Harry Potter: Magic Awakened developer NetEase has apologized to players over a supposed bug that caused female player characters to make an “ahegao” face when attacked by a magic spell. For readers unfamiliar with that term, an “ahegao” face is associated with orgasms in certain manga, anime, and video games. The expression includes exaggerated features with the tongue sticking out, redness in the face, and eyes rolling. Naturally, players took issue with this, particularly since the expression only appears on the female characters and not the male characters. According to Daniel Ahmad of Niko Partners, NetEase “compensated players with free in game items and currency.”ย
Apparently, NetEase has attributed the expression to “a bug related to tongues clipping through chins,” though many of Ahmad’s followers seem skeptical that this was actually a bug, as opposed to an intended move on the developer’s part. Readers will have to determine that for themselves. The original Tweet from Ahmad can be found embedded below, alongside a pair of images showcasing the face in question.
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Harry Potter: Magic Awakened released in China back in September. The game is currently exclusive to the region, and is available on iOS, Android, and PC. The game has found significant success in the region, and it happens to be the biggest game to release in China this year. The game allows players to take on the role of a student at Hogwarts, incorporating popular elements from the books and films, including the Sorting Hat ceremony that determines which house a student will belong to. Given the fact that all of these characters are clearly intended to be minors, it’s easy to see why this “ahegao” face has proven controversial.
This whole situation is bizarre to say the least, and players can hardly be blamed for feeling uncomfortable about it. With NetEase making this change based on player feedback, hopefully players can go back to enjoying Harry Potter: Magic Awakened.
Do you think the facial expression was an intentional move on the developer’s part? Are you surprised this made it into a Harry Potter game? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!
