I don't know what the 2.0 equivalent of " turn his tongue seven times in his mouth before speaking “, but John Gibson would have been well advised to comply with the adage before tweeting in favor of the anti-abortion laws which have just been adopted in Texas.
Free to think what he wants, the CEO of Tripwire Interactive could however have refrained from taking the company he represents in his wake before speaking. Of which act: almost 48 hours after the facts and a resounding outcry on social networks, the man gives up his post.
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John Gibson steps down as CEO
Tripwire, an American independent studio responsible in particular for Killing Floor 2 or more recently Maneater, published a press release overnight announcing the appointment of Alan Wilson as interim CEO.
Co-founder of the company in 2005 and current vice-president, Wilson will be in charge of organizing a meeting with all the employees in order to allow everyone to express themselves on this unfortunate episode. Note that if Gibson resigns from his duties, he still works officially within Tripwire.
“The comments made by John Gibson [in favor of anti-abortion laws in Texas, ndlr] are his own and do not reflect the general opinion of Tripwire Interactive. His speech did not take into account the values ​​held by our team, our partners and a large part of our community. Tripwire's leadership team is deeply sorry and united in our commitment to take swift action to foster a more positive environment."
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Tripwire dropped by its partners
Tripwire Interactive's reaction may appear belated and opportunistic. Indeed, it is less the position of its former CEO that the board of directors rejects, but the negative economic and commercial consequences that result from it.
The proof, Shipwright Studios, the co-developer of Chivalry II, published a press release yesterday announcing that it was going to put an end to all the contracts which bind it to Tripwire. "Your political views are your own," the studio's message reads, "but the moment you bring them into public debate, you win over everyone who works with you." Torn Banner, the other studio at the helm of Chivalry II, also posted a tweet to distance themselves from John Gibson's comments.
As a reminder, the State of Texas adopted a law on September 1 to make the vast majority of abortions illegal – even in cases of incest or rape. Abortion is prohibited there as soon as the first beats of the fetal heart are perceptible; around six weeks, when many women are still unaware that they are pregnant. In addition, this law gives any citizen the right to file a complaint against doctors who help women to have an abortion after this period, even offering a reward of at least 10 dollars if a conviction is pronounced.
