Brief Summary of the article, although I encourage everyone to read it in full: To say I'm disgusted is an understatement, and I'm particularly disappointed in Microsoft's (lack of) response. I...
Brief Summary of the article, although I encourage everyone to read it in full:
"On Monday morning, the Trump administration used a picture of Halo’s Master Chief to call for the destruction of immigrants
[...]
Over the weekend, the Trump administration shared AI-generated Halo memes across its social media accounts. This culminated in the official Department of Homeland Security accounts sharing an image of dudes in Spartan armor riding a Warthog under the words “DESTROY THE FLOOD JOIN.ICE.GOV.
[...]
In the fiction of Halo, the Flood is a parasitic creature that infects sentient life and turns them into monsters whose only desire is to spread the parasite. They’re depicted as a brainless and fast moving wave of flesh that could not be reasoned with.
[...]
The Trump administration has long invoked racist imagery, much of it pulled from America’s past, to sell its agenda. But overtly equating immigrants to a ravening horde of monsters from a video game has its closest analogue in Nazi propaganda.”
[...]
Microsoft declined to comment on this story."
To say I'm disgusted is an understatement, and I'm particularly disappointed in Microsoft's (lack of) response. I had only just mentioned in another thread that the original Halo is one of my favourite games and was tossing up checking out the recently announced remake. Considering this development, I absolutely do not feel comfortable giving any money to a company that condones or allows their product to be used as a conduit for this kind of messaging.
Marty O'Donnell - one of the original composers for the Halo series, is currently running for congress as a Republican and has, unfortunately, fully thrown his support behind this rhetoric and has begun parroting these messages in his own tweets. I'm usually a firm believer in the concept of 'death of the artist' but... Man. It's difficult to see one of the original creatives behind a work I really enjoy in full support of it being used this way.
In the interest of full disclosure, I'm not an American. I just care deeply about this as a human being, consumer of media and a (now former) Microsoft customer. And a heartbroken Halo fan now, I suppose.
Oh Jesus Christ I hadn't realized O'Donnell had gone down the alt right pipeline too. I knew he was already a talented asshole but wow. Similar feelings on Gamestop posting this shit too. Their...
Oh Jesus Christ I hadn't realized O'Donnell had gone down the alt right pipeline too. I knew he was already a talented asshole but wow.
Similar feelings on Gamestop posting this shit too. Their goddamn company was saved by a retail investor movement to fight against big money/hedge fund market manipulation... And now they're just signing up to join them. Very cool. Love this timeline.
I was about to point out that Gamestop only posted a non-political meme that was reposted by the Trump administration (as suggested by the paragraph about Gamestop in the article), but then I...
I was about to point out that Gamestop only posted a non-political meme that was reposted by the Trump administration (as suggested by the paragraph about Gamestop in the article), but then I double-checked their X account... Jesus. Talk about jumping on the bandwagon.
Yeah, O'Donnell has been a difficult one for me. I've always enjoyed Halo's soundtracks (particularly CE and 2), and for a while his Youtube channel posted lots of fascinating making-of videos. I don't like the idea of unsubscribing from someone for having a political belief I disagree with, but considering the nature of the videos being posted now I'm learning towards not tolerating intolerance and disengaging. I'm on a Youtube hiatus at the moment anyway which makes the point moot, but at this point I'd like to take a break from this planet entirely.
Brief Summary of the article, although I encourage everyone to read it in full:
To say I'm disgusted is an understatement, and I'm particularly disappointed in Microsoft's (lack of) response. I had only just mentioned in another thread that the original Halo is one of my favourite games and was tossing up checking out the recently announced remake. Considering this development, I absolutely do not feel comfortable giving any money to a company that condones or allows their product to be used as a conduit for this kind of messaging.
Marty O'Donnell - one of the original composers for the Halo series, is currently running for congress as a Republican and has, unfortunately, fully thrown his support behind this rhetoric and has begun parroting these messages in his own tweets. I'm usually a firm believer in the concept of 'death of the artist' but... Man. It's difficult to see one of the original creatives behind a work I really enjoy in full support of it being used this way.
In the interest of full disclosure, I'm not an American. I just care deeply about this as a human being, consumer of media and a (now former) Microsoft customer. And a heartbroken Halo fan now, I suppose.
Oh Jesus Christ I hadn't realized O'Donnell had gone down the alt right pipeline too. I knew he was already a talented asshole but wow.
Similar feelings on Gamestop posting this shit too. Their goddamn company was saved by a retail investor movement to fight against big money/hedge fund market manipulation... And now they're just signing up to join them. Very cool. Love this timeline.
I was about to point out that Gamestop only posted a non-political meme that was reposted by the Trump administration (as suggested by the paragraph about Gamestop in the article), but then I double-checked their X account... Jesus. Talk about jumping on the bandwagon.
Yeah, O'Donnell has been a difficult one for me. I've always enjoyed Halo's soundtracks (particularly CE and 2), and for a while his Youtube channel posted lots of fascinating making-of videos. I don't like the idea of unsubscribing from someone for having a political belief I disagree with, but considering the nature of the videos being posted now I'm learning towards not tolerating intolerance and disengaging. I'm on a Youtube hiatus at the moment anyway which makes the point moot, but at this point I'd like to take a break from this planet entirely.
Christ, what an asshole.