Far Cry 5's violent civil unrest is a much-needed reality check for games

There is an all-too familiar response when video game developers are asked if their latest project has any real-world meaning: hey, we're just making a game, we're not making a statement. It's a media-trained kneejerk defence against potential controversy, a line dragged out time and time again when a producer or creative director is asked about seemingly clear parallels with genuine wars, events or issues. Last year, for example, video game site Killscreen spoke to the makers of The Division, a game about an apocalyptic terrorist attack on New York City. When asked if 9/11 had in any way inspired the setting and narrative, associate creative director Julian Gerighty seemed aghast at the comparison – and at the connection between the game and an actual incident. "At the end of the day, it's a video game," he said.