The Relationship Between Politics and Video-games

Niccolo De Vita
Nov 4 · 3 min read

Video-games over the last 40 years have evolved into a multi-billion dollar industry. From Tetris being created 35 years ago to the newest Call of Duty, the world of video-games has always been intertwined with politics.

As the web expands and grows certain groups of people keep on insisting that video-game developers should keep politics out of their favorite games, whether it’s reviews or posts on social media. Many people, especially on Twitter, will have you believe that there should be absolutely no politics in video-games. To them, politics should be nowhere near their beloved games, but the reality is that games and politics go well together like peanut butter and jelly (that is if you like peanut butter and jelly, if not think of something else).

Most people who try to reinforce the idea that politics shouldn’t be in games actually are trying to say something else. As a YouTube comment said:

“Keep Politics out of games” usually means “Keep politics I don’t like out of games”

I’ve seen literally hundreds of Twitter comments complaining about the gay and trans pride flags in the game Celeste after a new update and yet I’ve never seen anyone complaining about the political statements in the game Red Faction: Guerilla. The game’s sole focus is to overthrow the oppressive EDF (Earth Defense Force) on Mars and to bring in worker’s rights, livable wages and a less oppressive government. Even the name of the game itself suggests a communist-like force (Red Faction) to overthrow a more capitalist government.

Screenshot of the main character in Red Faction: Guerilla blowing up a silo

To succeed in the Red Faction’s uprising, you as a player must destroy government property and often engage in guerilla warfare, hence the name.

For some reason, I’ve seen no one complain about this game or its mechanics. Maybe all the gamer bros think it’s just a cool and lighthearted game where you get to blow up some buildings and smash some soldiers in the face with a gigantic hammer.

Unfortunately for them, reality is much different. The media we consume daily has always been linked with politics and most likely always will be. Some of the world’s greatest art, music, and films help people learn more about politics. They get introduced to a whole new world, as it did for me.

Like any 8-year-old child, I had no clue what politics were, and frankly wasn’t that interested in hearing about them. My parents used to talk about different politicians such as Berlusconi (ex-prime minister of Italy) and discuss what he was doing, how he was messing up the country, and that we were all going to be poor because of him.

Any time that I asked what they were talking about they just told me it was “adult things” and that I wouldn’t get it as I was too young. This put me off learning about politics for most of my life until I started playing games and learning political lessons from them.

The first example I can think of is the game Just Cause 2, where you play as a rebel that has to overthrow an oppressive government and its repressive dictator. For me this is how I got introduced to the world of politics and it’s how I got to where I am now in terms of political alignment. It propelled me towards wanting to research and learn more about politics. The games made me interested in them. And at the same time presenting them in a less “adult” way.

After lots of research and learning, I was able to talk to my parents about politics. I started forming my own opinions on different issues. Learning about politics also made me more aware of the world around me and history, it permitted me to understand different conflicts and issues that are happening and gave me a deeper understanding of them. This is why I believe that learning about politics is very important for everyone, especially younger people like me, as we are the future voter generation. As that next generation, we need to be mindful of who and what we’re voting for exactly.


A Philosopher’s Stone

A place for a discussion of the ideas all around us in society, culture, philosophy, and more.

Thanks to Brenden Weber

Niccolo De Vita

Written by

17 Year old from Italy. Currently in my first year of the IB diploma, hoping to study philosophy in University

A Philosopher’s Stone

A place for a discussion of the ideas all around us in society, culture, philosophy, and more.

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