What’s in a game? Video games, ‘militainment’ and Russian influence in Africa

In its latest iteration of information operations across Africa, Russia is using online video gaming to wield influence and shape anti-Western narratives. African Dawn is widely touted by Western governments, think tanks and media as the latest tool in Moscow’s foreign information manipulation and interference playbook. 

The online geopolitical game is a modification of the American game Hearts of Iron IV. Critics accuse the Russian creators of fanning the flames of suspicion against so-called neocolonial forces – particularly France in the Sahel – and positioning Russia and its allies as saviours. 

France was forced to end its military campaign against Islamist insurgencies in Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali. Many Sahelians equated French operations in the region as Paris meddling in their domestic affairs.

So African Dawn’s narratives fall on fertile soil – and the timing of its launch in Burkina Faso in July couldn’t be more strategic. Replete with sophisticated animation and enticing graphics, the game re-enacts the September 2022 Burkina Faso coup under Captain Ibrahim Traoré. 

Its narrative reflects the date of the real-world power grab in the fragile Sahelian state, and the game invites players to pick a side – and reap the rewards. They can represent either the new junta-led Alliance of Sahel States (Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger), with Russia’s Africa Corps (previously Wagner); or the Western-backed Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), with France and America. 

Ecowas imposed sanctions on the three states in response to their coups, prompting their decision to withdraw from the regional bloc. 

Africa is a key strategic target in Russia’s information war. The aim is to shape and amplify narratives to gain influence and access to resources, Russia’s critics say. Building on the foundations laid by the late Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russia has developed podcasts, films and news websites to shape pro-Russia narratives in Africa. 

“The gaming industry is seven times bigger than the movie industry, [making] it an appealing avenue to engage with a predominantly young audience,” an Africa-based researcher working on Sahel influence operations, who requested anonymity, told ISS Today.

“Shaping a narrative inside a wrapper of cool graphics, engaging gameplay and a choice-reward system can be an exceptionally useful tool to influence perceptions. The goal of any influence operation is to change the way people behave, and what better way than to place them inside a fictitious scenario where the “right” choices are rewarded?”

The US has long used gaming for propaganda and military recruitment, with games such as Fortnite particularly popular among young people. It courted controversy with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, No Russian, which tasked players to commit a fictional terrorist act by playing as Russian extremists who gun down civilians as part of a spy plot. 

While the ethics of such games is a heated subject, the lengths that states will go to project power or amplify national security narratives through this media attest to the power of gaming. 

There are roughly 3.2 billion video gamers globally. While still in its infancy across Africa, largely due to limited and expensive internet access, gaming is growing on the continent. Revenues from games sold in Africa in 2022 totalled about $862.8-million.