Maybe you’re feeling FOMO about skipping Hogwarts Legacy. Or you’ve already bought the game and now you can’t look a trans person in the eye. Perhaps you’re just a gamer goth who enjoys magic-themed games. Have I got the itch.io bundle for you.
Trans Witches Are Witches is a collection of magic-themed games, zines, and music by LGBTQ creators. For the same amount of money that you could have spent on Hogwarts Legacy, you can buy 69 items (heh) made by independent queer artists.
J.K. Rowling’s ownership of the Harry Potter IP has caused Legacy’s launch to become a battlefield over whether or not trans people deserve human rights. And that’s just one reason why a lot of people don’t want to buy the game. Gaming website Kritiqal (which curated the bundle) cites its issues with the transphobia of Harry Potter’s author, the game’s anti-semitism in casting the money-obsessed goblins (commonly seen as a Jewish racial caricature) as its villains, and the right-wing views of Legacy’s former lead designer.
Rather than the money going to a single transphobic millionaire, the proceeds from this bundle will be split equally among all contributors. So your purchase will probably fund normal things like rent and food, rather than trips to anti-transgender protest rallies.
24 of these games are digital, while 41 titles are physical tabletop games. Magic Trick allows you to skateboard as an adorable witch. Tarot: Theo’s Quest is a pixel-based JRPG where you collect tarot cards. Casting Hearts is a witchy dating sim about anxiety. The bundle even includes You Are A Wizard, a magical platformer designed by the lead developer of the critically acclaimed Extreme Meatpunks Forever.
If you can’t afford the sticker price of $US60 ($83), there’s an alternative bundle available for $US10 ($14). As of the time of writing, the bundle has raised nearly $US5,000 ($6,941).
Trans Witches Are Witches will be available from now until February 24.
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