In an interview with IGN, Avalanche Studios described the inclusion of Sirona Ryan as "a high priority throughout the development of Hogwarts Legacy to create a game that is representative and diverse."
The spokesperson continued: "The team felt it was very important to create a game that is representative of the rich and diverse world of Harry Potter as well as the groups of people who play games, which includes the LGBTQIA+ community."
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After that statement, the outlet asked why Sirona never was shown in the promotional marketing, prompting the spokesperson to reply that the devs wanted "players to discover all of the different elements of the story and gameplay as they play through it."
As mentioned earlier, a source who helped develop the game alleged Sirona's inclusion was essentially thrown in to stand apart from Rowling.
Games reporter Liam Robertson corroborated the alleged shoehorned trans representation, according to what they heard from a source that described the situation as "performative bulls--t."
While Sirona Ryan's addition has brought the first-ever trans character to the series, her debut has been seen by some as an afterthought rather than a true inclusion for representation.
Hogwarts Legacy releases Feb. 10 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
If you or someone you know is a member of the transgender community and in need of support, call the Trevor Project's 24/7/365 Lifeline at 866-4-U-TREVOR. You can also use TrevorChat, their online instant messaging option, or TrevorText, a text-based support option. If you are looking for peer support, you can visit TrevorSpace from anywhere in the world.
