I love console gaming. I really do, and always have. Today wasn’t the best of days as Microsoft/Bethesda announced that two games I had been waiting for this year had been delayed until 2023: Starfield and Redfall. Dang, I was hoping for that news to be more positive. I was unable to get a PS5, so I am still with a PS4 Pro, but I was able to get my hands on an XBOX X, which has been fantastic. Gaming topics aside, a few hours after Microsoft made their announcement, Sony’s executives made a very different one.
Wait, what? Oh, yeah, let’s look at what was said:
In the email seen by Bloomberg, PlayStation president Jim Ryan didn’t take a stance on abortion rights, instead writing that the company and its community are “multi-faceted and diverse, holding many different points of view.” He wrote that “we owe it to each other and to PlayStation’s millions of users to respect differences of opinion among everyone in our internal and external communities. Respect does not equal agreement. But it is fundamental to who we are as a company and as a valued global brand.”
Ryan then went on to write that he “would like to share something lighthearted to help inspire everyone to be mindful of having balance that can help ease the stress of uncertain world events,” saying it was recently his two cats’ first birthday and elaborating over the next few paragraphs about his cats’ birthday cakes, their noises and his desire to one day get a dog.O
So, wait. What? I’m certain there are a ton of gamers who are anti-choice and are anti-women’s rights. That comes without a doubt on every platform. Was there really a reason for the executive of a gaming company to make a statement on the matter with such a big, broad, “both sides” point of view?
The response seems to mirror my thoughts:
Oh wait, you missed the part about “knowing their place.”
Look, Sony, I have no idea why you felt compelled to make a statement about abortion, but what a way to completely, absolutely shove your entire foot—well, maybe your leg up to your hip—into your own mouth.
No one asked your opinion.
P.S. Dogs don’t need to “know their place” to be loved. And women don’t need you to tell them what their place is, period.