Last Sunday on February 16, we came across an article on The Star.com.my that talks about online gaming being a tool for radicalisation and extremism; terrorist activities for those not in the know. Basically, radical groups use video games and their online functions and chat rooms to not only recruit people to their terrorism cause but also plan and launch attacks.

A University Malaya criminologist –Dr Haezreena Begum Abdul Hamid– also stated that extremists are making video games that are on the “Dark Web” where “terrorists are portrayed as heroes”, thus “gamifies propaganda, desensitising players to violence and reinforcing extremist ideologies”.

One problem: the article does not list the game in question. In fact, one can suspect that the first few paragraphs of the article read like a page out of a fiction novel. Here’s an excerpt:

“DANIEL* was in full battle mode in a raid on a steel mill turned into a base by enemy forces when a gruff voice suddenly yelled into his ear.

“Hey man! You look like you know a lot about this MP7 submachine gun.”

When Daniel didn’t answer, the player using a pseudonymous gamertag continued over the din, “I have tried it, what about you?”

He then rattled on about guns through voice chat before contacting Daniel privately to share his extensive knowledge about weaponry. This was the first time Daniel, who is from Klang, had encountered this player in the looter shooter multiplayer game he liked, and the “radical stranger” just made him feel uneasy.”

That, and the “Dark Web” bit all sound like there’s an alleged agenda to demonize video games yet again by linking it as the cause of terrorism & its support of it. 

Unfortunately, not all of us here at Kakuchopurei are counter-terrorism experts to further back up the claim that the article is factually and objectively wrong. So we asked one: Munira Mustaffa, Executive Director and Principal Analyst of Chasseur Group (who owns a PS5, had a Nintendo and Sega console back in the 90s, and is a lifetime gamer).

Freedom Of Expression, Not Extremism

She said the concern about extremist activities in gaming communities, while valid, reveals nothing particularly new about how radical groups and bad actors operate. Extremist actors traditionally gravitate toward spaces they perceive as having minimal surveillance and adapt their tactics to exploit new digital territories. 

What the commenters did get right was that gaming platforms do provide rich opportunities for recruitment and propaganda through shared interests and genre preferences, similar to how religious spaces can be exploited. But the games themselves aren’t the primary issue: they are merely the backdrop, not the cause.

The frequent citing of the ‘Dark Web’ as the primary threat misses the mark entirely, according to Munira. This term simply describes content beyond the reach of conventional search engines, rather than some shadowy underworld. The real battleground exists on mainstream platforms like Steam, Twitch, and Discord, as well as “platform all-encompassing all-ages” games like Roblox. While these platforms already have content moderation policies and systems in place, they struggle against profit margins and user engagement metrics. 

The alleged demonisation of gaming culture serves no useful purpose. Instead, Munira suggests that we must examine why these spaces attract certain actors, and recognise that their behaviour often reflects offline socio-political tensions. Games merely serve as vehicles for sentiments and self-expression. 

The recent case of a Singapore youth creating violent avatars for role-playing to simulate the 2019 Christchurch shooting exemplifies how games can become vehicles for expressing deeper societal issues. While content moderation is crucial, heavy-handed approaches can risk driving these communities further underground.

Political engagement, including discussions about conflicts like Gaza, shouldn’t be mistaken for extremism. However, she continued, the real crisis lies in the systematic targeting of minorities and LGBTQ+ communities by right-wing extremists and neo-Nazi groups within gaming spaces.

A recent cross-platform research from Rusi.org underscores this reality. The project’s findings called for improved awareness and accessibility of existing reporting tools, alongside comprehensive global regulatory frameworks that protect and empower marginalised communities rather than increased censorship or tighter regulation, which would likely prove counterproductive.

Giving credit where it’s due, The Star article did highlight another important point: that SEARCCT is collaborating with local esports associations and game developers to empower gaming communities. This is a positive step, as monitoring and targeting for intervention often resemble a futile game of whack-a-mole, draining resources without addressing the root causes.

Why Did Star.com.my Greenlit The Article?

Apart from giving the interviewees -Initiate.my founder Aizat Shamsuddin and Universiti Malaya criminologist Dr Haezreena Begum Abdul Hamid- a platform for a slow news day? It’s hard to say, but to sum up the question of this feature: no it isn’t.

This does lead to one other inquiry: why single out video games here when other online platforms are equally prone to terrorist indoctrination and attacks as well?