CGE Will Donate All Harry Potter Codenames Profits to Trans Charities

The Harry Potter license was announced on July 22, to incredibly poor reception. JK Rowling is a transphobic bigot; she uses the wealth she has earned from Harry Potter to lobby for anti-trans legislation in the UK. Members of the board game community were understandably upset that, with this new collaboration, Rowling would receive more royalty checks.

CGE’s initial response to the backlash was wishy-washy. Quote replies and comments were disabled on their posts, and many people who spoke against the decision, including trans folks, were blocked. On July 25 CGE released a weak statement attempting to justify their decision to license Harry Potter, expressing affection for the wizarding world. “We know many people around the world share the same sentiment about this universe, even among those who have been hurt by the public views and actions of its creator,” they wrote. “Deciding whether those feelings should also transfer to the once-beloved world is up to everyone, and we fully respect and understand those who do not wish to engage with this game.”

Two weeks later, a new statement was posted on CGE socials apologizing for the situation: “Frankly, we were not prepared for the volume of the response. As a result, multiple accounts and comments were blocked or muted that should not have been. We would never want anyone experiencing the pain this situation has caused to then feel like they are being silenced. So for that, too, we want to sincerely apologize.” The post continues to state that an amount equal to or greater than the fee CGE paid to license Harry Potter “will go directly to organizations that provide support for the trans community,” with recommendations from the community.

As narrative designer Crystal Frazier pointed out, it is possible that CGE is legally unable to back out of the Harry Potter partnership. Overall, CGE’s decision to donate its profits has largely been met with approval, though many are still disappointed with the circumstances that led to this. As long as companies continue to work with Rowling’s creations, this is a cycle we’ll see repeat itself again and again.