What role do video games play in the process of radicalisation?

Abstract

This dissertation explores the potential role video games play in the process of radicalisation by focussing on how gaming mechanics, graphics, narratives, algorithms, and online communities might contribute to this process. The first chapter analyses how gaming mechanics and dynamics might facilitate the process of radicalisation by having extreme graphics and narratives developed into some video games. The second chapter explores how the YouTube recommendation algorithm might steer users who watch gaming-related content to real-life radical content. The final chapter delves into online gaming and communities and investigates the social aspect of gaming, where players might cross paths or be matched with radical players, and how extreme organisations are using these communities to their advantages. Although video games do not directly lead to radicalisation, they still have the potential to play a role in this process. Therefore, this dissertation argues that video games are not the root cause of radicalisation, but they might play a role in this process, and they might be one of the mediums extreme organisations employ to radicalise other individuals.