In Bungie’s statement, the studio wrote, ”Bungie is opposed to any legislation that curtails free speech, stifles innovation, and prevents the open sharing of information on the Internet. SOPA fits that bill. If it passes, it will hurt our community, the gaming community at large, and it could very well cripple the kind of games we love to create and play.”
If the bill were to pass the US House of Representatives, the company worries that it would ”negatively impact both the games we make and the people who play them.”
Some parts of the bill have already started to feel the pressure of an industry backlash, as Rep. Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) stated that the DNS segment of the bill would be removed. That part of the bill stipulated that Internet service providers block websites based abroad that have been accused of piracy. Protect IP Act would similarly remove the DNS clause as well.
”After consultation with industry groups across the country. I feel we should remove DNS-blocking from the Stop Online Piracy Act so that the (U.S. House Judiciary) Committee can further examine the issues surrounding this provision. We will continue to look for ways to ensure that foreign Web sites cannot sell and distribute illegal content to U.S. consumers,” stated Smith.
Regardless, Bungie urges gamers and internet users to read the bill and contact their representatives in Congress to speak out against SOPA and Protect IP.
