Bungie Breaks Its Silence On Leaked Supreme Court Draft
Video games might not seem to have much in common with reproductive rights on the surface, but games – and game companies – can have massive influences on public opinion and understanding of politics. While games often explore ideas of art and humanity – as in "Detroit: Become Human" – developers are corporations with some amount of power, as well. Bungie, the company behind hits like "Halo" and "Destiny" has now spoken up about a recent Supreme Court leak, letting gamers and the industry at large know exactly how its developers feel about one of the country's most important laws.
On May 2, Politico published a leaked draft of a Supreme Court opinion on Roe v. Wade. The next day, the Court confirmed that the opinion was, in fact, real, leaving American citizens to debate the potential decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in its wake. President Joe Biden commented on the leaked draft, posting his official statement to Twitter not long after the news emerged, maintaining his pro-choice stance and encouraging voters and lawmakers to maintain reproductive rights for all.
Bungie might not have the same power as the President, but its voice definitely has sway in the gaming industry. The company released a statement on its website detailing its stance on the leaked draft and urging gamers to take action.
Bungie stands with its employees
In a short blog post, Bungie stated that as a company it believes that everyone deserves freedom, which can be expressed in a variety of ways, including the choice to procure a safe, legal abortion. Bungie stated that the drafted opinion "represents a blow to freedom in America and is a direct attack on human rights. ... should it become final, will have far-reaching consequences that will be felt for generations across socio-economic lines." Bungie stated that there's a disconnect between those who create the laws and those who experience hardship because of them, and that the impact of overturning Roe v. Wade could negatively affect a variety of people, regardless of class or race.
Bungie may have set an example for other developers by stating that it supports its workers' reproductive freedom and pledging to "safeguard[] the freedom and privacy of its employees and providing support to all employees affected by this decision." The blog post concluded with links to relevant organizations and charities supporting reproductive rights. Other gaming studios have yet to speak out on the issue, but Bungie has set an precedent that other developers follow soon.