It’s one of those moments where gaming culture collides with politics in the worst way possible. Over the past few days, a sickening post on Twitter and other places I dare not tread, featured the President of the United States wearing the iconic Halo Spartan armor of John 117, saluting the flag. Yes, that Halo, the legendary franchise built on heroism, unity, and defending humanity from oppression. Which, in case you haven’t been paying attention, is the complete opposite of what our government has been doing lately.
Using popular games or aesthetics to push government messaging isn’t new. The U.S. Army had its own video game once, and even launched an esports team, using titles like Call of Duty to promote military careers. But there’s something uniquely unsettling about seeing Halo, a series built around sacrifice, teamwork, and humanity, used to promote a government that employs ICE, an organization many associate with family separations, raids, and abuse scandals.
Which, again, is the complete opposite of what Halo represents or at least used to. To make things worse, the images being shared appear to be AI generated, raising even more ethical concerns. It’s not just propaganda; but synthetic propaganda using AI...
