Three video games released this summer that promote violent extreme-right beliefs are part of a disturbing trend of free to play games specifically designed as extremist propaganda and recruitment tools. Video games created by extremist groups and individuals seeking to spread violent ideologies pose a unique challenge to those working to prevent and combat radicalization, and their sinister potential has yet to be fully appreciated by tech companies and distributors. With over 214 million players in the United States in 2020, and two billion globally, extremist groups have recognized the potential of video games for spreading their beliefs. People of all ages play games. According to the Entertainment Software Association, U.S. video game sales in 2019 were $35.4 billion. This growing economic sector has led to the expansion of academic and job training programs centered on the video games industry, which has led to an increase in the number of individual creators and the greater accessibility and simplification of development software. The creation of video games by bad actors is not new. Since at least the early 2000s, extremist groups have produced their own games, such as Hezbollah’s 2003 “Special Force,” (with a 2007 sequel), the neo-Nazi music label Resistance Records 2002 game “Ethnic Cleansing,” and the 2006 National Socialist Movement game “ZOG’s Nightmare.” In two neo-Nazi indie games released in 2017 and 2018, players murder Jews, people of color, leftists, and LGBT people. These games’ existence does not mean that players are instantly brainwashed into committing acts of terrorism. However, they allow extremist groups to advertise, encourage the dehumanization of their perceived opponents, and portray violence as a positive. Screenshots and soundtracks may also be shared online, including on web forums that have banned the games. While extremist games are not novel, they are becoming easier to produce through the democratization of technology. The barriers to game creation are lowering as new development software is released and the skills necessary to build games become more widespread. This not only means that games can be created faster than a few years ago, but that they can depict very recent events. Low graphics and browser-based games especially fall into this category. At least three extreme-right video games were released this summer. One game, advertised on 8chan successor imageboards, Gab, and extreme-right Telegram channels, allows the player to commit vehicular attacks against Black Lives Matter protestors. Another, also advertised on extreme-right Telegram channels, allows the player, as Kyle Rittenhouse, to shoot anti-fascist protestors. The third game, available on the Steam gaming platform, first noted by a German anti-fascist researcher, promotes the extreme right-wing nationalist group Generation Identity (GI).
via counterextremism: The Emerging Threat of Extremist-Made Video Games
siehe dazu auch: Extremists using video-game chats to spread hate. Extremists are using mainstream video games and gaming chat platforms to spread hate, BBC Click has found. Over three months, researchers found anti-Semitism, racism and homophobia on platforms, including DLive and Odysee, where users stream and chat about games such as Call of Duty and Minecraft. Campaigners say including extremist narratives among everyday conversations can be a pathway to radicalisation. These conversations then move to spaces such as private Telegram channels. “Once you’re in that world, then the radicalisation starts to happen,” Joe Mulhall, of anti-fascist organisation Hope Not Hate, said. “That’s when you start to go to other meetings, to smaller groups that aren’t necessarily playing games, talking about politics more explicitly.” In response, Telegram told BBC News it used a “combination of proactive monitoring of public spaces and user reports” to remove content breaching its terms of service. DLive and Odysee have not responded to BBC News’s requests for comment. Their policies cite zero tolerance against hate and violent extremism and both say they are proactive at removing any content violating guidelines.