Rumours that Harry Potter is coming to the video game Fortnite have prompted backlash from players.

Rumours circulating online suggest that the competitive shooter’s upcoming season will reportedly add characters and items from JK Rowling’s Wizarding World on top of its already exhaustive list of crossovers.

According to Fortnite News, a fan-created news and rumours page dedicated to Fortnite, chapter 7 season 1 will feature Hogwarts characters, outfits, and more.

The fantasy series has come under increased scrutiny since creator JK Rowling first expressed her gender-critical views on trans people in 2019.

In June 2020, Rowling published a lengthy post on her website, sharing it to Twitter with the caption “TERF Wars,” where she explained her opposition to what she described as “new trans activism.”

Since then, she has continued to share her outspoken views on trans issues on social media. In April 2024, she made headlines for her staunch opposition to Scotland’s new anti-hate crime legislation, which “modernises, consolidates and extends” existing hate crime law in Scotland – with Rowling describing it as “ludicrous”.

Then, during the 2024 Paris Olympics, despite complying with the International Olympic Committee’s eligibility criteria – who said her inclusion is “not a transgender issue” as she was born female and competes as a woman – Algerian boxer Imane Khelif came under scrutiny alongside Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting because they were previously disqualified from the World Championships after failing to meet eligibility criteria.

JK Rowling shared a picture of Imane Khelif after she defeated Italy’s Angela Carini during the 2024 games, tweeting: “Could any picture sum up our new men’s rights movement better? The smirk of a male who’s knows he’s protected by a misogynist sporting establishment enjoying the distress of a woman he’s just punched in the head, and whose life’s ambition he’s just shattered.”

Khelif went on to win the gold in the women’s 66kg boxing event on August 10 after beating China’s Yang Liu.

Rowling was subsequently named in a legal complaint by Khelif, which cites “acts of aggravated cyber harassment” following the row about her gender eligibility.

“If you are still engaging with the franchise you are hurting trans people”

The rumoured Harry Potter collaboration has prompted significant backlash from Fortnite fans, several of whom have accused developers Epic Games of bringing “transphobia” to the game.

“[I don’t care] how much you love Harry Potter – if you are still engaging with the franchise you are hurting trans people,” one user wrote.

Another declared that they refused to play the game if the rumours were true, saying they did not want to line the pockets of JK Rowling and accusing her “using her influence to take away the rights of my trans friends.”

A portion of Rowling’s money has, since May, funded the “JK Rowling’s Women’s Fund” (JKRWF), an organisation designed to support so-called ‘gender-critical’ legal cases.

The organisation’s website explains that the fund was created specifically to support legal cases, including employment tribunals or lawsuits, “fighting to retain women’s sex-based rights.”

It comes after Rowling confirmed she had donated to For Women Scotland. A case brought by For Women Scotland resulted in an April court ruling that determined that the 2010 Equality Act’s definition of sex related to biological sex only.

In a statement after publishing the leak, a spokesperson for Fortnite News said it is “incredibly disheartening” to see Epic Games potentially work with the Wizarding World franchise.

“If you feel frustrated about this, I recommend directing these frustrations towards the official Fortnite account,” they continued. “This is the best way to make your voice heard and has the greatest chance to have an impact on Epic Games’ future decision-making.

“Please do not harass Epic Games employees about this, and please do not harass other leakers who do not share this sentiment.”

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