Streamers online are calling for a boycott of Twitch over the ad campaign for Hogwarts Legacy. The release of Hogwarts Legacy is proving to be extremely controversial.
Hogwarts Legacy has faced a difficult run-up to its release, mainly due to the string of transphobic comments made by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling. With the game now just days from release, fans who have grown up with Rowling's Wizarding World face an impossible choice about Hogwarts Legacy. Fans have waited years for an RPG that allows for an in-depth exploration of Hogwarts, and early reviews suggest that the title is everything fans have been waiting for. But despite this, the reputation of the entire Harry Potter franchise has suffered at the hands of Rowling's beliefs, and it will surely prove too much for many to look past, at no fault of the developers.
The news that Twitch is forcing Hogwarts Legacy ads onto creators came from Twitch streamer Nikatine, who released a statement condemning the site. Nikatine began the campaign by announcing she would not be streaming on the platform while the Hogwarts Legacy ad campaign continues to run. Other smaller creators have announced they'll be joining Nikatine in a total boycott of the platform, while others still will simply be turning off their ads whenever they're live on Twitch. The planned boycott of Hogwarts Legacy is well documented, with some believing that any further support of the Wizarding World equates to the support of Rowling's transphobic stances.
The main issue for creators is that they're unable to selectively opt out of their viewers receiving ads for Hogwarts Legacy on their streams. These ads will often interrupt the stream, so are impossible to avoid on the site. It seems that Twitch is constantly at the heart of controversy on the internet, with the addition of the anti-transgender charity LGB Alliance to the site causing a stir at the end of 2022.
Despite the string of controversies, Avalanche Studios has hinted where it stands in this situation, including a transgender character in Hogwarts Legacy. Given Rowling's unshakable conviction on the matter, this is a surprising move. While Avalanche Studios has done all it can to separate itself from Rowling, it is likely that it can only say so much without legal repercussions. However, the issue is a severe elephant in the room for Hogwarts Legacy, and can't simply be ignored.
Hogwarts Legacy launches February 10 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X, with PS4 and Xbox One versions coming April 4, and a Switch port releasing July 25.
Source: The Gamer