, can be unlocked only very later on in the game.
