Games Industry Responds to US Supreme Court Overturning of Roe v Wade

Social media erupted following the announcement of the US Supreme Court’s controversial decision to overturn the Roe v Wade ruling on abortion late on Friday afternoon.

Many people from the US and abroad took to Twitter to voice their disapproval at the choice to get rid of the legislation, which has long protected the ability of American women to access abortions safely.

Among the voices criticising the Supreme Court’s actions and expressing solidarity with those who will be affected by it were a host of companies and individuals from across the gaming space.

Game Studios Outline Stances on Abortion Following Controversial Roe v Wade Decision

One of the first gaming entities to react to the news was Bungie, which previously published a statement outlining its view on Roe v Wade when rumours first began to surface in early May of the decision being reconsidered and has also recently commented on the mass shooting in Buffalo, New York.

In an updated version of its Roe v Wade statement, Bungie said: “the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade cuts off millions of Americans from that access and leaves open the possibility of even further restrictions on life-saving healthcare for all of us.”

The company also added that, in response, it will be “implementing a travel reimbursement program for any employee to use when they or a dependent cannot get access to the healthcare they need where they live”.

In addition, company CEO Pete Parsons tweeted to reiterate the company’s support for those affected.

Continuing the trend of PlayStation-affiliated studios expressing a pro-choice view, something which suggests that the company is no longer forcing studios to abide by the neutral stance on abortion indicated by CEO Jim Ryan in May’s leaked email, Insomniac Games, Santa Monica Studio and Naughty Dog, plus a few others, all issued similar statements emphasising that they believe “bodily autonomy” and “reproductive freedom” are human rights.

On the Xbox side of the industry, Bethesda Softworks tweeted a statement saying: “We believe the ability to make choices about one's body and lifestyle is a human right.”

Also speaking out was Ubisoft, which emphasised its support for its American teams and touched on the potential impact of the decision on the LGBTQ+ community.

Several smaller studios and developers, including the likes of Team Meat and Unbroken Studios, also made their opinions on the issue known.

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