A group of activist gamers is turning Fortnite and Grand Theft Auto into training grounds for real-world ICE encounters. New Save Collective launched virtual role-playing events where players simulate immigration raids, teaching participants their legal rights and how to respond when authorities show up. It's a direct counter-narrative to federal agencies that have been recruiting in gaming spaces with Halo and Pokémon memes.
Gaming just became the latest battleground for immigration rights. New Save Collective, a group of activist gamers, launched their first virtual ICE raid simulation this week in Grand Theft Auto 5 RP, turning what's typically escapist entertainment into civic education.
SteveTheGamer55 streamed the November 20 event to his 4.6 million YouTube subscribers, role-playing as a visa holder confronted by in-game ICE agents. The scenario played out with chilling realism - masked agents surrounding him on a sidewalk, demanding ID while bystanders shouted protests. Later scenes showed players gathering outside virtual detention centers, with one participant in a red suit demanding to see warrants.
"Really wanna show you guys some real-life scenarios," SteveTheGamer55 told viewers during the stream, according to Wired. The simulation gave viewers a visceral preview of what ICE encounters actually look like, complete with the confusion and fear that comes with sudden enforcement actions.
The timing isn't coincidental. Federal agencies have been aggressively recruiting in gaming spaces, with the Department of Homeland Security posting Halo 3 parodies that reference "finishing this fight" alongside images of alien destruction. They've also borrowed Pokémon's "gotta catch 'em all" tagline in videos showing actual arrests.
"The right has built some pretty strong institutions within gaming that have co-opted and weaponized the social features of gaming for bad," PitaBreadFace, one of New Save Collective's organizers, told Wired. The organizer, who requested anonymity for safety reasons, points to movements like Gamergate as examples of how gaming spaces can be exploited.
New Save Collective's counter-strategy leverages the same platforms but flips the script. Tonight, they're hosting a closed scavenger hunt in Epic Games' Fortnite that will teach community organizing and how to combat xenophobia online. Players need to be onboarded to join, as organizers have already dealt with people posing as ICE agents spreading misinformation in their communities.
