In spite of the online controversy surrounding the game, the popularity of Hogwarts Legacy is growing exponentially.
From developer Avalanche Software, the new first-person roleplay game has passed 267 million hours of gameplay since its release two weeks ago, on 10 February. It also occupied the position of best-selling game on Steam soon after its release.
It’s no surprise that publisher Warner Bros. Games views this game as the beginning of a ‘long-term franchise’. “We are very pleased with the initial launch and see a bright future for our other platform launches,” said David Haddad, President at Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.
The latest statistics indicate that aside from gameplay, 393 million magical plants have been grown, 242 million potions have been brewed and 1.25 billion Dark Wizards have been defeated.
Since long before its launch, Hogwarts Legacy has has been the centre of a heated frenzy of arguments. It all boils down to J.K Rowling’s controversial statements regarding the transgender community. Many have taken to social media to state their points of view on the matter.
The developers over at Avalanche released a statement regarding the public backlash, making it clear that the game itself is for everyone while taking care to not directly mention J.K Rowling.
“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,” said game director Alan Tew.
“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.”
Will the heat on Hogwarts Legacy die down or keep burning like bluebell flames? Only time will tell.
