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YouTube Gaming sensation Rachell "Valkyrae" returned to her channel on February 8 to host a gaming livestream. While playing Valorant with her streaming buddies, the co-owner of 100 Thieves took the opportunity to reveal that she wouldn't be playing the recently released Hogwarts Legacy.
Valkyrae mentioned that several content creators were playing the contentious game on their channel and added that playing the title did not make anyone transphobic. She said:
"I just personally... really icked out. I just feel... I would just feel icky playing it, personally."
"I do not think you're transphobic if you play the game" - Valkyrae on the Hogwarts Legacy debacle
The conversation started at the three-hour mark of Valkyrae's February 8 broadcast, when she announced that she would not be playing Hogwarts Legacy. She stated:
"I will not be playing Hogwarts Legacy. But many other people are. I do not think you're transphobic if you play the game. I think that if you want to play the game, play the game."
The YouTuber went on to say that she would feel uncomfortable playing the game. She also claimed that those playing the game did not have to agree with J.K.Rowling's opinions:
"Just because you play the game does not mean you're transphobic. Your views do not have to align with the creator of Harry Potter, just so you know, to play the game. All right? The two do not co-relate."
Timestamp: 03:11:45
According to Valkyrae, one of the reasons people were playing Hogwarts Legacy was because of nostalgia:
"There are many are playing the franchise... are playing it, and you know, it's just nostalgia. It also seems like, it does seem like it would be a fun game. I'm just like, not really into it.
Fans react to the streamer's take
The YouTube Gaming streamer's take was a hot topic of discussion on the r/LivestreamFail subreddit, with the reaction thread amassing over 200 fan reactions.
Redditor u/NaoSouONight claimed that Rachell's stance was "perfectly sensible":
Another Reddit user, u/James_Vowles, wondered why the Los Angeles-based content creator felt compelled to talk about the game:
Here are some more notable fan reactions:
Apart from Valkyrae, Twitch political commentator Hasan "HasanAbi" has announced that he will not be playing Hogwarts Legacy. During a livestream on February 7, 2023, the Turkish-American personality claimed that the negative attention and potential online harassment associated with playing the game wasn't worth it.
He went on to say that he was "yelled at relentlessly" on his alternate Twitter account after announcing that he would be playing the game to host a broadcast to benefit trans charities.
