Emily Thompson and Galen Lamphere-Englund are members of the Extremism and Gaming Research Network (EGRN). The EGRN works together to uncover how malign actors exploit gaming, to build resilience in gaming communities to online harms, and to discover new ways to use gaming for good.
Introduction
In November 2024, the Extremism and Gaming Research Network (EGRN) and the Global Network on Extremism and Technology (GNET) published “30 Years of Trends in Terrorist and Extremist Games”. This report examined findings from a new dataset, the Extremist and Terrorist Games Database (ETGD), which catalogues over 155 games and modifications (mods) that promote far-right, far-left, jihadist, and other extremist ideologies from 1982 to 2024. Download locations are logged as part of the classification process for the ETGD, as are additional sites that link to the content. Most of these download platforms are either fringe websites or archival in nature, limiting their reach. However, while researching how to find these games and mods, we found that extremist and terrorist game creators are using mainstream online music, video, and entertainment platforms to reach new audiences and generate revenue in novel ways. Additionally, descriptions accompanying content on mainstream sites indicated a clear intent to circumvent automated content moderation: by avoiding directly naming the game, in some instances, or by avoiding directly giving a link and instead describing how to find the title. In doing so, these malign actors are creating audience funnels – directing users from mainstream sites to more extremist sites that may be harder to find on the surface web. They are also raising funds through monetized streams and audio content related to games. This GNET-EGRN Insight provides new analysis not found in the long-form report to examine which platforms are being exploited, what strategies are being used to access wider audiences or solidify support from pre-existing proponents, and which tactics are being used to circumvent trust and safety policies.
YouTube
Many of the titles catalogued in the ETGD contain download instructions accessible through gameplay videos on YouTube. These videos often use the format of “let’s play”, where a viewer watches another individual or group playing a video game, often providing commentary. Other videos simply demonstrate a walkthrough of the gameplay. Out-links to download extremist games were located in the commentary for videos, in the YouTube description, or as responses to interested parties in the comments. Some of the more egregious titles did not contain direct out-links, but instead described how to find the game, or provided links to Telegram channels where the instructions could be readily found. For example, a wide range of Doom mod playthroughs are accessible, ranging from recreations of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting to the 2017 Mandalay Bay attack, and even the original Doom mods created reportedly by one of the 1999 Columbine high school shooting perpetrators.
Figure 1 – YouTube playthrough footage from a racist title.
YouTube also offers a soundtrack feature, which developers for games with extremist content have used, such as for white supremacist, antisemitic titles like Angry Goy I (2017) and Angry Goy II (2018), as well as the antisemitic Fursan al-Aqsa: The Knights of the Al-Aqsa Mosque (2022). Fursan al-Aqsa’s playlist has been viewed over 23,000 times. This game-audio functionality is explored through other platforms below. Note: for more information on our analyses of these game titles and the criteria for inclusion in the ETGD, please see the full report and codebook.
Figure 2 – Soundtrack to Fursan al-Aqsa, the game, on YouTube
Spotify and Apple Music
Spotify is the world’s most popular audio streaming subscription service, with over 640 million users in 180 markets. Prior research has exposed how extremists have used Spotify to publish podcasts promoting antisemitic, racist, and white supremacist content. Recent efforts by Spotify to combat violent extremist content – which runs directly afoul of the platform’s hate and dangerous content policies – have worked to reduce access to such content. However, our research for the ETGD uncovered extremist game soundtracks uploaded to Spotify, as well as Apple Music. This feature has been utilized by KVLT Games, creator of the far-right identitarian games Heimat Defender (2020) and The Great Rebellion (2024). Both titles are banned in Germany. These appear to potentially be a revenue generation mechanism, as well as a way to promote the “fashwave” music created for the titles. We believe this is a novel technique that – while not netting many monthly listeners – is clearly part of a rehearsed digital strategy to push the game and the ideologically motivated content therein through as many platforms as possible.
Figure 3 – Soundtrack to “The Great Rebellion” on Spotify
Figure 4 – Soundtrack to “Heimat Defender” on Apple Music
Bandcamp
Bandcamp is an American online music platform that started in 2007, often used by up-and-coming or indie artists to showcase their music. Since launching, fans have paid artists and their labels $1.41 billion USD using Bandcamp., At least two musicians have created soundtracks for extremist games such as the white supremacist, violently misogynistic Westmen (2023) and, once again, The Great Rebellion (2024). They use Bandcamp to promote their albums, and provide links or information to guide listeners to the games associated with the music. Bandcamp’s revenue model means that these creators can monetize their work, selling albums using set prices or “name your price” models. Meanwhile, discussion from some of the creators suggests they are actively engaged in platform shopping – from Bandcamp to Spotify and YouTube – to find ideal venues for pulling in more revenue.
