ABSTRACT
Video game culture has a white supremacy problem. There is evidence that online gaming culture is becoming a popular recruiting ground for white supremacist groups seeking to radicalize young white men. Image boards like 4chan and 8chan are playing host to racist and anti-Semitic hate groups as well as to white supremacist manifestos written by real-world mass murderers. This begs the question: what is it about gaming culture that makes it an appealing venue for white supremacists? In this chapter the author argues that white supremacist recruiters are attracted to online games because online gaming culture has historically privileged whiteness to such a degree that the mere presence of people of color was considered disruptive to the supposedly apolitical and color-blind communities that players were creating. The author explains where and how this recruitment takes place across a variety of platforms, and provides some examples of how the gaming industry has unwittingly encouraged white supremacist rhetoric in the past. The author concludes by sketching out some basic guidelines for industry professionals who are invested in taking a stand against hate in their communities. Content Warning: This chapter contains discussions of white supremacy, racism, and hate speech.
