A surprise leak citing a Supreme Court decision that could overturn the 1973 judgment known as Roe v. Wade has sparked outrage in the United States. Although the gaming community is known for protesting matters pertaining to the gaming world, they're joining the fight along with recent comments made by a gaming developer.
Destiny 2 creator Bungie has released a statement via its blog opposing the decision made by the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade. The Destiny 2 developer did not hold back on the matter, claiming the decision is a "blow to freedom in America" by taking away women's rights to choose what happens with their bodies.
The developer states that creating a divide between Americans will only serve as an action with consequences that could be felt for many generations. Bungie is one of the first gaming-relevant companies to make a statement on the matter, but developers aren't shy in addressing matters on a global scale. Bungie states that it stands in solidarity with the fundamental rights of women and their choice to decide what happens with a pregnancy and plans to remain committed to safeguarding the freedom and privacy of its employees. Bungie also provides four organizations that support the rights to healthcare for people interested in donating to.
The statement was met with mixed reviews, identical to the leaked ruling, as the decision is already dividing the nation as Bungie had feared. One user on Twitter grew frustrated with the developer for having an opinion on the matter, stating Bungie is a video game company and should focus on video games and nothing more. Bungie swiftly responded by stating it has the right to choose a side on the matter, and the decision "was not a difficult one." It marks the second time in two years that controversy surrounding the touchy subject of abortion has touched the gaming community, with Tripwire Interactive losing contracts in 2021 over comments made on Texas abortion laws.
Should Roe v. Wade reach a point of being overturned, nearly two dozen states are expected to ban abortions altogether or make them near-impossible to access. In a public address, United States President Joe Biden has called the decision "radical" and was visibly upset with the idea of handing over power to elected officials of each state to decide a women's right to choose. The document, labeled as a first draft of the Opinion of the Court, states there is no constitutional right to abortion services. Another concern is some may be unable to travel from state to state to access abortion clinics, taking away their freedom altogether.
Source: Bungie.net