John Gibson, president of Tripwire Interactive, a games developer best known for making Killing Floor and Red Orchestra, has come under fire for some comments he has made on Twitter. Gibson, who has been at the developer since its creation in 2005, and is its co-owner said the following in regards to the recently passed anti-abortion law in Texas. This is a law that would make abortion after embryonic cardiac activity is detected (at around 6 weeks) illegal with no exception for rape or incest – something which activists have described as functionally overturning Roe v Wade in Texas.
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, 2021
On Twitter, his comments have been near-universally panned, with reactions such as this.
I don't get political often, but when I do I ensure I show my ass to absolutely everyone in the most career-killing way possible https://t.co/Gvyp9aMStC
— Nathan Brown (@nathan_brown) September 5, 2021
Many fans of his previous games have also been put off by these statements, suggesting that they’re done playing the games made by Tripwire, and even going so far as to block themselves from ever seeing a Tripwire game again.
how to never see a tripwire game on steam again:
1. navigate to https://t.co/SDk4OANgZ2
2. click that little gear
3. click "ignore this creator" https://t.co/0pgrCDT9Rx pic.twitter.com/Eo6qvhB7IV— it's nouv! (@nnoouuvv) September 5, 2021
There have also been some people drawing links between the content of Tripwire’s games and the stance now being taken by Gibson.
for anyone who's big mad at the idea of dropping Tripwire over this I just wanna say as a 10 year fan that they've been putting up red flags for a long time and I have no qualms over dropping them https://t.co/T9jNg6b5OE
— Lotus
she/her (Logan YEAR!!!) (@LotusLovesLotus) September 5, 2021
Overall, the decision to make this kind of public statement on the issue seems like a disastrous one for the president of the developer which made Chivalry, when most others in the space have stayed silent or voiced support for reproductive rights. However, it must be remembered that Twitter isn’t the greatest reflection of the public at large, so only time will tell whether Tripwire’s bottom line is hit in a real way.
