Tripwire's president tweeted support for Texas's abortion law — he was out in two days

In early September 2021 John Gibson, president of the game studio Tripwire Interactive, tweeted that he was 'proud' of the US Supreme Court affirming the Texas law banning abortion from around six weeks, describing himself as a 'pro-life game developer'. Tripwire developed Man Eater and published Chivalry 2.

The tweet drew nearly 13,000 replies. Individual gamers called for a boycott, shared ways to hide Tripwire's games in Steam's store, or donated to women's charities in Gibson's name. Shipwright Studios, a work-for-hire studio that had contributed to some Tripwire games, said it was ending a three-year relationship and would begin cancelling its existing contracts. Torn Banner Studios, creator of Chivalry 2, said the stance was not shared by its team.

Two days after the tweet, Tripwire announced that Gibson had 'stepped down' effective immediately. The company said his comments were his own and 'disregarded the values of our whole team, our partners and much of our broader community'. Co-founder and vice-president Alan Wilson became interim chief executive.

A partner studio cancelled a three-year relationship and its contracts; Gibson stepped down; gamers called for a boycott. No financial figures given.

The president posted a polarising political position under his own title, so his employer and its partners were pulled into the argument.

Tripwire depended on outside studios, including a work-for-hire studio and the creator of Chivalry 2, who could publicly distance themselves.

Partners distanced themselves rapidly and publicly, leaving the leadership team little room except to remove its president.

An executive's personal post is read as the company's. Partners and contractors can walk away publicly faster than the company can respond.

Tripwire named Alan Wilson interim CEO and promised to listen to remaining concerns from employees and external partners. The article does not report any sales effect or whether Shipwright Studios's contract cancellations went ahead in full.