New Harry Potter game lets players pay to kill, torture characters
Hogwarts Legacy, an upcoming video game unveiled features that allow users to buy in-game access to murder and torture spells.
Avalanche Studios, the game’s developers, released promotional material earlier today, introducing a pay-to-play feature of the Harry Potter spin-off. In the “battle arena” segment of the game, players will be able to try out “spells” that can kill or torture other characters.
The feature is available only to users who pay for the game’s deluxe edition, which costs an extra $10 (£8.19). The game is set to have an age rating of 16+ which means its content is unsuitable for younger users.
The game is scheduled to release in February 2023 and will be available online and on consoles meaning parents and guardians will have to restrict the interactions their children have with the media. Harry Potter remains popular in the UK, with the Royal Mint launching a special Harry Potter coin as the last collectible 50p of 2022.
Jo Frost, British parenting expert said “While we understand the importance of protecting our children in the physical world, we must also be sure to recognise the equal importance of keeping our children safe online in the virtual world too” in a statement about online safety and its impact on minors.