In a recent gameplay showcase, Hogwarts Legacy's character creator was explored, and along with the whole host of additions, players will select a voice and pitch instead of selecting a "male" or "female" option.
This trend towards inclusivity has also been seen in games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, where the player chooses a "style" of "boy" or "girl" which has no effect on the way that characters refer to the Resident Representative. Cyberpunk 2077 allows the player to choose their character's voice and genitalia, but the voice selection will lead to NPCs using "he/him" or "she/her" pronouns irrespective of how the player roleplays their V.
Hogwarts Legacy's common rooms for Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff are on another level - take a look!
"Our goal with this is to make sure that anyone who fantasised about bringing themselves to the school, for the very first time, they feel like they have the options to represent who they are," said game director Alan Tew in the livestream (which you can check out here). There is a huge range of options, from the presets to the different face shapes, hair styles and colours, details like scars and freckles, eyebrow styles and more.
At the end of the character creator comes the choice to select one of two voices and the ability to slide the pitch to however you'd like the character to sound. And, there's a choice to select "Witch" or "Wizard" for the dormitory where the character will rest.
This part of the character creator likely arose from the conversations that developer Avalanche Software has had with LGBTQ consultancy groups in order to ensure Hogwarts Legacy welcomes all to its magical halls. That being said, we're still in the dark over whether or not the series' author J. K. Rowling will receive royalties from its sales. Rowling has repeatedly criticised transgender individuals and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment president stated that "she has the right to hold her opinions."
Topics: Hogwarts Legacy, Warner Bros