The CEO and co-owner of Tripwire Interactive, a game developer known for the Killing Floor saga, has stepped down after the gaming community reacted negatively to a series of anti-abortion opinions he expressed on Twitter.
On Sept. 4, former CEO John Gibson reacted to Texas’ new anti-abortion laws, stating that he was a “pro-life developer.” His comments, which included a statement about “banning abortion for babies with a heartbeat,” was widely criticized by the majority of the gaming community.
Today, Tripwire released a statement confirming that Gibson has stepped down as CEO. He will be replaced by co-founder and current vice president Alan Wilson.
“The comments given by John Gibson are of his own opinion and do not reflect those of Tripwire Interactive as a company,” said Tripwire in a statement. “Our leadership team at Tripwire are deeply sorry and are unified in our commitment to take swift action.”
The company’s statement also explained that Wilson will work alongside the rest of the leadership to “take steps with employees and partners,” addressing concerns and promoting dialogue about the topic.
Gibson’s replacement comes after much of the gaming community threatened to boycott all of Tripwire’s numerous titles, like Killing Floor and Chivalry 2, due to his comments. Streamer Ben “CohhCarnage” Cassell was one of the bigger names to speak out, telling fans he’d be “stepping away from these games” and refused to support the company.
Several of Tripwire’s collaborators, including Torn Banner Studios and Shipwright Studios, distanced themselves from the company and explained that Gibson’s opinions did not reflect the mindsets of their employees. Shipwright even stated that they would “begin the cancellation of our existing contracts” due to the comments.
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