John Gibson, Tripwire Interactive's CEO was forced to resign in a record 53 hours. He had tweeted his support for the Texas abortion law.
Gibson tweets, "Proud of #USSupremeCourt affirming Texas law banning abortions for babies with a pulse." I don't get political as an entertainer. With so many voices on the other side, it was important that I speak out as a pro-life developer.
This tweet was met with sharp criticism from the gaming industry. Many consumers stated that they wouldn't buy Tripwire games, and shared how to stop the developer from appearing in Steam recommendations. Detractors noted that Gibson's pro-life opinions weren't the problem, but that Gibson chose to speak publicly as a CEO and support a law that basically offers $10,000 bounties for abortion seekers and those who help them.
SB 8 in Texas bans abortion if a fetal beat is detected. Although the term "fetal heartbeat" is not medically relevant, it effectively bans abortion at six weeks of pregnancy. This can happen before the woman even realizes they are pregnant. The law's key component allows private citizens to enforce it. This gives people the right to sue abortion providers as well as anyone who aids in the abortion of others. Any person who wins a lawsuit can receive $10,000.
Gibson supported the law by tweeting his support on September 4th. Shipwright Studios, a codevelopment services studio, tweeted the next day that they would cancel any Tripwire contracts.
Tripwire is no longer a viable option. Shipwright Studios sent a statement 24 hours after Gibson's tweet.
Tripwire announced on September 6th that Gibson would be leaving as CEO effective immediately.
Tripwire posted on their website that his comments were a discredit to the values of our entire team, our partners, and much of our wider community. Tripwire's leadership team is deeply sorry. We are united in our resolve to quickly take action and foster a more positive atmosphere.
Gibson will be replaced by interim CEO Alan Wilson. Tripwire is not yet certain if Gibson will remain employed.
