US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is using video games in an attempt to inspire people to vote. Strange times call for strange tactics.
Anyone want to play Among Us with me on Twitch to get out the vote? (I’ve never played but it looks like a lot of fun) — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) October 19, 2020
"Anyone want to play Among Us with me on Twitch to get the vote?" The congresswoman asked on Twitter. She hasn't played the game before, she added.
Among Us is a smart choice. A social-deduction game, Among Us is basically an online version of the party game Mafia. Set on a spaceship, one or two players are "imposters" attempting to sabotage a team of crewmates trying to do their tasks and figure out who the imposters are. In 2020, it's soared in popularity to become one of the most played games on online streaming site Twitch. Right now more people are watching Among Us on Twitch than any other game, including perennial favorite Fortnite.
Ocasio-Cortez asked who she should stream with and, as you might expect, hordes of popular streamers raised their hands in response.
it’d be an honor 😭🙏🏻 — pokimane (@pokimanelol) October 19, 2020
lets run it — TUCKER (@JERICHO) October 19, 2020
🙋🏼♀️ — Alanah Pearce (@Charalanahzard) October 19, 2020
Ocasio-Cortez's channel is already set up and, in around six hours, she's garnered almost 140,000 followers. Considering she has a silver rank in League of Legends and has dropped in on Twitch chats before, it's surprising AOC has taken this long to launch a Twitch channel. Other high-profile politicians, including Sen. Bernie Sanders and President Donald Trump, are already established on the platform. Sanders has 158,000 followers and Trump has 143,000. Wonder if Ocasio-Cortez will beat those numbers before the night is through?
Don’t worry everyone - I haven’t streamed yet! Spent tonight setting up accounts, mods, streaming & run throughs. Hoping to go live tomorrow night🤞🏽 — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) October 20, 2020
Don't worry if you're keen to watch the stream, she hasn't started yet. The current plan, she says, is to get set up and go tomorrow night, on Tuesday the 20th of October.
Zlatanesque on October 20th, 2020 at 00:17 UTC »
Oh no she's gonna be a normal person and have fun playing video games. The old dinosaurs in Congress will hate this.
Growbigbuds on October 19th, 2020 at 22:29 UTC »
Time to queue up the right wing outrage that this sitting congresswoman "plays video games on the taxpayer dime!"
I think it's awesome, federal politicians are just people, little events like this break down the gilded wall between the citizenry and the political class.
definitelynotbeardo on October 19th, 2020 at 21:50 UTC »
Orange is sus.