Streamers Are Boycotting on Twitch During 'Hogwarts Legacy' Ad Campaign

A video game attracting more controversy than most in recent memory is Hogwarts Legacy. Due to transphobic comments from franchise creator J.K. Rowling, many supporters of the trans community have decided to boycott the game by not buying it.

However, the movement has become overshadowed by the ever-climbing pre-order sales across multiple platforms for Hogwarts Legacy. Despite that, boycott efforts are still ongoing but have developed under a different banner.

In the wake of a Hogwarts Legacy ad campaign on Twitch, content creators are boycotting the game on the platform by not streaming.

According to streamers, Twitch has rolled out seemingly unavoidable ads for the open-world RPG game that could air during their streams, causing many who never supported the contentious game to boycott the campaign.

Building momentum for the boycott was Twitch creator @NikatinePrime, who became aware of Hogwarts Legacy ads that were interrupting her streams — leading her to stop streaming during the campaign.

Afterward, she posted on Twitter to encourage other streamers not to promote Hogwarts Legacy ads by not streaming since it ultimately benefits J.K. Rowling.

"I call on every streamer to join me in taking a stance against bigotry, hatred, and those who support such views," Nikatine stated in her post, adding, "I call on Twitch to end this harmful relationship with Hogwarts Legacy, and continue to take steps towards providing a safe place for the trans community."

Nikatine's disagreement with Twitch's decision to run the ad campaign and refusal to stream has led multiple streamers to follow through with the boycott. Although, the reality is that several streamers cannot stop streaming on Twitch since it's their primary source of income.

A possible solution proposed by content creator @ErinInTheMorn on Twitter is for Twitch creators to pause their stream while Hogwarts Legacy ads are running.

"If you stream on Twitch, please consider signing off on this and pausing while Hogwarts Legacy ads are running," said Erin. "It would mean a lot to solidarity as attacks on the community are at an all time high."

One Twitter user under her post relayed their frustration with the ads, saying it's "not like we can SEE what ads are playing on our streams, or even WHEN they are playing so I mean that's kind of...not possible."

Others noted how YouTube has been rolling constant Hogwarts Legacy ads as its Feb. 10 release date gets closer. Knowing that, ads for the game on Twitch will likely become more rampant, forcing those boycotting to eventually stream to earn income despite not supporting the product.

If you or someone you know is a member of the transgender community and in need of support, call the Trans Lifeline at , the Trevor Project's 24/7/365 Lifeline at 866-4-U-TREVOR (), or 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.