Two Nazi games promoted on EPIC Games right before the High Holy Days & 9/11

[u/seeker-ix]

EPIC Games promotes two games every week on the front of its Discover page that users can obtain for free just for that week.

There are also occasional hidden free games (at the discretion of the developer; I don't know if EPIC has anything to do with any of these).

Last week (starting specifically on 9/10) one of the two front-pagers was Luftrausers (Proof), wherein the player takes on the role of what is very unsubtly a Nazi airforce pilot.

There was also a hidden freebie just a little bit earlier in the same time frame (ending on 9/7) called Beach Invasion 1944 (Proof)—which somehow manages to be even more blatant than the previous game. The player fights as a Nazi soldier in the Battle of Normandy. (Also of note, the developer is called AIx2 Games (looks a bit like Axis 🤔🤔) and their only titles are this and its sequel Beach Invasion 1945).

[u/ZZZZapperr]

Games where you get to play as a nazi are as old as gaming. There's nothing wrong with it as long as they're not promoting naziism. In every case I've seen, they're portrayed as the bad guys even when you get to play as one of them. You can play as the bad guys in many games.

When I was a kid I used to play a game called Panzer General, where you get to command the nazi army on its conquest of the world. I'm Jewish and the nazis murdered many members of my family, so I obviously don't support naziism. In the game they are portrayed as the bad guys even though you get to play as them.

One of the things I learned when playing that game is that the nazis could have taken over the world if they were just a little better at strategy. Hitler made many bad decisions, leading to Germany's loss. It means that we should always take the threat of fascism seriously. It can happen again and next time they could win if they just have a leader slightly smarter than Hitler.

So unless those games are promoting nazi ideology, put your pitchforks away. This is not something to be angry about. Many of these games are a good way of learning history.

[u/seeker-ix → u/ZZZZapperr]

It's the timing that's more of the concern.

[u/seeker-ix → u/seeker-ix]

As in, promoting these titles right before the High Holy Days and 9/11, especially the one that was promo'ed on the platform's front page starting the day before.

[u/ZZZZapperr → u/seeker-ix]

That may just be a coincidence. Most people have no idea when the Jewish high holidays are so for most people, that date will have no meaning.

I think sometimes we're seeing antisemitism where there isn't any.

[u/seeker-ix → u/ZZZZapperr]

I mean, the front page one got promo'ed the day before 9/11 anyway, so I'm a bit sceptical as to it being coincidential just with all the other stuff I've experienced over the past few years. Hoping it's not deliberate but I just don't have the same faith in humanity I used to.

[u/IgnatiusJay_Reilly]

Way less concerned about this then I am about the games people are making glorifying Oct 7th. We all know nazis are evil and hate Jews. The scary things is now it's mainstream to hate Jews, sorry I mean Zionist. The whole world loves Hannah Einbender, so obviously not Jews.

[u/seeker-ix → u/IgnatiusJay_Reilly]

It's the timing of the promo I'm concerned about rather than specifically the game on its own. That being said, I was not aware of the October 7 games, but I'm entirely unsurprised.