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Reviewers including No Pun Included, Shut Up & Sit Down boycott Codenames publisher CGE for releasing new Harry Potter game while ignoring JK Rowling’s anti-trans rhetoric
Some of board gaming’s biggest and most influential reviewers are boycotting Codenames publisher Czech Games Edition, after the company decided to release a new Harry Potter-themed version of the game despite years of anti-trans campaigning from the character’s creator, JK Rowling.
CGE faced an immediate online backlash after unveiling Codenames: Back to Hogwarts on social media site BlueSky on July 23, with the announcement receiving hundreds of responses attacking the decision before the Codenames account locked comments, and switched off the function allowing users to share the post alongside their own remarks.
The continued online criticism intensified two days later when CGE released a short statement attempting to justify its decision to release the game – which was panned for going out of its way to avoid mentioning Harry Potter or JK Rowling by name.
It said, “When we embarked on creating the newly announced version of Codenames many years ago, it was a dream coming true for many of us at CGE.
“The vast world of magic featured in the upcoming Codenames has been a source of inspiration. It ignited a passion for learning English and exploring new worlds through reading. It shaped our childhoods, sparked imagination, or gave comfort in difficult times.
“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.
“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. We still believe in the magic of stories and the connection they create between people.
“As this is an ongoing conversation, we encourage everyone to approach discussion with care, empathy, and respect—both online and in person.”
That statement also immediately came under fire online for its attempt to separate the art from the artist, while failing to address that Rowling – a dollar billionaire thanks to Harry Potter – has used financial proceeds from her creation to directly fund organisations attempting to strip trans people of their rights.
Despite describing the situation as an “ongoing conversation”, CGE has blocked commenting on the statement on Facebook, Twitter and BlueSky.
The Codenames BlueSky account has also blocked more than 200 users since making the Back to Hogwarts announcement, including board game video review site No Pun Included, veteran tabletop gaming reviewer Matt Thrower and a mass of trans and trans rights-supporting profiles.
A wave of large and small board game reviewers alike have since vowed to boycott Czech Games’ titles in their future coverage.
Efka Bladukas, the co-creator of No Pun Included – which has more than 96,000 subscribers on YouTube – told BoardGameWire they hoped NPI’s boycott would persuade other board game media makers to follow suit.
He said, “Boycotting someone sounds like a big thing, but we want to make it clear, from our side it isn’t. We’re simply choosing to no longer cover an established publisher who made business decisions that are resulting in harm to a marginalized community.
“It’s not the first one and sadly it won’t be the last. Czech Games Edition chose to carry a Harry Potter themed game. We don’t know over what circumstances they got the license, how long it has been in their hands or what their contract looks like and we dare not speculate.
“But somewhere, somehow, we presume, a decision was made by them to carry on with this in 2025. And it is a decision that will hurt many people who enjoy board games and Codenames specifically.
“We don’t want to be contributing to that harm, so our decision is automatic. At NPI our output is curated and small and because of that, we choose carefully what we cover. In an environment where more board games are being made than can ever be played, eliminating a publisher’s catalogue from the roster allows for space for other voices to be showcased.
“We hope that as a byproduct of this decision, we can show an example to others who make media about board games, and if they made similar decisions, we think this is to be celebrated.”
Tom Brewster, the editor in chief of board game reviews giant Shut Up & Sit Down, told BoardGameWire the site would also be boycotting CGE’s games – a huge blow given its huge, longstanding popularity and 449,000-strong subscriber base.
He said, “I fail to see Harry Potter: Codenames as anything but a soulless cash grab that’s tremendously insulting to the trans folks JK Rowling has been trying her best to oust from public life. It’s a product to sell to people who prioritise their nostalgia for children’s fantasy over the culture their trans friends and family live in.
“Rowling is a miserable bigot who has routinely chosen to create a more dangerous world for trans people. She wields real influence, and has used it to set us back as far as possible, every single time.
“To tie your well respected brand to such a visibly horrible individual is a just a shockingly poor decision on all fronts. There are other published Harry Potter games out there – but I can see many of them being made before – or whilst – Rowling gestated into the frightful transphobe she’s become. CGE’s attempt to have a bite of the apple has likely been created entirely within this era of blatant, all-out transphobia.
“Electing to block trans people and allies on their socials is perhaps the most grim part of it all – a clear signifier of hearing and not listening, or not caring, followed by a pathetic company statement that says nothing at all.
