Fortnite has become one of the most popular games among this generation of gamers, largely maintaining its popularity through collaborations with iconic IPs from various parts of pop culture. Most recently, Fortnite did a crossover with The Simpsons, arguably the most recognizable cartoon IP in history, adding to its already massive library of licensed content collaborations.
However, not all of these collabs are met with praise among players, and a recent leak from PoketOfficial (via Reddit) suggests that a Harry Potter crossover is in the works, and fans are calling for a boycott over J. K. Rowling’s past “transphobic” comments. The leaks about a Harry Potter collaboration are still unconfirmed at the moment.
Fortnite x Harry Potter Crossover Sparks Calls For Boycott
Fortnite Faces Backlash Over Harry Potter Leaked Content
The list of Fortnite crossovers with iconic IPs goes on and on, with everything from the most recent Simpsons collab to Star Wars to Marvel to DC and far beyond, even stretching into collaborations with pop stars like Ariana Grande, Travis Scott, etc. Unsurprisingly, a recent leak from the Fortnite Leaks server on Discord suggests a Harry Potter collaboration is in the works.
The leaker highlights past comments from author J. K. Rowling, the creator of the Harry Potter IP, making “harmful transphobic remarks.” The source notes that the decision to incorporate Harry Potter content is a disappointing one from Epic Games. The Fortnite leaker calls for players to speak out against the inclusion of Harry Potter content in the game, and “directing these frustrations to the official Fortnite account.”
Fortnite Backlash For Harry Potter Collab Isn’t Surprising
Anything Harry Potter Related Is Likely To Raise Ire
It isn’t all that surprising to see calls for a boycott relating to Harry Potter in Fortnite, largely because just about anything Harry Potter related these days is going to upset individuals affected by J. K. Rowling’s controversial comments. While these calls to action are common, they can have a substantial impact depending on the community’s level of disapproval.
That said, it’s an uphill battle when it comes to major IPs and Fortnite, as Epic Games is clearly making this decision based on profitability. As many players such as ChristTheChampion point out, the studio knows that a Harry Potter crossover will be successful despite any level of protest or boycott.
Calls to boycott Hogwarts Legacy, for example, were largely ineffectual as the game became a massive success despite J. K. Rowling’s comments. Ultimately, while Fortnite’s decision to include Harry Potter content is a disappointing one for many players, there’s a low likelihood that a boycott will prevent it from happening entirely. Whether it sends a message that Epic Games will actually hear is another question.
Fortnite
- Released
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September 26, 2017
- ESRB
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T for Teen – Diverse Content: Discretion Advised, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Engine
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Unreal Engine 5