Bungie, developer of Destiny 2, has released a statement in support of abortion rights in response to the leaked draft decision from the Supreme Court regarding Roe v. Wade.
On Monday, a draft decision — basically an incoming potential announcement from the Supreme Court — was leaked to Politico that detailed the intention to overturn Roe v. Wade. Overturning it would mean states make their own laws on abortion, and several have fallback rulings that would activate to outlaw it. The draft decision has been widely criticized as a backsliding of women’s reproductive rights and the beginning of a slippery slope toward denying other freedoms, such as same-sex marriage.
Bungie’s statement reads:
“At Bungie we believe that everyone has a right to choose their own path and that freedom is expressed across all facets of life. The leaked draft decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade represents a blow to freedom in America and is a direct attack on human rights.
“By creating a divide between those who possess the fundamental right to make healthcare decisions that are right for them, and those who do not possess that same freedom, this decision, should it become final, will have far-reaching consequences that will be felt for generations across socio-economic lines.
“Bungie is committed to safeguarding the freedom and privacy of its employees and providing support to all employees affected by this decision.
“Standing up for reproductive choice and liberty is not a difficult decision to make, and Bungie remains dedicated to upholding these values.”
It ends with a call to action to donate to various pro-choice causes and rights-to-healthcare organizations, though they do not make any mention of a donation made by the company. Response has been mixed on social platforms, including Twitter, with many of the negative replies getting a slew of replies of their own with counter-arguments.
This mirrors the outpouring of support from various gaming platforms and companies toward the Black Lives Matter movement in Summer 2020. Blizzard, Bungie, Microsoft, Sony, and many others made statements at that time. So far, Bungie are the only major gaming company to broadcast on Roe v. Wade and the Supreme Court.
Written by Ben Barrett on behalf of GLHF.