“So SU&SD is electing not to cover CGE games for the foreseeable. I don’t know when or how that will change, but it starts with a real acknowledgement of the tangible harm Rowling has done. Until then we’ll simply cover other games.”
Jarrod Carmichael, who has more than 93,000 subscribers to his 3 Minute Board Games YouTube channel, said on BlueSky that we was currently preparing to throw out work on a pair of CGE reviews in the wake of the Back to Hogwarts announcement, saying, “There’s a binary choice here, support trans people or sell [Harry Potter] merch.”
He told BoardGameWire, “3 Minute Board Games has had a public policy against JK Rowling since 2019 when [3MBG co-creator] Stephanie first mentioned it in her top 25 games video.
“She did that because of Joanne’s growing transphobia and general awfulness to trans folk. Six years later and Joanne has gone from awful comments to actively using her financial might to suppress trans folk in the UK and in other countries as well.
“She has boasted online about how her royalty cheques are used to fund the suppression and exclusion of trans folk from society.
“To us, this is a very simple ethical decision. We cannot use our platform to promote a product that will funnel funds into her warchest for promoting bigotry. And we can’t support a company that endorses this either.
“This has nothing to do with Harry Potter itself and everything to do with Joanne Rowling and her personal decisions to use her fortune to promote transphobia on a global scale.”
Ilya Ushakov, one half of board game review and influencer duo Kovray, told BoardGameWire it was an “easy decision” to stop covering CGE titles across its YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook channels.
He said, “Tylor and I started Kovray to spread the joy of gaming and support building more inclusive communities. At a time when trans communities are under relentless attack, including legislation changes, it’s more important now than ever that creators and publishers take a stand for inclusion and belonging. None of us are perfect and will make mistakes, but learning from them and taking steps to be better is important.
“Choosing to license a Harry Potter version of Codenames directly funds JK Rowling, who continues to use her influence AND MONEY to harm the most vulnerable people in our communities. CGE’s statement was, frankly, spineless. It avoids accountability and erases the very real impact of their decision.
“With thousands of amazing games out there, it’s an easy decision for us to stop covering CGE titles and instead support publishers who better align with our values to help shape the tabletop space to be welcoming and safe for all.”
Other board game media committing to scrap future coverage of CGE titles include the Cardboard Time podcast, while the Shelf Stable podcast said on BlueSky it would cancel its planned upcoming segment on fellow CGE title Galaxy Trucker in order to discuss the company’s recent statement instead, adding, “Friendly reminder to all: trans rights are human rights”.
Notable board game professionals to call out CGE for its decision include Blood Rage and Chaos in the Old World designer Eric Lang, who said on BlueSky, “Making a Harry Potter game in 2025 without acknowledging the harm of transphobia at a bare minimum is a political statement. Intent doesn’t matter.”
That sentiment was echoed by the Tabletop Game Designers Association, a professional organisation created last year by Wingspan designer Elizabeth Hargrave, Space Cadets creator Geoff Engelstein and Mind MGMT designer Sen-Foong Lim to advocate for designers in North America.
It said, “The leadership of the Tabletop Game Designers Association was disappointed to see the publisher CGE touting Codenames: Back to Hogwarts, a new Harry Potter-themed version of Codenames.
“Author JK Rowling’s extreme anti-trans rhetoric has caused physical and emotional harm to a particularly vulnerable group, and the licensing fees she receives from the game will be used to support these attacks.
“CGE released a statement about the controversy around their decision, but it fell far short of anything meaningful.
“TTGDA is dedicated to fostering diversity in designers and diversity in viewpoints. However we do not accept intolerance and demonization of a specific group as an acceptable viewpoint. This is particularly true as anti-trans rhetoric and action has been increasing in many countries around the world, including the United Kingdom and United States.
“We urge CGE to reconsider their plans to release Codenames: Back to Hogwarts, or at least dedicate a portion of the proceeds to organizations such as The Trevor Project to offset licensing fees that flow back to Rowling.”
Wingspan artist Beth Sobel also commented on BlueSky, saying, “[JK Rowling] is funding life-destroying legislation. When you license [Harry Potter] and put it on your product, the money you pay to do that is literally ruining lives.
“This isn’t ambiguous, it is direct, measurable harm. I will never give a penny to a company who chooses money over the lives of my friends.”
CGE timed its announcement of Back to Hogwarts to coincide with the company running a booth at North America’s giant tabletop gaming convention Gen Con, which runs between July 31 and August 3 this year.
