Developers distance themselves from publisher Tripwire after boss says he’s “proud” draconian Texas anti-abortion law allowed to stand

Developers have distanced themselves from publisher Tripwire after its boss said he was “proud” a draconian Texas anti-abortion law was allowed to stand.

John Gibson, president of the Chivalry 2, Killing Floor and Maneater publisher, tweeted to say he “felt it was important to go on the record as a pro-life game developer”.

Proud of #USSupremeCourt affirming the Texas law banning abortion for babies with a heartbeat. As an entertainer I don?t get political often. Yet with so many vocal peers on the other side of this issue, I felt it was important to go on the record as a pro-life game developer.

— John Gibson (@RammJaeger) September 4, 2024

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Atlanta, Georgia-based co-developer Shipwright Studios, which worked on Chivalry 2 and Maneater, tweeted in response to say it had cancelled all its existing contracts with Tripwire.

pic.twitter.com/v1m8hzT77q

— Shipwright Studios (@shipwrightstdio) September 5, 2024

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Chivalry 2 developer Torn Banner Studios, based on Toronto, stopped short of announcing it had cut ties with Tripwire, but it did tweet to distance itself from Gibson’s statement.

“We do not share the opinion expressed in a recent tweet by the president of Tripwire, publisher of Chivalry 2,” Torn Banner tweeted.

“This perspective is not shared by our team, nor is it reflected in the games we create. The statement stands in opposition to what we believe about women’s rights.”

We do not share the opinion expressed in a recent tweet by the president of Tripwire, publisher of Chivalry 2. This perspective is not shared by our team, nor is it reflected in the games we create. The statement stands in opposition to what we believe about women?s rights.

— Torn Banner Studios (@TornBanner) September 6, 2024

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Texas’ new anti-abortion law took effect last week after a nod from the US supreme court. It allows anyone anywhere to sue anyone connected to an abortion in which cardiac activity was detected in the embryo: as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, before most women even realise they are pregnant.

Some high-profile figures in the video game industry hit out at Gibson for his tweet, including ex-Gears of War developer Cliff Bleszinski and current God of War director Cory Barlog.

US president Joe Biden called the supreme court’s ruling “an unprecedented assault on a woman’s constitutional rights”.