After large donations to organizations fighting racial injustice were made by people like thecast and showrunner ofBrooklyn Nine-Nine, prominent members of the video game industry are following suit as well. According toThe Wrap, prominent video game publishers 2K, EA, and Scopely have donated $1 million each to organizatioins fighting racial injustices.
2K, known for such prominent video game franchises asNBA 2KandCivilization,announcedthey were increasing their funding to their own2K Foundationsprogram, to help with “expanding its mission to help fight racial injustice and inequalities in Black communities across the globe.”
EA, known for franchises likeThe SimsandMadden, donated $1 million to theEqual Justice Initiativeand theNAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, with the promise of “more partners to come.” Their CEOAndrew Wilsonalso announced that EA as a company would “double match any funds that you donate to these and any other local organizations through ourYourCause programduring the month of June.” He also announced that “a new program to give everyone in the company an additional paid day each year to apply to volunteering in your community. With all of our employees around the world, that will represent more than 75,000 hours applied to the change we can make.” Wilson went on to state this:
We must also go beyond listening and talking and commit ourselves to education and driving meaningful change through actions. We need to do more, and must do more… Black Lives Matter. Racial justice matters. We’ve long held equality, inclusion and diversity at the center of our beliefs at Electronic Arts. Let’s stand together, act together, and drive change together.
Scopely, which primarily publishes mobile games likeStar Trek Fleet CommandandWWE Champions, donated $1 million to the Black Lives Matter Foundation,NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, andEqual Justice Initiative. They also stated: “The time is now to listen, learn, and act for FOREVER change.” Let’s hope that for all these companies, “forever change” doesn’t just mean donating money when these issues are “trending,” (though it is good that they are donating money, no lie) and also results in continual hiring and amplification of Black voices and talents within their systems at every level.
For more on what video game companies are doing toward this cause, here’sPlayStation’s statement. If you’re looking for a place to support,this is a good start.
