CEO Forced to Step Down After Supporting Pro-Life Law: ‘I Felt It Was Important to Go On the Record As a Pro-Life Game Developer’

Published: September 8, 2021

CEO Forced to Step Down After Supporting Pro-Life Law: ‘I Felt It Was Important to Go On the Record As a Pro-Life Game Developer’

By Movieguide® Staff

Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently signed S.B. 8, which took effect on Sept. 1, and made abortion illegal after the heartbeat can be detected at about six weeks.

Unique to S. B. 8 is that the bill allows private citizens to sue anyone who helps facilitate an illegal abortion.

The court decision was met with backlash from those in the pro-choice camps and created a PR nightmare for many left-leaning companies whose employees supported the new bill.

John Gibson, CEO of Tripwire Interactive, said that he was “proud” of the state’s decision to ban abortion after six weeks. Tripwire forced Gibson to step down, joining a chorus of pro-choice proponents who said the new bill jeopardizes Roe v. Wade.

“Proud of [the U.S. Supreme Court] affirming the Texas law banning abortions for babies with a heartbeat,” Gibson wrote. “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.”

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

The backlash from left-leaning fans and social media users was immediate. Shortly after Gibson’s comments Tripwire Interactive also responded by saying that the CEO’s comments “do not reflect those of Tripwire Interactive as a company” and that vice president, Alan Wilson, would act as interim CEO.

“His comments disregarded the values of our whole team, our parters, and much of our broader community,” Tripwire said. “Our leadership team at Tripwire are deeply sorry and are unified in our commitment to take swift action and to foster a more positive environment.”

A statement regarding recent events.

Tripwire Official Site: https://t.co/Vgyx0jMLBb pic.twitter.com/rmKp105EIg

— Tripwire Interactive (@TripwireInt) September 7, 2021

Founder of pro-life activism group Live Action, Lila Rose, came to the defense of Gibson.

“What are your core values — supporting the dismemberment [and] suctioning to death of helpless preborn children?” Rose wrote. “Abortion is violence [and] women deserve better. What a shameful, gross stance. You are backing human rights abuses [and] punishing those who dare speak out.”

“Half of America is pro-life — including millions of women that you’re ignoring,” She added. “Abortion is violence against the vulnerable [and] you’ve publicly sided with violence. Sick [and] regressive, [Tripwire Interactive]. Your CEO stood up for human rights but apparently that’s not what your company values.”

Seth Dillon, CEO of The Babylon Bee, also called out Tripwire’s leadership as “a bunch of clowns and cowards.”

President Joe Biden was also one of the voices who expressed his opposition to the new law.

In a previous press conference, Biden said that he “doesn’t agree” that life begins at conception and also noted that he instructed the U.S. Department of Justice “to look and see whether there are things that can be done that can limit the independent action of individuals in enforcing a state law.”