The Role of Video Games in Modern Hybrid Warfare Strategies: A Review

Within forty years, the gaming industry has developed to become a highly influential economic activity. As the graphics and the immersion in the video game world develop fast, the virtual world has acquired the capacity to direct and guide the behaviour of users. Particularly, violent video games have been associated with political opposition and social turmoil. The paper uses a systematic review approach to investigate the possibility of video games as a tool of hybrid warfare. The evidence suggests that video games are among the most persuasive forms of interactive media, capable of provoking aggressive behaviour and influencing perceptions, making them a potential tool in hybrid war strategies. Although unconventional warfare is somewhat of a trend in the history of warfare, modern technology has come in with contemporary ways of executing war without necessarily changing the nature of war. This evolution is reflected in combat-based games, which are enriched with realistic graphics and virtual experiences. On the whole, the paper explains that the opportunities of video games as instruments in hybrid warfare are more effective.