The video game developer Bungie (Destiny 2) has commented on a current political debate concerning the right to abortion in the USA. This, in turn, sparks a discussion about whether Bungie should clarify its political stance. Some Twitter users believe they should focus on games instead. With such an attitude, they only anger one half of the player base. However, Bungie and another part of the users see it completely differently.
What is it about? The Supreme Court in the USA has been populated with conservative judges under Donald Trump. The court is currently obviously in the process of overturning a landmark decision regarding abortion rights from 1973, “Roe v. Wade”. Thirty years ago, it was established that a woman can decide for herself whether to terminate or continue a pregnancy.
However, there are now efforts in the USA to declare abortion generally illegal, except when the birth endangers the mother’s life.
The Supreme Court in the USA has now shown a tendency to return the decision of whether an abortion is legal or illegal to the states. It is assumed that up to 26 US states would then prohibit abortions (via Guttmacher Institute).
A bill is circulating that, although not yet final, already causes a lot of excitement (via Politico).
Ultimately, the decision is about whether abortion remains legal and is to be a decision for the woman, or whether abortion becomes illegal in large parts of the USA.
“A blow against freedom in America”
This is what Bungie says: Bungie has published a blog post and has clearly taken a stance:
- Bungie believes everyone has the right to choose their own path and this freedom applies to all facets of life
- The recent decision of the Supreme Court is a “blow against freedom in America”
- Bungie is convinced of preserving freedom and will support all employees affected by the decision
Bungie is therefore clearly positioning itself against the Supreme Court.
“Stick to games” vs. “We stand by our values”
This is the discussion: A discussion broke out under the tweet, as several people reminded Bungie: “You make video games” – “You are a video game company”.
It was said that if Bungie chose a side, they would only anger the other side. Bungie should stay out of it and focus on making people happy with their games. That is their job.
However, Bungie states that the court’s decision is very significant for its employees. They will “never stop” speaking out on political issues.
The developers of Destiny 2 emphasize that the values they stand for also extend beyond their own games. They have chosen a side – and it was not difficult.
There are also people who specifically praise Bungie for their clear stance in this case. Especially from women comes support. A Twitter user says: “That’s why I still play Destiny at 66 years old despite the grind.”
The decision should lie with each woman. The government should stop interfering in women’s lives.
Bungie as the “Anti-Ubisoft”
This is what it’s about: Bungie proves to be the “Anti-Ubisoft”. Ubisoft often deals with political issues in its games or allows its games to take place in politically highly charged settings, such as “The Division 2”, where one goes armed to Washington to take down a corrupt government.
However, Ubisoft keeps emphasizing that they are not political.
In contrast, Bungie creates a science fiction shooter that has little to do with current political discussions but takes a clear political position.
In December 2021, there was an insider report that Bungie is also struggling with internal problems:
Bungie writer says she was not promoted because she was “not good enough in Destiny 2”
