TheRetroArcade
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Posts: 1,967
Joined: Feb 2026
Joined: Feb 2026
Technology is making it harder than ever to determine real from fake, but that doesn't excuse sloppiness.
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You don't have to stop me if you've heard this one before, because I know you have: As the US and Israel continue their bombing campaign of Iran, clips from videogames are being shared on social media as actual combat footage.
The most recent example was posted on February 28 by TheUnHeard_One, a self-described MAGA account on X, which shared a video of two jets dropping bombs and dodging anti-aircraft fire over an unnamed city. "This is one of the most AMAZING videos I have ever seen," they wrote. "It doesn't even look real!"
This is one of the most AMAZING videos I have ever seen. It doesn’t even look real! pic.twitter.com/X5hnHMYqWvFebruary 28, 2026
There's actually a good reason it doesn't look real: Because it's not real. The video was originally posted by a Chinese-language account that claimed it was footage of the US attack on Iran. Community notes attached to both the original post and the one embedded above state that it's not a real F-15 attack, however, but footage from the videogame War Thunder.
Ironically, this appears to be inaccurate as well—the game in question is not War Thunder, but the milsim shooter Arma 3. But the way that was determined is instructive as to why breathlessly sharing this stuff without checking sources and credibility is potentially dangerous.
Neither of the accounts that initially shared the video are journalists, and it probably would've remained safely encased in the sludge of X—but the MAGA influencer post was spotted and shared by Ben Mulroney, an AM talk radio host best known for his career as an entertainment news talking head and being the son of former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney.
As noted by journalism watchdog PressProgress, Mulroney has previously claimed he is "not a journalist," a statement he might expect would buy him some leeway on sloppy sharing. The problem with that argument is that Mulroney is also currently hosting The West Block, a widely-watched political affairs program on one of Canada's largest networks. That lends him a credibility that conventional influencers lack: You don't get handed one of the top jobs on a major network unless you're a serious person with worthwhile thoughts on relevant topics. Theoretically, anyway.
Which brings us back to the accuracy ...Read more: Full article on www.pcgamer.com
What do you think about this?
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Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
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Every Thursday
GTA 6 O'clock
Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.
Every Friday
Knowledge
From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.
Every Thursday
The Setup
Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.
Every Wednesday
Switch 2 Spotlight
Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.
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The Watchlist
Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.
Once a month
SFX
Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!
You don't have to stop me if you've heard this one before, because I know you have: As the US and Israel continue their bombing campaign of Iran, clips from videogames are being shared on social media as actual combat footage.
The most recent example was posted on February 28 by TheUnHeard_One, a self-described MAGA account on X, which shared a video of two jets dropping bombs and dodging anti-aircraft fire over an unnamed city. "This is one of the most AMAZING videos I have ever seen," they wrote. "It doesn't even look real!"
This is one of the most AMAZING videos I have ever seen. It doesn’t even look real! pic.twitter.com/X5hnHMYqWvFebruary 28, 2026
There's actually a good reason it doesn't look real: Because it's not real. The video was originally posted by a Chinese-language account that claimed it was footage of the US attack on Iran. Community notes attached to both the original post and the one embedded above state that it's not a real F-15 attack, however, but footage from the videogame War Thunder.
Ironically, this appears to be inaccurate as well—the game in question is not War Thunder, but the milsim shooter Arma 3. But the way that was determined is instructive as to why breathlessly sharing this stuff without checking sources and credibility is potentially dangerous.
Neither of the accounts that initially shared the video are journalists, and it probably would've remained safely encased in the sludge of X—but the MAGA influencer post was spotted and shared by Ben Mulroney, an AM talk radio host best known for his career as an entertainment news talking head and being the son of former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney.
As noted by journalism watchdog PressProgress, Mulroney has previously claimed he is "not a journalist," a statement he might expect would buy him some leeway on sloppy sharing. The problem with that argument is that Mulroney is also currently hosting The West Block, a widely-watched political affairs program on one of Canada's largest networks. That lends him a credibility that conventional influencers lack: You don't get handed one of the top jobs on a major network unless you're a serious person with worthwhile thoughts on relevant topics. Theoretically, anyway.
Which brings us back to the accuracy ...Read more: Full article on www.pcgamer.com
What do you think about this?