Figure 5 – Telegram post describing ways to distribute music from an extremist title
IMDb
The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is a searchable database featuring millions of movies, TV shows and entertainment programs. Launched in 1990, IMDb was purchased by Amazon in 1998, and reaches more than 250 million monthly users. Video game entries form a key part of IMDb’s catalogue, crediting publishers, voice actors, and producers. Research for the ETGD found that several game titles are featured on IMDb, including the far right, anti-LGBTQ+ Alex Jones: NWO Wars (2024), the racist and white supremacist Tyrone vs Cops (2022), and the aforementioned Angry Goy I (2017) and Angry Goy II (2018). IMDb states it is “the world’s most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content, designed to help fans explore the world of movies and shows and decide what to watch.” Therefore, being listed on IMDb could add an air of credibility or legitimacy to the titles that are accessible there. IMDb’s rating system also contributes to this, permitting racist, antisemitic, and hateful games to be rated using a “stars out of ten” system. In addition, the entries for the games promoting extremist and terrorist ideologies often feature links to download locations, making this type of content easier to source.
Figure 6 – Listing for Angry Goy on IMDb
Steam
Steam’s use by extremists and terrorists to sell video games and engage in social networking is well-documented. A recent study by a consortium of EGRN members (including Galen Lamphere-Englund) identified wide-ranging hate and extremist content on the platform, while work from ADL in November 2024 reached a similar conclusion after identifying over 1.8 million pieces of extremist and hateful content on Steam. We also identified another feature of the platform being exploited: soundtracks. These are available to purchase for games such as the violently misogynistic Feminazi: The Triggering (2017) and far-right, identitarian The Great Rebellion (2024). Selling soundtracks offers extremists another way to generate revenue and expand the ways in which they can reach different audiences by appealing to different interests. Soundtracks can be purchased as standalone items, so individuals who might not play the game itself can still connect with the content.
Figure 7 – Steam storefront for “The Great Rebellion” soundtrack
Cross-Platform Exploitation and Conclusions
At least 31 of the 155+ games and mods we reviewed in the ETGD have a presence on several of the platforms discussed in this Insight. Some of the newest, most sophisticated titles are accessible on multiple platforms. For example, The Great Rebellion’s (2024) soundtrack is available on Spotify, Apple Music, and Steam, while the game is accessible via Steam. This multi-platform presence expands the game’s possible influence beyond simply gameplay, while also potentially drawing in new audiences.
We see two primary motivations behind this cross-platform shift of gaming content: 1) to cloak and avoid content moderation while redirecting users to the primary content hosted on less mainstream sites, as we often see on YouTube and IMDb, and, 2) to generate revenue by using pre-existing game assets like soundtracks and selling them separately, as we see on Spotify, Bandcamp, and Apple Music. While we are discussing a relatively limited number of exploits, we believe this novel approach is one worth monitoring and directly preventing where possible. To do so, we recommend:
- Ensuring that efforts to moderate audio and video on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube include the identification of extremist games and related content that may be disguised under misleading titles and tags to avoid detection. As we show, numerous instances of extremist game soundtracks and gameplay videos have been documented, which contravene the platforms’ terms of service. These materials are often accompanied by links or instructions on how to access the games from external sources.
- Implement cross-platform measures to flag and eliminate extremist game titles. The ETGD (Extremist and Terrorist Games Database) supports the implementation of varied policy responses based on the characteristics of specific titles and the operational needs of each platform. It is also accessible to verified researchers and violent prevention experts. A key focus should be on employing hashing technology, such as the Hash Sharing Database from GIFCT, to also share signals about terrorist and violent extremist gaming content across platforms. Lastly, platforms should also review the use of outbound links that direct users to external download sources, or other extremist or terrorist operated websites containing illegal content.
Emily Thompson: Emily Thompson is the Senior Associate Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Research Department. Her work investigates how extremists utilize the internet, social media and video games to spread hateful and harmful content and ideologies, domestically and internationally. Emily’s work involves gathering intelligence on extremist groups, providing critical insights for law enforcement, educators, and policymakers, and educating about the threats posed by hate groups and radical ideologies. She co-developed Combat Hate, an interactive student workshop designed to introduce media literacy skills and provide tools for young people to deal with hate online, that has served over 60,000 students in the US.
Galen Lamphere-Englund: Galen Lamphere-Englund is a senior international security advisor and strategic communications consultant at the nexus of violent extremism, conflict prevention, and technology. He specializes in applied research, training, and programmatic leadership to foster resilience against societal divides and mitigate online exploitation by terrorist, extremist, and disinformation actors. Galen has led work in over 30 countries for UN agencies, governments, think tanks, humanitarian NGOs, and tech platforms. He also co-founded and convenes the Extremism and Gaming Research Network (EGRN), a global non-profit that brings together over 160 members from across sectors to protect gaming communities against online harms.