Reviewers including No Pun Included, Shut Up & Sit Down boycott Codenames publisher CGE for releasing new Harry Potter game while ignoring JK Rowling’s anti-trans rhetoric -
boardgamewire.com
Some of board gaming's biggest and most influential reviewers are boycotting Codenames publisher Czech Games Edition, after the company decided to release a new Harry Potter-themed version of the game despite years of anti-trans campaigning from the character's creator, JK Rowling.

CGE faced an immediate online backlash after unveiling Codenames: Back to Hogwarts on social media site BlueSky on July 23, with the announcement receiving hundreds of responses attacking the decision before the Codenames account locked comments, and switched off the function allowing users to share the post alongside their own remarks.

The continued online criticism intensified two days later when CGE released a short statement attempting to justify its decision to release the game – which was panned for going out of its way to avoid mentioning Harry Potter or JK Rowling by name.

That statement also immediately came under fire online for its attempt to separate the art from the artist, while failing to address that Rowling – a dollar billionaire thanks to Harry Potter – has used financial proceeds from her creation to directly fund organisations attempting to strip trans people of their rights.

    • AwesomeLowlander@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      313·
      3 days ago

      In this case though, it’s professional reviewers who are boycotting CGE, the publisher. Reviews are pretty important in the boardgame industry as a form of marketing, so this does have the potential to accomplish something.

      • Lairo@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
        61·
        2 days ago

        That’s just weird. Why? Did someone actually believe that’d be enough to get people on side? Considering her reputation, that’s not a decision made on a whim. Did someone sneak it in under Joanne’s nose or did she just not give a fuck?

        • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          61·
          3 days ago

          I thought it was great. Yeah, it doesn’t break any new ground, but it’s a solid Harry Potter-universe adventure game. It gets bonus points for being developed by a studio near where I live. My kids love HP and we enjoyed playing through it together, in fact, one of my kids made their own account and beat it before me.

          The main opposition I see to it is being affiliated w/ JK Rowling, nothing bad about the game itself, other than features they wish it had.

  • Maestro@fedia.io
    307·
    4 days ago

    Good. And I hope HBO faces similar backlash over the new Harty Potter TV series.