2 big names in video games take on Trump's immigration ban
The Trump administration's immigration ban has prompted a fast response from two of the bigger names in the world of video games: Vlambeer and Playdots.
Starting at 7:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, Vlambeer -- the Dutch studio behind Ridiculous Fishing, Luftrausers, and Nuclear Throne -- pledged to donate all revenue from the subsequent 24 hours to the American Civil Liberties Union. Co-founder Rami Ismail noted that the donations were prompted by the ACLU's "opposition to the #MuslimBan."
Ismail is an outspoken voice in game development, having fought hard in the past for the rights of indie developers. More recently, he's turned his attention toward the increasingly divisive efforts of the Trump administration; this was highlighted in a string of tweets on Saturday.
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Ismail also used his Twitter platform to highlight the anti-immigration ban efforts of Playdots, the studio behind mobile hits Dots and Two Dots. A newly deployed update for Two Dots doesn't point to Trump's executive order specifically; instead, it asks users to "join us in stand up for civil rights" with ACLU donations.
The pop-up message, pictured in a tweet below from Playdots CEO Paul Murphy, includes a button that links directly to the ACLU's donations page.
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An hour before that tweet went out, Murphy turned to his followers with a request for help. He wanted advice on "the best place to direct a few million people to in protest of #MuslimBan."
Vlambeer and Playdots aren't alone in their gaming-centric acts of protest, either.
Cardboard Computer is also turning to fans for aid in an act of protest. The studio's Kentucky Route Zero is currently 50 percent off, with all revenue going to the ACLU. Cardboard's tweet also includes a direct link to the ACLU donation page, for those that would prefer to go the extra mile.
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If you know of any other game developers, publishers, or public figures engaged in an act of protest, get at me directly on Twitter. DMs are open.
UPDATED Jan. 29 3:51 p.m. ET to include Cardboard Computer's tweet and details.
Topics Gaming Donald Trump Politics
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.
