Abstract

This report examines how the online multiplayer server “Magic City” on Grand Theft Auto V (GTA5), operated by a Palestinian gaming community via the FiveM modding platform, functions as a digital environment that enables radicalization. Through game visual symbolism reflecting the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, players engage in simulations of armed resistance, checkpoint confrontations, and even attacks on civilians—framed as nationalistic acts. The radicalization process extends beyond gameplay: the server’s adjacent Discord community fosters ideological cohesion and narrative reinforcement, while TikTok videos act as emotional amplifiers, glorifying violence through humor, martyrdom, and stylized content.

Introduction

On TikTok, clips from the Grand Theft Auto V (GTA-V) server “Magic City” have gone viral, showing Palestinian gamers ambushing Israeli Merkava tanks and opening fire on civilians—acts portrayed many times with emojis and sarcastic captions. What may appear to some as harmless entertainment, in practice, reflects a broader trend of online radicalization. In recent years, video games have become a fertile ground for the spread of extremist ideologies. Far-right extremism, jihadist groups, and ethno-nationalist actors increasingly exploit gaming platforms to disseminate ideology, radicalize users, build online communities, and in some cases, mobilize real-world violence.^[1]

This report explores Magic City, a Grand Theft Auto V (GTA5) multiplayer server run by a Palestinian community. Magic City game is a platform where visual representations of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and radical content converge. With tens of thousands of users and hundreds playing daily, it is more than just a game; it functions as a space where radical narratives of Palestinian armed resistance are normalized, shared, and reinforced.

This is not the first case of video games being used to promote acts of Palestinian terrorism. The game Fursan al-Aqsa, for example, allows players to take on the role of a Palestinian terrorist targeting Israeli soldiers and civilians. Since 2023, updated versions have even included scenes reenacting the October 7th Hamas attack.^[2] During Operation Protective Edge in 2014, simpler flash-based games such as Pride of the Rockets gained popularity. In that game, the player assists a missile launched from Gaza in evading Israel’s Iron Dome to reach civilian areas.^[3] Earlier examples include games such as Under Ash (2002) and Under Siege (2005). This shooting game incorporates the story of a Palestinian family during the Second Intifada, emphasizing resistance and conflict with Israeli forces.^[4]

The following article will analyze the components of incitement and radicalization embedded within Magic City server. It explores the game’s structure, the surrounding ecosystem on Discord, the in-game online store and the amplification of content through TikTok videos—which together form a broader circle of radicalization.

Gaming as a Radicalization Ecosystem

Over the past four decades, video games have evolved into extremists tools for radicalization. It is a global ecosystem where extremist actors—ranging from far-right movements to global jihadist groups and ethno-nationalist actors—embed radical content into video games —particularly targeting younger audiences.

Earlier attempts by extremist organizations focused more on the development of dedicated games—such as Hezbollah’s Special Force (2003). However, a clear shift has taken place in recent years. Instead of designing dedicated games from scratch, most groups now exploit modding—the customization of existing games using development kits—to insert their narratives into widely popular platforms.^[5]

This transition has been driven by the growing accessibility of modding tools and the popularity of open-world, multiplayer games such as Grand Theft Auto V, Fallout, ARMA III, and Red Dead Redemption.^[6] Modders create alternative versions of these games.  One type of game is GTA RP (Grand Theft Auto Roleplay), where players enter worlds with distinct rules, often reenacting real-world conflicts. Each type of game and server has its own rules and characteristics. 

Importantly, the radicalization process extends beyond gameplay itself. Extremist actors also exploit gaming ecosystems—including websites, Discord, Twitch, and TikTok—to disseminate radical narratives, build ideological echo chambers, coordinate mobilization, and even broadcast violent acts. These platforms serve as affective and communicative infrastructures that complement in-game experiences with real-time validation and community reinforcement. According to a 2024 report by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), in-game chat environments—particularly on platforms like Discord—function as key infrastructures for normalizing extremist ideologies, facilitating radical peer socialization, and in some cases, even offering tactical guidance for real-world action.

More Than a Game: The Case of Magic City

Magic City is an active Palestinian GTA5 server built on a modded infrastructure that recreates the Israeli-Palestinian geopolitical landscape. The virtual environment includes representations of the West Bank geography and symbols such as IDF military vehicles, checkpoints, the separation barrier, Israeli police forces, and even Palestinian Authority security units. What emerges is a simulated world of constant friction with Israeli security forces constructed through symbolic geography and conflict narratives.

According to the server’s official website, Magic City has over 100,000 registered users, more than 50,000 Discord members, and more than 700 daily active players. Within this open world, players can choose from a variety of gameplay paths, including casual exploration of Magic City open world, organized crime gangs, and simulated acts of violence or terrorism targeting IDF soldiers, Israeli police, Palestinian security forces and civilians.

