On Oct. 20, U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar took to the popular streaming service Twitch in an unusual yet effective method of voter outreach. They were streaming “Among Us,” an online game that has amassed a massive following in recent months.
The game provides virtual connectivity in a time of social deprivation. It consists of a handful of crewmates attempting to complete a variety of prosaic tasks aboard a spaceship. One player is assigned the role of the imposter, whose job is to kill off the crewmates without getting caught, similar to the party game Mafia.
The Reps. played with a variety of other well-known Twitch streamers such as Pokimane, who has amassed over six million followers on the streaming service. Needless to say, engaging in a platform that has become such a staple in entertainment was a powerful and calculated move that paid off for the Democratic party.
Since the live gameplay on Oct. 20, the recording has reached nearly two million plays, and AOC’s personal Twitch account has garnered 711,000 followers. While the stream did not contain much political commentary overall, AOC took time at the beginning and end of the game to appeal to young voters on behalf of Democratic candidate Joe Biden. “Please, again, make sure you register to vote. Make your plan to vote,” she said.
This proved to be an excellent strategy in mobilizing young voters, as reflected in the stream’s significant viewership and popularity. Donald Trump and Joe Biden have both used Twitch in the past to stream campaign events, yet the peak viewership for these was a measly 17,000.
Previous outreach methods including advertisements, phone banks and direct mail have been found to be even less effective than the presidential streams. According to a 2017 paper by two California political scientists, these types of voter outreach have nearly zero effect on voter outcome. This statistic is a direct nod to the effectiveness of exploring new platforms such as streaming services.
Though this event was a milestone in political agenda promotion, it is not the first instance of politicians using video games to push their platforms. In 2008, former President Barack Obama made history by purchasing the first online video game campaign advertisements.
Video games with politically charged subject matter have also played a role in shaping voter opinion or in the creator’s case, an expression of that opinion. GOP Arcade is one example of a webpage devoted entirely to video games chock full of political content, most of it satirical. Much of the subject matter expressed in these games carry much deeper messages that symbolize deep-rooted political issues, allowing the gaming demographic to become more in touch with political ideals than they may have otherwise.
As the times change, we must learn to change with them despite our instinct to live vicariously through our younger years. The devastating fact that print media is dwindling and the internet is surging is one that must be accepted, though this is understandably challenging for the majority of politicians that belong to an older generation.
The adaptability and ingenuity shown by those such as Cortez and Omar have proven to be incredibly effective in mobilizing the younger generation. The expansion to digital platforms will continue to play an important role in future political campaigns.
