Earlier this week, the Division of Homeland Safety posted a Halo meme as an ICE recruitment advert, likening immigrants to violent aliens. Microsoft has declined to touch upon the twisted rhetoric, however among the franchise’s former builders voiced their ideas.
The meme posted on X on October 27 exhibits Grasp Chief and a fellow Spartan in a Warthog with a name to “DESTROY THE FLOOD.” It was a reference to an alien species that serves as one of many sci-fi shooter’s principal antagonists; an infectious superorganism that consumes and destroys every part it touches. “Finishing this fight,” wrote DHS above the recruitment advert.
In an interview with Game File, Halo co-creator Marcus Lehto referred to as the publish “absolutely abhorrent” and added, “It really makes me sick seeing Halo co-opted like this.” Franchise veteran Jamie Griesemer, who was lead designer on each Halo 2 and Halo 3, was equally outraged.
“Using Halo imagery in a call to ‘destroy’ people because of their immigration status goes way too far, and ought to offend every Halo fan, regardless of political orientation,” he instructed Sport File. “I personally discover it despicable. The Flood are evil house zombie parasites and are usually not an allegory to any group of individuals.“
Pushing again towards some followers claiming the unique Halo video games had been a post-9/11 parable for combating a military of invading non secular zealots, Griesemer stated it wasn’t an allegory for any particular faith or political motion. “The Prophets are not Popes, the Grunts are not Wahhabis, and the Flood are definitely not illegal immigrants,” he instructed Game File. “The Master Chief is not a Christ figure and Cortana is not the Virgin Mary, I guess?”
Halo‘s collision with the Trump administration’s anti-immigration crackdown, which includes “lawless” ICE raids in cities like Chicago, comes as Microsoft is attempting to get followers hyped for a remake of the unique sport coming subsequent 12 months that may even function the franchise’s debut on PlayStation. On the identical time, the tech big is pledging assist for Trump’s White Home demolition and the constructing of a brand new ballroom because it seemingly tries to curry favor for presidency contracts and regulatory approvals associated to its spiraling AI investments.