That decision could end up backfiring on CGE, however, with a swell of online commenters saying they plan to address CGE’s decision to publish the Harry Potter-themed game directly with staff at the company’s Gen Con booth.
Marceline Leiman, a winner of this year’s Diana Jones Award emerging designer program, has suggested a “sit in” on the expected line at CGE’s Gen Con booth, in order to “obscure the path to purchase” and “make their space uncomfortable and inconvenient”.
She said on BlueSky, “I wish more creators had as much of a backbone as Elaine and Efka [from NPI] to call out bigotry and transphobia. MORE creators should be making these statements about these publishers like CGE.
“…CGE has an opportunity to take accountability, and I believe they still can. But until they do, I don’t think anyone should highlight or make content on their games.
“Designers should freeze pitching to them. Customers should freeze purchasing from them.”
BoardGameWire has sent a list of questions to CGE about the Back to Hogwarts situation, but is yet to receive a response from the company.
In addition to Kovray, us other queer content creators also shit listed CGE on day one of the announcement on their instagram. Jayson of EzKat, myself of BoardGaymesJames, and Nat of BoardGaymerGirl.
Imagine some idiot doing something good and everyone and their mum say you must boycott it because it’s made by someone bad.
You complain about other people being affected (by the person, not by the work) and youre going to boycott that work, which will result in affecting many many people working on this or putting their effort into it.
That is literally canceling, and its trying to force someone to something via might.
I repeat it for you: you try to force something, with might. Youre even trying to disrupt the whole company because of that.
That is what is called toxic and egocentric, so you can sell your “morality superiority”. Some are racists, and think they are superior by race. Other are exactly like that, but use morality instead of race. And both are pathetic….
You give a shit about all these people affected, just so you can celebrate your moral superiority which is completely constructed. If you want to influence people, cancel them, and affect them in a negative way – people that just do their work without harming anyone – then youre in no way better then JK Rowling. You’re using your platform, youre forcing someone and youre using your might.
As someone who despises these thinks, I think everyone doing this is full of shit. I mean Efka was always exactly that. But didnt knew so many would chime in to ejaculate on their own morality, saying they protect people while in the same moment they give a shit about people and behave like they dont even exist…
@What – I can’t speak for everyone. Maybe you really are surrounded on all sides by vicious bad faith actors who want only to hurt and force their views on you, and maybe those people really are (somehow?) just as bad as racists.
But like maybe take a step back and rethink some of this, because I know at least in this case that the people speaking out aren’t here to bludgeon you into joining some cult.
It comes down to this: Rowling has consistently used her influence and finances to directly harm trans people. You either care about that or you don’t.
You obviously don’t, and no group of board game reviewers can stop you from having that opinion. But when you take the stance you’re taking, you are literally saying that you do not care for the safety of trans people. When you double down on it and defend your stance, what message do you think you are broadcasting to the trans people around you?
Now, take that message you’re broadcasting and multiply it a million times over. If you can imagine people feeling that way about who you are at your core, and hearing it every single day, and watching corners the world around you become increasingly hostile–if you can imagine that, you’ll start to understand what it’s like to be trans in 2025. If people have reacted to your messaging in ways that have made you feel upset or pressured, then it’s probably because you should absolutely feel upset and pressured. That’s how it works when you do something socially unacceptable and then double down on it.
This isn’t some academic debate, this isn’t just some agenda to sell what we see as superior morals: this is group of people taking a stand in the only way they can to protect the people in their lives that they care about. It might look like a wizard word association game to you, but if you follow the trail of dominos long enough, a nonzero number of trans people will die because of this.
You seem upset about how “egocentric” this all seems, but is it egocentric to use your influence to take a stand for the marginalized people around you? Or is it egocentric to look at an article like this and then take the opportunity to talk about how you don’t like being pressured to change your bad worldview?
Not sure how your comment got past moderation calling people full of shit but let’s break down some misconceptions.
What you’re describing is the Paradox of Tolerance
“The paradox of tolerance, articulated by philosopher Karl Popper, suggests that if a society is endlessly tolerant, even to the intolerant, it risks being overtaken and destroyed by those intolerant views. In essence, a tolerant society must, paradoxically, be intolerant of those who promote intolerance, to protect its own foundation of tolerance.”
Buying anything NEW HP in 2025 gives money directly to JK Rowling who then uses it to fund, very publically, efforts to erased, exterminate, trans people, who have every right to exist.
Will good people get hurt along the way? Yes, and it is up to them to learn from their ignorance or intolerance and face those consequences, or continue to be on the wrong side of history.
