Though some games allow players to ‘misbehave’, they usually come with some kind of consequence like the cops in Grand Theft Auto or the changing endings of BioShock. With Hogwarts Legacy though, the players are free to do what they please without worrying about the wizard cops getting to them.
In a recent interview with GamesRadar, Hogwarts Legacy developers Kelly Murphy and Moira Squier confirm that the game won’t really ‘judge’ players for using ‘Unforgivable Curses’. Murphy explains:
“Characters will react visually and audibly to seeing the player cast an Unforgivable, but we don’t have a morality system that punishes them for doing so – this would be too judgemental on the game maker’s part. But, should the player continue these actions, the world will reflect back knowledge of them.”
For context, Unforgivable Curses in the Wizarding World lore are considered illegal spells. The three are Imperio (which allows complete control of a person), Crucio (which inflicts unbearable pain to a target), and Avada Kedavra (which kills your target).
Though these curses are available in the game, players can actually choose wether or not to learn them. Squier says, “The [Unforgivable Curses] are not learned in school, and the player very specifically chooses whether or not to learn them… Even if the player learns them, they don’t have to use them. And the world does react to their use.”
If anything, I think the era is actually an earlier time where the wizarding world in general doesn’t know about the curses, that’s why they don’t really have punishments for them yet, but some fans online are already excited at the thought of being able to do whatever they want with no consequences.
Despite the online campaign to get the game boycotted to stop support for J.K. Rowling, it seems that they hype is still on for the release of Hogwarts Legacy. After all, you have to think of all the developers who’ve also worked hard on the game. Rowling’s not the only person getting money off this franchise.
Hogwarts Legacy launches for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S on Feb. 10. The game launches for Xbox One and PS4 on April 4, and Nintendo Switch on July 25.
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