Why video games are shaping global politics
June 19, 2026
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1:33:15Now PlayingWhy video games are shaping global politics
YouTube Description
as posted by the channelIn this episode of Conflicted, George Osborn joins us to discuss his new book Power Play: Video Games, Politics and the Battle for Global Influence, and explains how gaming has become a major arena for global power, political influence and cultural control.
From the rise of online gaming communities and platforms like Steam, to China’s regulation of gaming culture, Saudi Arabia’s huge investments in esports, Russia’s information warfare, and the legacy of Gamergate, George reveals why governments, populists and political movements are paying close attention to the gaming world.
In this conversation, we cover:
- How video games evolved from arcades into global digital networks
- Why gaming became one of the defining “third spaces” of the internet age
- The role of gaming in the modern technology revolution
- How online communities became politically charged
- China’s control and regulation of video game culture
- Saudi Arabia’s investment in gaming and esports
- Russia, propaganda and influence operations inside gaming spaces
- Gamergate and the politicisation of gaming communities
- Steve Bannon, online culture and the rise of populist politics
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