Gaming companies from Blizzard to Daybreak stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter

Sony postpones PlayStation 5 event following week of national unrest

By
Bree Royce
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Update: We’ve been updating the end of this piece with all the online gaming studio statements we can find this week.

Sony has apparently decided to put off the PlayStation 5 reveal event that was intended to run this Thursday. “We do not feel that right now is a time for celebration and for now, we want to stand back and allow more important voices to be heard,” the company said in a statement this afternoon. While Sony does not elaborate in this tweet, the Sony Twitter account makes it abundantly clear the decision is a result of the ongoing unrest across the United States, sparked by multiple incidents of police brutality this spring. It’s declared full support for the Black Lives Matter movement:

“Being silent about the violence and racism Black people experience is being complicit. We stand in solidarity today and every day with the Black community. #BlackLivesMatter. But actions always speak louder than words. And we’re working hard to make sure we at Sony are doing more than just stating we are allies. Right now, we want to use our platform to spread information & support. Please send links, resources, or other helpful information our way, and we’ll share them. When we all know more, we can do more.”

According to the New York Times, “at least 140” US cities have seen related protests in the last week, and if you’ve somehow missed all that, a quick trip to social will fill your eyeballs with smoke and violence.

Sony isn’t alone; Microsoft, Bungie, Digital Extremes, Blizzard, Daybreak, Bethsoft, and Standing Stone Games have now made similar statements.

Please be safe.

Update
Kotaku’s Nathan Grayson posted his perspective on being unlawfully detained during the protests.

Update – June 2
Activision has delayed content in several titles to avoid sideswiping the movement, as multiple other companies, including Ubisoft and Riot Games, continue making statements – and donations – in support of Black Lives Matter. Humble also pledged a million-dollar fund for helping Black game devs.

Update – June 2nd, evening
Adding Cloud Imperium, Echtra Games (PWE), and EA – including Respawn and BioWare, which made identical statements – to the list.

Update – June 3
Still more.

Niantic’s statement is a lot more than a statement too.

Kotaku has a piece up today with many but not all of these; it also includes a list of major gaming companies that haven’t spoken up at all, like Valve, Rockstar, and Epic Games.

Update – June 4
We’re continuing coverage in this a piece.
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