Bungie, Ubisoft, Bethesda, EA and others speak out in support of abortion rights in America
U.S. Supreme Court votes Overturn Roe v. Wade (opens in new tab) Today, 50 years of constitutionally protected access to abortion officially ends. A handful of U.S. states have legal triggers, Abortion is prohibited (opens in new tab) Immediately, more are expected.The decision dealt a devastating blow to fundamental human rights in the country: as Justices Breyer, Sotomayor and Kagan wrote in a harrowing essay Objections (opens in new tab)the end of Roe v. Wade represented “the denial of women’s rights and their status as free and equal citizens.”
When the intent to overturn Roe v. Wade first leaked in early May, the industry’s response was relatively muted compared to studios publicly touting their support for social issues such as transgender rights (opens in new tab)Black Lives Matter (opens in new tab)and the Russian invasion of Ukraine (opens in new tab). Destiny 2 developer Bungie was quick to issue a statement saying it “supports basic health care rights” (opens in new tab)” and Psychonauts Studio Double Fine (opens in new tab) Close behind; Sony Interactive Entertainment chief Jim Ryan (opens in new tab)On the other hand, has been slammed for trying to cover up the whole thing with a photo of a cat.
Of course, even after Chief Justice John Roberts confirms that the leak is legitimate, opinions will change, or everything will fall apart, or something will happen that leaves Roe v. Wade intact. Now that that option has been dropped, game companies are fighting the decision even more strongly.
Bungie is again the first to respond, updating May statement, promising a ‘travel reimbursement fund’ (opens in new tab)For employees and their families who will now be forced to travel for health care. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to defending reproductive choice and freedom,” Bunge said.
Paris-based publisher Ubisoft released a message expressing support for its team in the US: “Today and every day, we believe that reproductive rights are human rights, women’s rights are human rights, transgender rights are human rights, and all Equal human rights are essential for a world where everyone can be who they are and thrive.”
https://t.co/DXKcGmPJp0 pic.twitter.com/ti64jXB0m7June 24, 2022
Ubisoft also linked to June 15 statement (opens in new tab) Chief People Officer Anika Grant and Vice President of Global Diversity and Inclusion Raashi Sikka said the company is reviewing its benefits package for U.S. employees to ensure they have adequate access to health care regardless of the country they live in. “In addition, we are examining what other resources we can provide to support our women and LGBTQ+ team members in the United States who may be most directly affected,” they wrote.
Devolver Digital takes a more direct approach.
Among Us developer Innersloth said the overthrow of Roe v. Wade was “a gender, racial, economic and human rights catastrophe for current and future generations” and provided a list of relevant charities to which supporters could donate. A representative for Innersloth also confirmed that the studio has donated to the National Abortion Fund Network.
💙🔹 Abortion Fund (Split btwn 80+ Difference Fund): https://t.co/vf0taWU7w4🔹 Rigid Union: https://t.co/WOE61Szauv🔹 Cross Lifeline: https://t.co/14SkEGJvuf🔹 With our own voice: https://t.co/9Wl4xuoQin 🔹 Plan C: https://t.co/WBwtXg1JNx pic.twitter.com/OB2zT8ORE9June 24, 2022
The response from Bethesda Softworks was also simple:
The Sony-owned studio has been surprisingly outspoken after making the decision. Report in May that Sony had banned its studio from making public statements about abortion rights in the U.S.; employee of Spider-Man developer Insomniac Games (opens in new tab) Company leaders had been asked to make a public statement on the matter, but were told Sony “will not approve any statement from any studio on the subject of reproductive rights.”
Sony may have changed their minds in the face of the Jim Ryan cat photo fiasco, or individual studio leaders decided to ask for forgiveness instead of allowing better, but in any case, they responded quickly and united the front today.
naughty dog president Neil Druckman (opens in new tab) and vice president Arnmeyer (opens in new tab) It also tweeted receipts for huge donations to related charities and said Sony would continue to enforce a policy of matching donated funds.
Humble Bundle said in a statement that it is “committed to ensuring that all Humble employees have access to safe, affordable essential health care, including reimbursement for travel that may be required as a result of today’s decision.” Share more information on future actions in a few weeks.
EA also pledged to “expand our benefits to U.S. employees and their eligible dependents” to ensure they have access to health care.
Microsoft pledged to expand travel benefits “to include travel expense support assistance for covered medical services.”
Our U.S. health plan covers legitimate medical services, such as abortion and gender-affirming care, and we recently expanded our travel benefits to include travel expense support assistance for covered medical services.June 24, 2022
released by the International Game Developers Association statement (opens in new tab) Said it opposed efforts to “erode existing freedoms” and “concerned that increased government intervention would undermine and limit reproductive choices and access to care”.
Communications Workers of America, the parent company of the Game Workers Coalition, also speak out (opens in new tab) Opposes the decision, saying the Supreme Court is “dangerously out of touch with the American people.”
“From the recent decision to rescind the public sector’s fair share of costs, to allowing employers to force workers to sign an arbitration agreement, giving up their right to participate in class actions, to repealing laws that allow union organizers to meet workers, anti-worker majority courts have sacrificed labor Its ideologically driven agenda is relentlessly pursued at the expense of the people,” the CWA said.
“Today’s radical decision to overturn the long-established constitutional right to safe, legal abortion is a continuation of those efforts. The inability to make one’s own choices about reproductive health care and in a country where pregnancy can have devastating economic consequences due to widespread discrimination and Working-class women will suffer the most because of a lack of affordable health care or paid parents.”
Of course, tweeting is easy — concrete actions are another matter entirely. Bungie, like other studios like Innersloth and Naughty Dog, is walking the talk, but the other studios have yet to comment publicly on whether they have made or will make substantial commitments to expand employees’ health care rights. I’ve reached out to Ubisoft, Devolver and Innersloth for more information and will update if I hear back.
Some studios also shared links to relevant charities for fans looking to support access to healthcare and reproductive rights in the US: