Harry Potter game reportedly coming in 2021, developers concerned over J.K. Rowling's transphobic comments
A big next generation title could be shadowed by controversy.
What you need to know
- A Harry Potter game is reportedly being developed by Avalanche Software.
- This game is coming to next-generation consoles in 2021.
- The developers are concerned due to comments made by J.K. Rowling.
A Harry Potter game has long been rumored to be in development at Avalanche Software, one of many studios under the Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment publishing umbrella. Per a new report from Jason Schreier at Bloomberg, this game is not only real but is currently being aimed to release in late 2021 on the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.
Yet all is not well, as many developers of the title are reportedly concerned with comments made by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, comments that are mostly viewed as transphobic. While some of the developers speaking anonymously explained that Rowling had "very little" involvement with the project, her name remains attached to the series. In addition to developer morale, there are internal concerns over Rowling's commentary possibly affecting the sales of the game.
This game was reportedly due to be revealed at E3 2020 before the event was canceled due to the ongoing pandemic. It would've been revealed alongside a long-rumored Batman game and a Suicide Squad title being developed by WB Montreal and Rocksteady, respectively.
While the two games based on DC Comics are reportedly being revealed at the DC Fandome event in August, the Harry Potter game will be revealed at a later date, per Schreier's report. Then of course there's the recent news that parent company AT&T is considering selling off the Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment gaming division for a sum reported between $2 billion and $4 billion.
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Samuel Tolbert is a freelance writer covering gaming news, previews, reviews, interviews and different aspects of the gaming industry, specifically focusing on Xbox and PC gaming on Windows Central. You can find him on Twitter @SamuelTolbert.