Bungie was one of the first game studios to voice their support for the "essential healthcare rights" after a leaked document showed that the United States Supreme Court seeks to overturn Roe v. Wade. On the flip side, Sony's PlayStation department has been just failing spectacularly. In an effort to avoid any sort of controversy, PlayStation has decided that keeping quiet is the best course of action.
Even with a $50,000 donation towards Women's Reproductive Rights Assistance Project (WRRAP), PlayStation has been silent about supporting women's healthcare rights. Insomniac Games, who have also donated $50,000 to WRRAP, have also instructed employees to not release any public statements that act on behalf of the studio on the topic of reproductive rights.
With Sony's recent $3.6B acquisition of Bungie, many people started to wonder if they would also be silenced by the higher-ups at PlayStation. Would the often-outspoken Bungie suddenly be censored by Sony in order to avoid making Gamersâ„¢ angry? Thankfully, that does not seem to be a concern.
First, Bungie's senior community manager dmg04 took to Twitter to assure fans that "there will never be a 'muzzle' big enough to stop us from standing up for what's right." dmg04's full statement can be read below.
I admit, I’m just a CM in the grand scheme, but I’m confident in the following: We are, and will continue to be, Bungie. There will never be a “muzzle†big enough to stop us from standing up for what’s right.
It’ll need to be proven over time, but we continue to strengthen our pillars and culture year over year. There’s so much more work to be done, but I feel we’re on the right track with the talent we have and the passion they bring (not just making games, but improving industry.)
It’ll need to be proven over time, but we continue to strengthen our pillars and culture year over year. There’s so much more work to be done, but I feel we’re on the right track with the talent we have and the passion they bring (not just making games, but improving industry.)
In keeping with the idea that Bungie is sticking to their morals, the company released a new statement today about the recent "act of terror aimed at Black Americans" that took place in Buffalo, New York. The company says that they are donating all profits from the sale of their Be Heard Pin to the Southern Poverty Law Center. This charity drive will go on for a period of one year.
The Southern Poverty Law Center is a charity that monitors hate groups and other extremists throughout the United States. The group exposes the activities of these hate groups to the public, the media, and law enforcement.
Bungie also says that they are "committed to the supporting the success of our ID&E initiatives for 2022 and beyond."
Far too often, these racist attacks begin within online communities that are used to recruit and radicalize individuals. It is time we begin to examine our practices and see what part we can play in preventing these tragedies. Black at Bungie intends to partner with our Player Support and Community teams to see how we can bolster our ongoing efforts to maintain safe and anti-racist spaces in which our players and fans can come together. We hope our colleagues in game development and gaming communities continue to examine their own platforms and invest in practices to combat bigotry in all its manifestations. We believe games and their communities should be a force for good and we are committed to that.
If you would like to support the families impacted by the attack in Buffalo, donation funds can be directed below:
https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/buffa...ng-fundraisers
If you would like to support the families impacted by the attack in Buffalo, donation funds can be directed below:
https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/buffa...ng-fundraisers
