On Saturday, May 14, a young white man drove hours from his home to a Black neighborhood in Buffalo, New York, and opened fire in a crowded supermarket, killing ten people and maiming three others. It has since been confirmed that this was an act of terror aimed at Black Americans and is being investigated as a hate crime. Our hearts go out to the victims of this tragedy, and anyone impacted by this act of violence.
Bungie and the Black at Bungie inclusion club have worked together to respond to this tragedy. We are currently showing our “Be Heard” Pin on the front page of the Bungie Store. Starting today, and for at least one year, all profits from this pin will be donated to the Southern Poverty Law Center, a charity whose work includes monitoring hate groups and other extremists throughout the United States and exposing their activities to the public, the media, and law enforcement. In addition, our studio is committed to supporting the success of our ID&E initiatives for 2022 and beyond. We understand the fight for equality and equity is not easily won but is a constant effort by all people.
Far too often, these racist attacks begin within online communities that are used to recruit and radicalize individuals. It is time we begin to examine our practices and see what part we can play in preventing these tragedies. Black at Bungie intends to partner with our Player Support and Community teams to see how we can bolster our ongoing efforts to maintain safe and anti-racist spaces in which our players and fans can come together. We hope our colleagues in game development and gaming communities continue to examine their own platforms and invest in practices to combat bigotry in all its manifestations. We believe games and their communities should be a force for good and we are committed to that.
If you would like to support the families impacted by the attack in Buffalo, donation funds can be directed below:
-Black at Bungie