The Real Reason EA Won't Speak Out On These Major Issues

In the aftermath of a hot button issue, tragedy, or controversy hitting the mainstream news, it isn't uncommon for big companies to enter the public forum and dish out their broader takes and principles as it relates to the situation. For instance, in the aftermath of a recent Supreme Court opinion draft leak on Roe vs. Wade — the case that established abortion as legal practice in the United States — many gamers looked to companies to see how they would respond. Some, like Sony, secretly donated money to reproductive rights advocacy groups, while other companies, like Bungie, openly condemned any overturning of the Supreme Court's original decision.

But oftentimes, many companies will elect to not enter the public sphere when it comes to political issues that might influence potential customers. These battles are often very contentious situations, fought fervently across party lines, and any wholesale embrace of one side could greatly alienate the other. Despite Sony's donations, company president Jim Ryan was pretty clear that he didn't wish for the company or its employees to get involved in the fight, and apparently, Electronic Arts is yet another company that doesn't wish to get caught in the crossfire.

A recent report from Kotaku detailed a recent meeting some EA executives had with employees in a recent "town hall" meeting. During this meeting, many EA employees reportedly told executives that they wish the company would take a public stand in regard to the recent discourse surrounding Roe vs. Wade. The powers-that-be, however, disagreed with this call to action and instead made it known that the company will not publicly rally behind any social cause unless it will "actually have a positive impact."

"The thing about the world today is there is a lot of division, we know this right, we see it every single day, but the thing that unites us is that we're all here to make amazing games and experiences for our players, and that is how we have the most positive impact on the world," EA Chief People Officer Mala Singh said during the meeting, according to a transcript obtained by Kotaku. After the public found out about the meeting, EA's corporate communications director, Lacey Haines, sent a statement to Kotaku saying that the company works "to create an environment where our employees can talk about complex issues in our world today." Haines said that EA would offer internal support to anyone going through turmoil as a result of these issues.