Game developers are up in arms to protest U.S. President's Donald Trump's immigration ban on certain nationalities.
Trump's order in his first week in office is to suspend the Syrian refugee program and ban people from Sudan, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen from entering the United States. The decision was met with massive protests all over US and the world.
Silicon Valley companies Google, Apple, Facebook, and Microsoft and the rest of the tech industry have denounced the so-called "Muslim ban."
Game Developers In Protest
Video game developers have also released statements attacking the decision. Video game developers are some of the most outspoken in the industry, given their connection to the gaming communities.
Using this influence and media mileage, the industry spoke out against Trump's order.In his LinkedIn account, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella shared a company-wide email written by Brad Smith, Microsoft's president and chief legal officer, about the decision.
"As an immigrant and as a CEO, I've both experienced and seen the positive impact that immigration has on our company, for the country, and for the world. We will continue to advocate on this important topic," Nadella said.
Other companies did more than just issue statements. Cardboard Computer, developer of Kentucky Route Zero, announced that its game will be at 50 percent off on the itch.io platform, with all the proceeds going to the American Civil Liberties Union.
Indie game Nuclear Throne's developer Vlambeer also did the same, announcing that the proceeds from its games will go to ACLU. According to Rami Ismail, a Muslim developer from the Netherlands-based company, they managed to raise more than $10,000 within the 24-hour period.
"If you're American, please oppose the #MuslimBan, [and] support Muslims around you. My voice as a Dutch Muslim has no weight here. Yours does," Ismail tweeted.
Developers of the mobile game Dots likewise made a stand on the executive order. Dots gaming studio CEO Paul Murphy posted an image saying his company values "the diversity of our team and players." The message, which Dots players will see upon launching the app, has a link that leads to the ACLU donation page.
Insomniac Games CEO Ted Price posted a video of himself and his company expressing their stand against the order.
GDC Response To Immigration Ban
The team behind the Game Developers Conference also expressed its stand against Trump's executive order. "GDC is a global community - we're horrified by the #MuslimBan. Of course we'll refund affected attendees, and keep fighting for inclusivity," the GDC said. The tweet was in reference to the scheduled yearly gathering of video game professionals from all over the world; there will be attendees that might be affected by the ban.
Frank Gibeau, CEO of Zynga, also released a statement to his employees saying: "We're a stronger organization because we have a worldwide community of employees from different backgrounds and experiences. We will continue to stay true to our commitment to all of our global teams to provide you with a workplace based on tolerance, support and compassion."
