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The lead designer of Avalanche Software Hogwarts Legacy, a Harry Potter open-world adventure slated to launch in 2022, has left the project. Troy Leavitt, whose YouTube channel has espoused the sympathies of Gamergate and other far-right cultural critics, said Thursday evening that he had parted ways with Avalanche and would explain more in a more YouTube video. late.
On Twitter, Leavitt said he left Avalanche on good terms and wanted to quit “for reasons I will explain in this next video.” He said he had “nothing but good things to say about the game, the development team and WB Games.”
1. I have made the decision to separate from Avalanche Software. I have nothing but good things to say about the game, the development team, and WB Games.
2. I will post a YouTube video about this on my channel soon.
– Troy Leavitt (@Troylus_true) March 5, 2021
To clarify: I felt absolutely secure in my position. However, I still wanted to quit for reasons that I will explain in this next video. I am in a good mood and very satisfied with my relationship with WB and Avalanche.
– Troy Leavitt (@Troylus_true) March 5, 2021
Hogwarts Legacy sparked controversy from the day it was announced in September, mostly due to the recent history of transphobic statements and writings by Harry Potter creator JK Rowling. In response, WB Games clarified in an FAQ, published after the game’s reveal on September 16, that Rowling herself was not directly involved in the game. Hogwarts Legacythe history or development of.
Then, on February 19, Liam Robertson from Did You Know Gaming? attracted attention to four-year-old Leavitt’s YouTube channel, some 60 videos of which direct harsh right-wing criticism of pop culture critic Anita Sarkeesian, other feminists and social justice advocates in general. Some of Leavitt’s videos also sympathized with Gamergate, a six-year reactionary harassment campaign that targets feminists, progressives and other voices of social justice who develop or comment on video games.
In a video, Leavitt said he spoke to his employers about Utah-based Avalanche and WB Games, his YouTube channel and its content, and neither seemed worried about it. “Not that they approve of everything I’ve said, of course,” Leavitt said, “but at least they seem more concerned with making good games than promoting some sort of justice agenda. social, so there is hope. “
In response, the popular ResetEra video game forum, whose users frequently share trailers, screenshots, and other promotional material from games in development, has banned all promotional threads, or “advertising threads. “, Hogwarts Legacy go forward.
Then, earlier this week, Bloomberg reported that Hogwarts Legacy would include gender independent character creation options, which will allow users to create a player character with voice and body types that are not related to each other, or with a gender presentation.
The Bloomberg report added that other developers at Avalanche Software were “sad and frustrated” by the controversy the game had sparked, more than a year from launch, and that project management had reportedly resisted attempts by the game. developers to put a trans-inclusive character creator. in the game.
Polygon has reached out to representatives for Leavitt and WB Games for further comment. WB Games confirmed to Polygon that Leavitt “has made the decision to leave Avalanche Software,” and declined to comment.
Hogwarts Legacy is expected in 2022, on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X.
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