You don’t need to buy into any boycotts it’s your money, but what you indeed can’t do, is call those people who are actively trying to make the world a better place “full of shit”
I find what you wrote fascinating as I had never heard of the paradox of tolerance prior to this.
Serious and genuine question – I get the stance against Rowling. What I don’t get is the relative quite about game designers who belong to religions that have taken often a very hostile view towards the lgtbq2 worldview.
Muslim’s and some Christian faiths come to mind. And let’s be honest, the $ belonging to the church and used historically to shame, excommunicate, exorcise, and kill gay people would put JK’s $ to shame.
I think if all of these publishers were honest and carried the weight of their convictions, then examine the religious position of every game designer prior to promoting them.
Presumably, Rowling and/or WB are charging CGE a handsome sum for the use of the Harry Potter IP. A fair bit of this money thus goes back to Rowling. She then uses that money to fight against trans rights and support anti-trans legislation. Boycotting this is a very moral thing to do.
You remind me of the character Badger from Firefly, who takes offense at Malcolm Reynolds being “pretentious”, saying “You think you’re better than other people.” To which Mal’s obvious answer is “Only the ones I’m better than.”
It would be infinitely preferable if you just dropped the pretense and said you hate trans people.
People have morals and principles. For example, in principle you are a moron.
Given that the trans debate is still at so many different positions worldwide it seems immensely unwise to take such fixed positions that the conversation ends and would be allies are excoriated and the chance for an educative approach is lost. Expecting the entire world to change overnight is unrealistic, stop building barriers, build bridges.
It’s not a debate. It’s people’s lives. It’s people trying to be accepted in the world for who they are. It was turned into a debate by cynical billionaires and politicians over the past decade and a half.
Just a few years ago, the NBA All Star Game left a city because that state passed a bathroom ban. The “debate” was settled. Polite society considered trans people as people. But people of hate decided to push for something else, and turned it into a debate. The world *did* change overnight, and it changed to hate.
Trans people are most likely to die by suicide, and in some states of the US there are legal defenses to murder them. I think I’ll build barriers. A wall you can’t jump off. A bridge you can.
[…] Brewster, editor-in-chief of the popular review site Shut Up & Sit Down, told BoardGameWire that the site would not cover CGE games for the foreseeable […]
In a world where a few thousand games come out every year, and many are re-themed IP implementations, I don’t see much harm in critics using their limited platform to quickly call a publisher out, not covering those releases, and focus their efforts elsewhere. Permanently boycott? Eh, I don’t know about that. Publishers, like everyone, should get a chance to learn and improve, but I don’t think they will if there are no consequences. It was a poor decision to join up with a billionaire anti-Trans lobbyist, and doing so deserves attention. The publisher made their choice, some critics have too. Consumers will have their chance to decide on the consequences.
Barbara Streisand Effect inbound. It will sell like hotcakes now. That’s what will likely happen. This level of unhinged outrage in the board game community is less than surprising. Most of the outrage mob who run publishing companies can’t stand someone with a different opinion than theirs.
I’ll definitely be sure to pick up a copy now.
Buncha bullies getting on the bully bandwagon.
I am no JK Rowling fan. But y’all have built her up into this mythical demon, hellbent on ‘harming’ trans people.
Meanwhile, y’all are out here literally seeking to do harm, to force a game company to comply with your opinions. Not because the game company is hateful. Not because the game is hateful. Not because the IP it is based on is hateful. But because y’all have decided that it is not enough to boycott the actual thing you have a problem with, but anything else in the vicinity.
(And I bet you get offended when there is collateral damage in Gaza, but here it is not only morally justified, but a moral imperative! Sorry, creators of Galaxy Trucker, but you you shouldn’t have made a game that got published by a company who made another game that is based on a movie series that was based on a children’s book written by a woman who foolishly decided to stand up for women’s rights.)
Seriously, how many of you have read what she actually said, and not just *about* what she said? What ‘harm’ has been dealt? Someone’s feelings got hurt? I am not being rhetorical. Enlighten me. Show me the actual damage, not just the talk about what a horrible bigot she is.
The witch hunting and McCarthyism at work here is ridiculous. And y’all are either going to fall victim to it yourselves eventually, or the backlash will snap back so strong that it will bypass reasonable and swing into an entirely different flavor of completely awful.
It is ok for people to debate current social issues. It is ok for people to hold different opinions. Discussion is how you influence those who disagree, to convince people that your ideas are better. Not force. Not censorship. And definitely not a freaking lynch mob.