"Made the main plot a goblin uprising and included house-elves everywhere": Community reacts to J.K. Rowling and Hogwarts Legacy's problematic representations

Hogwarts Legacy fans finally got a peek at the game's world and its gameplay during the dedicated State of Play streamed last week by PlayStation. It features a fresh, in-depth look at the Wizarding World of the title and life inside Hogwarts.

But recent developments have also brought back the inherent issues that plague the Harry Potter universe.

J.K. Rowling's shadow looms large over her IP, and Hogwarts Legacy will not be able to outrun it. With her controversial transphobic stance, the community is already divided over whether they should play the game or give it a miss in protest.

A recent tweet discusses the problematic representations of goblins and house-elves in the Wizarding World that Hogwarts Legacy ends up furthering.

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How Hogwarts Legacy ends up continuing the problematic portrayals of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter universe

The issues with the representations of both marginalized races, goblins and house-elves, have been pointed out by fans and critics alike. The former has been seen as containing anti-Semitic tropes. They are bankers, with physical characteristics reportedly similar to caricatures of Jews disseminated in an early twentieth-century text and how they are treated and depicted in the universe.

The latter has been seen as a depiction of slavery sustained in the modern world. A 2010 article in The Midwest Quarterly contended that:

"[E]nslaved house-elves of the "Harry Potter" series should be seen as indirect and perhaps unintentional representations of unemancipated and unempowered women of the past, and those in oppressive societies today. Through her representation of house-elves as akin to stereotypical oppressed women, J.K. Rowling projects an ambivalent attitude towards feminism."

Irrespective of J.K. Rowling's views towards anti-Semitism, racism, and slavery, the issues run deep through the world of Harry Potter and all the stories it tells, which will include Hogwarts Legacy.

The tweet by Testament Pit Crew points out that the game has been showcased at the State of Play by choosing to further this legacy.

Comments on the game (Image via Twitter)

Comments on the game (Image via Twitter)

Redditor Konradleijon's post on the Hogwarts Legacy subreddit also points out the issue of how goblins are depicted in the universe and, more specifically, the game. The comments underneath the post discuss the irony of the title's driving storyline.

Comments on the game (Image via Konradleijon/Reddit)

Furthermore, J.K. Rowling's transphobic comments on identity have already problematized her association with a world that was about accepting diversity and love for many. Although Warner Bros. has repeatedly stated that J.K. Rowling is not directly associated with the RPG title, their official website states:

"J.K. Rowling is supportive of Portkey Games and has entrusted the design and creation of the games to Warner Bros. Games and the developers involved. Her team has also collaborated with Warner Bros. Games on all aspects of Hogwarts Legacy to ensure it remains a true part of the Wizarding World experience and is in line with the creativity and magic that fans expect. The story showcased in the game is not a new story from J.K. Rowling."

The treatment of goblins and other non-human creatures by wizards in the Harry Potter universe has been a point of contention for the longest time, especially with the ban on using wands. The ban was just one of the many examples of inherent discrimination prevalent in the Wizarding World and led to goblin rebellions in later years.

Comments on the game (Image via Konradleijon/Reddit)

It would be interesting to see how the developers of Hogwarts Legacy tackle the issues above, primarily since the title revolves around an impending goblin rebellion. While one could hide behind the claim that this is merely a game, it does not suffice to put up such a flimsy excuse when the charges are those of racism and slavery.