An anonymous group of artists has released a video game aimed at protesting U.S. involvement in a potential war with Iran. The game, which adopts the visual style of a 16-bit Japanese role-playing game, debuted online and has attracted more than 14,000 players as of Monday afternoon.
The interactive experience opens with a prompt asking players if they are “Ready to ROCK Iran back to the Stone Ages?”—a direct reference to a social media post made by the president in early April, in which he vowed to reduce Iranian targets “back to the Stone Ages where they belong.” Players can respond with “Not Yet,” “Yes,” or “Hell Yes.” The game noticeably avoids traditional violent gameplay, such as gunfire or shootings.
According to the creators, who remain unidentified, the game is designed as a form of artistic protest against the administration’s military rhetoric and policies regarding Iran. The group, known as Secret Handshake, has produced multiple politically charged installations over the past year and a half, including a gold-sprayed toilet displayed near the Lincoln Memorial in March to criticize renovations to its bathroom, and other works related to the president’s former association with Jeffrey Epstein.
Within the game, players control a pixelated version of the president, tasked with collecting barrels of oil and navigating opposition to the military campaign. Side quests feature figures from the administration, such as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who dispatches players to search for a vial of measles. The game’s narrative also includes surreal elements—the only way to lose is by attempting to hold the hand of first lady Melania Trump, while the climax centers on gathering posts from the president’s social media platform to open the Strait of Hormuz.
Experts in media and game studies note that video games are a potent medium for delivering political messages because of their interactive nature. Matthew Thomas Payne, a professor at the University of Notre Dame specializing in the cultural history of video games, highlighted the medium’s ability to engage users in decision-making roles, which can affect their perception of the content more deeply than traditional linear media such as television or speeches.
“This form of interaction allows players to immerse themselves in the narrative, making the protest message more immediate and personal,” Payne said, citing the game as an example of how artists can use video games to counter military glorification often found in government-backed gaming content.
The White House has previously employed video game imagery in their own messaging, releasing videos on social media platforms that combine real bombing footage with clips from popular military-themed games like “Call of Duty” and “Halo.” The administration did not respond to a request for comment regarding the new protest game.
On Monday morning, the game was installed at the D.C. War Memorial, attracting a modest number of visitors. Local resident Josh Gamble, 26, traveled to see the installation after encountering it on Reddit. He called the game “charming” and noted its successful use of interactivity and narrative structure to engage players in a complex political statement. Gamble remarked that the absence of a definitive “win” screen may have been intentional, suggesting the game’s commentary on the ongoing, unresolved cycle of military action and social media posturing surrounding the conflict with Iran.
