The political drama in the United States has now drawn in Gabe Newell, the father of Steam, along with other major CEOs, as the government intensifies its push against video games. The heads of Steam, Discord, Twitch, and Reddit have been ordered to attend a congressional hearing on the “radicalization of users on online forums.”

The U.S. remains embroiled in political and social turmoil following the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk, a conservative commentator and ally of Donald Trump. Over the past few days, fierce debates have emerged about the ideologies shaping the country, the ease of access to firearms, and the influence of online content. Several figures have already tied the tragedy to video game use – a narrative that has surfaced many times before. And now, the U.S. seems determined to pursue this angle, summoning the CEOs of Steam, Twitch, Discord, and Reddit for an official hearing on the “radicalization of users in online forums.”

The announcement was published on the official website of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Specifically, Chairman James Comer invited Discord’s Humam Sakhnini, Steam’s Gabe Newell, Twitch’s Dan Clancy, and Reddit’s Steve Huffman to testify on October 8, 2025. According to the statement, the hearing is meant to scrutinize how online communities contribute to radicalization, including “cases of open incitement to commit politically motivated acts.”

Comer stressed that Congress has “a duty to oversee the online platforms that radicals have used to promote political violence.” For this reason, he insists the CEOs explain “what measures will be taken to ensure that their platforms are not exploited for nefarious purposes.”

The fact that only Steam, Discord, Twitch, and Reddit were singled out suggests the U.S. is still fixated on blaming video games for shootings and killings like Kirk’s. Critics online note that examining radicalization in forums should also involve leaders of X, YouTube, Meta, and other networks where extremist political content circulates – often far more intensely than on platforms like Steam. Yet, so far, no mention has been made of summoning those executives.

The U.S. Has Long Blamed Video Games

It seems Washington prefers targeting games instead of tackling the deeper issue of firearm accessibility. The notion that digital entertainment fuels crime and shootings has gained traction again after Kirk’s murder. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services, has even pointed at gaming and social media as drivers of gun violence.

In an interview with PBS, Kennedy confirmed that the National Institutes of Health is examining potential causes of gun violence, looking for “potential connections” between social media use, psychiatric drugs, video games, and shootings. In other words, the claim that virtual worlds encourage armed crime is no longer just a theory – officials are actively searching for evidence to back it up.

This argument is not confined to politicians and bureaucrats; it is being amplified to the wider public through mainstream outlets. Just hours ago, FOX News joined in, claiming there is a “strong link” between video games and Kirk’s assassination. “We see in the FBI and in many investigations that a lot of these shooters immerse themselves in this fantasy world; they play these games, and then it becomes reality,” the program stated. “Deciphering the difference between the fantasy world and reality is something authorities will definitely look at from a behavioral analysis perspective.”

Altogether, this underscores how the U.S. continues to scapegoat video games while sidestepping the real reasons behind rampant gun crime. For context, the Everytown for Gun Safety database reports that in 2025 alone, 91 school shootings have already occurred. The problem has escalated so severely that an entire website, the Gun Violence Archive, exists solely to track each incident. Even so, leaders prefer focusing on pixels rather than addressing the true fractures in American society.

Source: 3djuegos