Description
Since the terrorist attack in Christchurch in 2019 was livestreamed in the style of a first-person shooter game and a number of subsequent attacks with similar modus operandi followed, the possible interplay between gaming and radicalisation has become a new frontier for research on radicalization, extremism and political violence – but also for prevention practice and international and national policymaking. Indeed, both (transnational networks of) right-wing and jihadist extremist groups as well as radicalised individuals use gaming platforms in a variety of ways: By producing their own video games, by using existing video games, by communicating and targeting gamers in in-game chats or on gaming platforms, and by incorporating video game aesthetics and gamification into extremist propaganda. However, in-depth knowledge on the reasons and implications of this use is limited and the research gap surrounding gaming and extremism is substantial. Similarly, although prevention practice shows great interest in using gaming and gaming platforms for prevention and intervention projects, practical experiences and systematic reflection on the possibilities for prevention in the gaming sphere, are lacking. This article outlines a comprehensive research agenda that has been missing so far and derives challenges and opportunities for research but also for prevention practice, including possibilities to recognise and address users at risk of radicalisation as well as potentially promising approaches for prevention in gaming spaces.
