As protests over the killing of George Floyd by police spread throughout the country last weekend, some of the gaming industry’s biggest companies put out statements in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. But while a few have shared some specifics about what they’re doing to help fight systemic racism, almost none of them have spoken more directly about what they plan to do about it.
Corporations weren’t racing to support the Black Lives Matter movement back when it first began after George Zimmeran was acquitted for killing Trayvon Martin. Now eight years later even traditionally risk-averse gaming companies are using the hashtag. “Being silent about the violence and racism Black people experience is being complicit,” Sony wrote on Twitter last Sunday. “But actions always speak louder than words,” the company continued. “And we’re working hard to make sure we at Sony are doing more than just stating we are allies.”
Floyd’s death at the hands of the Minneapolis police sparked the nationwide protests currently taking place, but it’s only one of the latest widely publicized killings. Just last month Breonna Taylor was shot by the Louisville police while asleep in her home. Ahmaud Arbery was hunted down and shot by an ex-cop and his son in Georgia after they saw him jogging. According to the research and advocacy group Mapping Police Violence, 1,099 people were killed by police in the United States last year, a disproportionate number of whom were black.
https://kotaku.com/minorities-in-game-development-still-dont-have-the-supp-1839105781
Very few gaming companies have come out explicitly against police violence, instead framing their support for Black Lives Matter as part of a more general struggle against racial inequities and injustices. That kind of language can sometimes come off as mealymouthed, but taken on its own terms it also commits them to a broader reckoning with racism, including at their own workplaces, from hiring practices to representation in their games—problems that have persisted across games from Square Enix, Capcom and others for a long time
Kotaku reached out to a number of the bigger gaming companies who put out statements related to the ongoing protests to ask them for more specifics about what they actually plan to do to enact real and meaningful change. Some declined to comment but have publicly stated they will do things like match employee donations to charities and nonprofits doing work in this space. Others have remained completely silent. Barely anyone was willing to go into more specifics.
Here’s a roundup of what game companies are saying about the current wave of protests and what details about their ongoing actions to help them they were willing to share:
Sony
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) June 1, 2020
According to Last of Us II director Neil Druckmann, PlayStation is matching donations to certain racial justice groups, but it doesn’t seem like the company’s announced that publicly.
Sony did not respond to a request for comment.
Microsoft
Xbox stands together with our fans, creators, colleagues, friends, and the entire African American & Black Community against systemic racism and injustice.
We are proud to join with @Microsoft in amplifying Black and African American voices. https://t.co/sHrXqf454y
— Xbox (@Xbox) June 1, 2020
When asked for comment, a spokesperson for Microsoft directed Kotaku to comments made by the company’s CEO and other members of its leadership team on LinkedIn, as well as its Criminal Justice Reform initiative started back in 2014.
Nintendo
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) June 3, 2020
After waiting several days Nintendo released the above statement. It did not respond to a request for comment.
Epic Games
Epic Games has not made any statement and also did not respond to a request for comment.
Valve
Valve has not made any statement and also did not respond to a request for comment.
EA
https://t.co/4gTbBEHvnR pic.twitter.com/PUgGeUriMX
— Electronic Arts (@EA) June 3, 2020
Last night EA announced that it’s holding meetings with its Black Electronics Arts Team employee resource group to “discuss our path forward as individuals, as a company, and as a community working towards change.” The publisher also announced it’s contributing $1 million to organizations like Equal Justice Initiative and the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund. It is also double matching what anyone donates to those or other local organizations through the YourCause program for the month of June.
Other measures include an extra paid day off each year to devote to volunteering, a company-wide holiday on June 19 for service projects outside the company, and a June 9 “community conversation” between the entire company.
EA declined to comment further.
Ubisoft
We stand in solidarity with Black team members, players, and the Black community. We are making a $100,000 contribution to the NAACP and Black Lives Matter and encourage those who are able to, to donate. #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/KpHZCF6VWx
— Ubisoft (@Ubisoft) June 2, 2020
Ubisoft announced it’s donating $100,000 to the NAACP and Black Lives Matter.
Ubisoft did not respond to a request for comment.
Take-Two
Take-Two has not made any statement and also declined to comment.
Activision Blizzard
— Activision Blizzard (@ATVI_AB) June 1, 2020
Activision and Blizzard both did not respond to a request for comment. The hypocrisy of the statement after Blizzard suspended Hearthstone pro Chung “Blitzchung” Ng Wai for saying “Liberate Hong Kong” in a post-match interview last year was also roundly mockedon Twitter
Square Enix
#BlackLivesMatter (1/2) pic.twitter.com/luAbZQWmuQ
— Square Enix (@SquareEnix) June 2, 2020
Square Enix announced it’s giving $250,00 and matching employee donations to Black Lives Matter and other charities.
Square Enix did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Riot Games
— Riot Games (@riotgames) May 31, 2020
Riot Games announced it would help fund organizations focusing on nationwide criminal justice reform, addressing racial bias, and building up black-owned businesses, through its existing Riot Games Social Impact Fund. It would also match Riot employee donations to qualifying groups up to $1,000.
Riot Games did not respond to a request for comment.
Warner Bros. Games
https://twitter.com/embed/status/1267139745408151553
Warner Bros. Games did not respond to a request for comment.
Rockstar Games
Rockstar Games has not made any statement and also declined to comment.
Bungie
Black Lives Matterhttps://t.co/36o17Q3xTjhttps://t.co/fn1eLg5p64https://t.co/VHCaNWEgaIhttps://t.co/sw4IIMHBCThttps://t.co/X1AFf0uUK5 pic.twitter.com/d7G36mcjWU
— Bungie (@Bungie) June 1, 2020
Bungie announced it will make “financial contributions” and match employee donations to the following groups: blacklivesmatter.com, showingupforracialjustice.org, antiracismcenter.com, eji.org, and colorlines.com.
Bungie did not respond to a request for comment.
Bethesda
#BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/Hg1VIdEqmi
— Bethesda (@bethesda) June 1, 2020
Bethesda did not respond to a request for comment.
Capcom
Black Lives Matter. pic.twitter.com/Oq2q8GsaD7
— Capcom USA (@CapcomUSA_) June 3, 2020
Capcom did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Update, 1:01 p.m. ET, 6/3: A spokesperson for Capcom provided Kotaku with the following statement: “We’re actively looking into ways to support Black communities in a meaningful way.”
Niantic, Inc.
We stand with the Black community & against white supremacy, racism, & police brutality & condemn the killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Nina Pop & countless others. Here's how we’re committing to change #BlackLivesMatter https://t.co/jfYGinhl2e pic.twitter.com/Y0P3f1E2PQ
— Niantic Spatial 🌎 (@NianticSpatial) June 3, 2020
Update, 4:21 p.m. ET, 6/3: Niantic, makers of Pokémon GO, announced a series of initiatives today after tweeting out its condemnation of police brutality.
It’ll donate half of a minimum of $5 million from the sale of Pokemon Go Fest 2020 tickets to fund projects from black gaming and augmented reality developers “that can live on the Niantic platform.” The other half will go toward nonprofits helping “local communities rebuild.” It will also donate $100,000 to the Marsha P. Johnson Institute which is dedicated to protecting the rights of black trans people, and match employee contributions up to $50,000.
Within the company, Niantic says it will develop “Diversity and Inclusion” training to work on white allyship and reserve 10 spots at the company for an apprenticeship program to mentor and hire people from diverse backgrounds. The company said it will create a new Diversity and Inclusion council as well to help hold itself to these and other commitments
Looking for ways to advocate for black lives? Check out this list of resources by our sister site Lifehacker for ways to get involved.
