The expert briefing Checkpoint Reached: The Prevention of Violent Extremism and Online Gaming is jointly organized by the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations, the Department of Home Affairs of Australia, the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) and the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT).
The event will convene experts from with the UN, academia and private sector to examine how online gaming ecosystems intersect with violent extremism, and how these spaces can be proactively leveraged for prevention.
Why gaming matters
Online gaming ecosystems have evolved far beyond entertainment platforms. For millions of users — particularly young people — they function as immersive social worlds, where interaction, collaboration and identity formation take place. These environments offer creativity, connection and a sense of belonging, making them some of today’s most influential digital spaces.
At the same time, the very characteristics that foster positive engagement can also expose gaming spaces to exploitation by terrorist and violent extremist actors.
An evolving threat landscape
The immersive nature of games, combined with anonymity, peer bonding and limited oversight, has created environments conducive to grooming and radicalization, often hidden in plain sight. Violent extremist actors are increasingly believed to be shifting towards gaming and gaming-adjacent platforms, using them for recruitment, propaganda and communication through in-game chats, private servers, cultural memes and modified game content.
Early examples include the use of customized game modifications by Da’esh to recreate attacks and reinforce violent extremist narratives, as well as the use of offline training games by other groups to desensitize young recruits to violence and strengthen group dynamics.
From risk to prevention
Despite these risks, gaming ecosystems also hold significant potential for prevention, resilience and positive engagement. Strong community ties, collaborative gameplay and narrative immersion position gaming as a powerful platform to counter violent extremist narratives and offer meaningful alternatives grounded in inclusion and shared values.
Yet this potential remains largely untapped. While violent extremist actors continue to adapt rapidly to emerging technologies, greater understanding and investment are needed to proactively leverage gaming ecosystems for the prevention of violent extremism (PVE).
Evidence, research and global dialogue
Building on early initiatives, UNICRI and UNOCT have convened a series of expert-level dialogues to advance policy recognition of gaming-related risks and opportunities. This work includes the publication of “Level Up: Gaming and Violent Extremism in Africa” (2025), examining one of the world’s fastest-growing gaming regions, and the expansion of analytical efforts to Southeast Asia.
The event will also formally launch the new project “Checkpoint Reached: Gaming and Violent Extremism in Southeast Asia”, funded by the Government of Japan.
Speakers
The briefing will feature contributions from:
- H.E. Ambassador Mikanagi Tomohiro, Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan
- Briony Daley Whitworth, Political Coordinator and Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Australia
- Christophe Monier, Secretary-General’s Representative, Board of Trustees, UNICRI
- Mauro Miedico, Director, United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT), UNOCT
- Bruce Homer, Professor of Educational Psychology, City University of New York
- Cinnamon Rogers, Vice President, Global Public Policy, Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Cansu Canca, Director of Responsible AI Practice, Northeastern University
- Lucas Almeida, Threat Detection Scientist, Trustlab Inc.
- Kentaro Matsumura, Counter-Terrorism Expert, Permanent Mission of Japan
Participation
The event will take place in person at United Nations Headquarters.
Prior registration is required for all participants. https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/LMGTpBX7eJ
Watch online here.
For additional information, please contact UNICRI’s New York Liaison Officer, Mr. Odhran McCarthy (odhran.mccarthy@un.org).