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Does JK Rowling make money from Hogwarts Legacy?

Hogwarts Legacy's controversy, explained.
Image of Blaine Polhamus
Blaine Polhamus
|

Published: Jan 12, 2023 06:07 pm

Hogwarts Legacy is a highly anticipated open-world RPG set in the fictional world of Harry Potter. Announced in September 2020, Hogwarts Legacy quickly rose to become Steam’s most wishlisted upcoming game. Despite the immense amount of excitement shared by both long-time Harry Potter fans and RPG enthusiasts, Hogwarts Legacy has also been at the center of controversy.

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The author of all seven Harry Potter books, J.K. Rowling, has come under public scrutiny due to her stance toward transgender women. Across social media, Rowling has repeatedly tweeted her opinions on gender and sex, often receiving immense backlash. The author’s controversial tweets have led many former Harry Potter fans to retroactively condemn the franchise. From the original book series to film adaptions, many have since stood against Rowling’s most prolific work.

The upcoming release of Hogarts Legacy stood as another point of division in the Harry Potter and adjacent fanbase. Though many were excited at the prospect of Hogwarts coming to life like never before, others could not bring themselves to enjoy the game given Rowling’s relation to the intellectual property. While the game certainly draws inspiration from the Harry Potter universe, what exactly is Rowling’s involvement in Hogwarts Legacy, and will she make money from it?

Will J.K. Rowling make money from Hogwarts Legacy?

The development team behind Hogwarts Legacy, Avalanche Software, have made it clear that J.K. Rowling is not involved in the development in any form. Seemingly aware of the controversial nature of the Wizarding Worlds’ creator, Hogwarts Legacy’s FAQ even addresses this issue.

“J.K. Rowling is 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,” Avalanche Software’s statement reads.

Though developers have made it clear that Hogwarts Legacy is not a product or new story produced by Rowling, the British author will still profit from the game. Being the creator and owner of Harry Potter and adjacent Wizarding World franchises, Rowling will certainly make royalties from the game’s sale.

Given the inevitability that Rowling will make money from Hogwarts Legacy, despite not being involved in its production, many players have considered boycotting the upcoming title.

Related: Hogwarts Legacy controversy explained from The Mary Sue

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Image of Blaine Polhamus
Blaine Polhamus
Staff Writer for Dot Esports. Avid gamer for two decades and gaming writer for three years. I'm a lover of anything Souls-like since 2011. I cover everything from single-player RPGs to MMOs.