High-profile developers and an industry group have taken a stance in light of the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe, while much of the rest of the industry remains silent.
The United States Supreme Court has overruled Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision guaranteeing a constitutional right to abortion. The controversial decision has already driven a response from some high-profile developers, including Bungie, Insomniac, and Guerrilla, as well as an industry group.
Bungie first signaled its support of Roe v. Wade in May, when news reports circulated of an anonymous leak of a draft opinion. The studio has now reconfirmed that commitment with a travel reimbursement plan for employees who have to travel for reproductive health care. It also provided links to resources for supporting reproductive rights. Several Hollywood studios have announced similar plans.
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— dmg04 (@A_dmg04) June 24, 2022
Though less specific, the social media accounts for Insomniac, Guerrilla, Media Molecule, Bend, and Sucker Punch all issued statements declaring that reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy are human rights. Notably, these studios are under the Sony umbrella, and Sony recently announced plans to acquire Bungie.
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— Insomniac Games (@insomniacgames) June 24, 2022
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— Guerrilla (@Guerrilla) June 24, 2022
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— Media Molecule (@mediamolecule) June 24, 2022
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— Bend Studio is Hiring! (@BendStudio) June 24, 2022
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— Sucker Punch Productions 🎮 Ghost of Tsushima (@SuckerPunchProd) June 24, 2022
Previously, Insomniac pledged $50,000 to an abortion rights group, with Sony matching its contribution. This followed a backlash from both within and outside the company over Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan urging employees to “respect differences of opinion” regarding abortion rights.
Though these three developers have vocally stepped forward, many others have not. Some may be cautious to wade into politics. EA reportedly told its employees it wouldn’t be taking a stance last month, leading to a planned employee walkout. Those plans were canceled after EA made a statement in support of transgender and women’s rights. GameSpot is reaching out to several major publishers and will report back with any statements.
In addition to these individual developer statements, the International Game Developers Association has issued a statement:
“The International Game Developers Association supports and empowers game developers around the world in achieving fulfilling and sustainable careers. We believe bodily autonomy and choice over one’s own reproductive and healthcare matters are pertinent to achieving this mission. One must be in control of their own health matters in order to successfully manage their career and life.
“As a global organization, we understand that not all individuals experience or have access to freedoms and liberties pertaining to bodily autonomy, and we oppose efforts to weaken existing liberties. We are deeply concerned by increased government interventions undermining and limiting reproductive choice and access to care. We applaud and show solidarity with games industry and community leaders who are taking action to support all who are negatively impacted by these attempts.”
If you’re looking to help, we’ve compiled a list of charities helping in the fight for reproductive freedom.
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