Czech Games Now Completely Capitulates to BlueSky Mob, Announces Harry Potter Game Profits Going to Trans Charity
Czech Games has officially surrendered to the radical left mob, announcing they will donate all profits from their upcoming Harry Potter-themed Codenames game to transgender charities while virtue signaling that "trans rights are human rights."
The company behind the hit party game Codenames initially faced backlash on BlueSky when they announced Codenames: Return to Hogwarts, a new edition based on the beloved Harry Potter franchise. Anti-J.K. Rowling activists immediately launched a cancel campaign, demanding the game be scrapped simply because it was associated with the fantasy property. Rather than standing firm, Czech Games issued a weak statement acknowledging those "hurt by the public views and actions" of Rowling while trying to thread the needle between appeasing the mob and releasing their product.
The initial statement only emboldened the BlueSky activists, who escalated their harassment campaign and called for boycotts of Czech Games entirely. Some users even demanded people harass the company's employees at their GenCon booth. Instead of recognizing these tactics as the bullying they clearly were, Czech Games doubled down on appeasement, apparently believing they could buy their way out of the controversy with charitable donations and political virtue signaling.
Now the company has announced donating all profits from the Harry Potter game to organizations supporting transgender individuals while parroting activist talking points about "trans rights are human rights."
In a statement posted to both X and BlueSky, Czech Games said:
A statement to the community addressing our announcement of the new licensed version of Codenames & our next steps.
We are all devastated that the project we were so excited to share with you caused harm instead of joy. We have been working to bring you the best possible games for years, and just like our other titles, we worked diligently to bring you this latest title, too.
In our excitement about creating a game within a universe many of us still treasure, we failed to see how that universe no longer brings joy to others. Over time, the harmful views of the story's creator have escalated into harmful actions. We apologize unreservedly for not doing more to consider that possibility, and for subsequently announcing the game without taking preemptive actions to mitigate the pain it would cause.
Many of you have expressed your understandable anger, pain, and disappointment through a variety of platforms. 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.
Like the world we live in, CGE is made up of individuals with various backgrounds, gender identities, sexual orientations, and belief systems. None of us would ever want to take actions that would hurt or restrict the rights of another human being. We commit to remaining supportive of an inclusive and welcoming community of gamers. We believe in the rights of all people to have their own identity, and we reject hate and bigotry in all their forms. Trans rights are human rights.
With the above in mind, and after many heartfelt and vital discussions both internally and with members of the affected community, we have decided to donate 100% of the profit from this game to appropriate charitable organizations. We will ensure that an amount equal to or greater than the fee paid to license this product will go directly to organizations that provide support for the trans community.
We evaluate profits and make charitable-giving decisions each December, and we will continue using this annual process to direct the game's profits. We will listen to recommendations from the community to help guide our choices of organizations that provide support for the trans community. Our goal is to select those that offer direct, practical help to people in need — for example, services similar to the emergency hotline that was recently discontinued.
At CGE, we are committed to making decisions that come from the heart in everything we do. We opened discussions with members of the affected communities and we came together as a whole company to find a way forward that was a genuine reflection of our values and desire to do the right thing.
We are sorry for the time it took us to communicate our path forward, but we hope you see that we did so with the care and consideration that you all deserve.
Reactions on X were mostly people disappointed that the company caved to the mob, and on BlueSky, reactions appeared to be mixed with some thanking the company andd ackowledging contracts and business realities and others saying it’s not enough, claiming that the company is paying to have transgender people exterminated.
In a situation like this, it’s beyond ridiculous that making a Harry Potter card game is controversial to begin with, but caving to the mob never nets anything good for a company, and now with both sides being disatisfied, the best that will happen for Czech Games is they’re going to lose out on sales from people who find it distasteful to have their money go to transgender charities.
What do you think of Czech Games caving for Harry Potter Codenames? Leave a comment and let us know.
For a great twist on science fiction and fantasy, back the Jake Rendon Kickstarter: Elven Destiny today!
Instead of standing firm and reclaiming Harry Potter from the left, Czech games gave in and are going to lose even more because nobody wants to buy a game when they know they proceeds will go to mutilating children for sex predators.
There is no such thing as trans, since you can't change your sex, only your appearance.
They let a handful of deviants force them into supporting stupidity.
"Over time, the harmful views of the story's creator have escalated into harmful actions."
Rowling should sue them for libel. That would be fun.
As for the customers, a counter-move by the community against the company for caving in and allowing the products to be infected with this ideological nonsense would also be fun. A complete boycott can do wonders as a reality check.