Hogwarts Legacy's animal ‘rescue’ is a magical menagerie of ethical issues

The highly anticipated video game, Hogwarts Legacy, has come under fire for its portrayal of animal rescue. While the game's main villains are poachers, players have the ability to capture, breed, and sell animal byproducts, causing some to question the game's stance on animal welfare.

Players are given the opportunity to interact with a variety of animals within the game's magical world, but the process of rescuing them has been called into question. The quest to learn how to catch magical creatures involves using a Nab-Sack, which players use to capture animals in their natural habitat. This process has been criticized for being unethical, as players corner animals and forcibly capture them while they audibly protest.

Once players have captured enough animals to fill their Vivarium, they can sell them to a woman at Brood and Peck for 120 Galleons. This has led some to argue that players are essentially turning into poachers themselves, capturing animals and selling them for profit.

In addition to capturing animals, players are encouraged to breed them, which has also raised concerns about the game's stance on animal welfare. While players are instructed to capture a male and female thestral and build a breeding pen, some argue that this goes against the core principles of animal rescue.

Also read | | Is Hogwarts Legacy missing the magic of being a true student at Hogwarts?.

While Hogwarts Legacy attempts to promote animal welfare by featuring poachers as villains, its gameplay mechanics have raised questions about its true message. Critics argue that the game's portrayal of animal rescue undermines its message and raises concerns about the game's true stance on animal welfare.