The game’s story is not told through scripted text, but through the environment, symbols, geography, and player choices. The player, taking the role of a Palestinian character, lives under control, restriction, and military presence. Violence is not portrayed as random, but as part of a larger political context.

Although Magic City game does not operate as a traditional recruitment tool or a formal radicalization hub, its environment and byproducts encourage and incite violent activity against Israel. This operation is being funded also from an online store – through which you can purchase products, in-game upgrades and more (payment via credit cards, G-pay, Paypal etc).

The Magic City Discord Server

The Magic City ecosystem includes an official website that serves both as a gateway for newcomers and as a central information hub for returning players, ensuring the community remains connected, updated, and engaged. The website connects visitors to the more prominent and active platforms for the game – dedicated Discord servers.

The Magic City Discord server serves as the primary social and organizational hub of the game. It operates as a community platform where users engage in real-time chats, topic-specific channels, and subcommunities organized around gameplay scenarios. 

The Magic City main Discord server includes a wide range of channels, such as administrative announcements, gameplay instructions, role-specific coordination, recruitment notices for staff positions, user-generated content, and technical guides. It also features dedicated discussion spaces for server designers, event planning, and coordinated in-game missions.

In one documented case, the server’s moderators organized a user competition centered around civilian collisions—rewarding players who hit targets with in-game prizes. Such events blur the lines between gameplay and symbolic violence.

The Discord server also acts as a launchpad for cross-platform media dissemination. Certain channels are dedicated to coordinating TikTok uploads, where users are encouraged to submit clips and participate as “official” content creators. A pre-written declaration outlines the expectations and conduct for users who represent the server on social media, ensuring compliance with internal norms while amplifying the server’s visibility across external platforms. In this way, Discord becomes more than a communications tool—it is a networked radicalization environment, shaping behavioral norms and enabling ideological extension beyond the boundaries of the game itself.

TikTok: An Ideological Power Multiplier

In addition to the game itself, both fans and official distributors are creating and sharing gameplay clips, primarily on TikTok (with some posts also appearing on YouTube and Facebook). These videos include scenes of attacks on IDF forces, assaults on civilians, glorification of violence, checkpoint simulation scenarios, and gameplay as Israeli security forces.

Attacks on IDF forces

One of the most prominent video types circulating on TikTok from the Magic City game involves simulated attacks on IDF forces. These clips often include a Palestinian characters firing at IDF vehicles, Israeli checkpoints, or military patrols, typically within environments designed to resemble the West Bank. The videos are stylized with bold captions, and emojis. 

One such example is a video posted on TikTok that showcases a player in the game, wearing a red keffiyeh, is seen riding a motorcycle and aiming a weapon at an IDF Merkava tank. The tank is driving along a mountainous road, similar to West Bank terrain. At the top of the screen the wording “Which hero influenced you the most in representing reality?” The intent behind this video goes beyond gameplay. It serves as tools for glorifying armed resistance, placing the player in the role of a heroic fighter confronting Israel. 

In another video, an armed actor shoots at a convoy of Israeli police vehicles. The area is a mountain road blocked by a checkpoint. This is a direct attack scene. The actors enjoy complete freedom of action: attacking, testing performance, having fun. In this situation the line between play and struggle is erased. 

A third example, a gamer—is seen sitting at home, wearing headphones playing the game. In the bottom frame, a screenshot from Grand Theft Auto (Magic City server) shows an armed character chasing an Israeli armored vehicle through an urban landscape. The accompanying text is  “We’re living the most fun vibes in Magic City—aren’t you? 😁” This video exemplifies how the resistance is also reframed through humor and normalization. What would otherwise be recognized as a violent confrontation is recast as entertainment—an engaging, everyday experience. The digital space becomes a replacement for the real world, offering users an alternate reality in which they are not feeling oppressed, but empowered—armed and in control.

Attacking Civilians

The second type of video circulating on TikTok from the Magic City server involves attacking civilians. These videos usually present an armed character—typically styled as an operative —carrying out direct shootings or assaults against unarmed targets such as civilians, bus stops, convenience stores, private vehicles, or urban infrastructure.

One video from the Magic City server shows an armed character in a black hoodie aiming a handgun at a picnic area near a public restroom. The character’s clothing is branded with the Magic City logo, signaling game affiliation and pride. Another video from the Magic City server depicts an armed character wearing all black, aiming a rifle at a civilian woman sitting alone at a bus stop. The video includes Arabic text that reads “مين عرف الشهيد؟” (“Who recognized the martyr?”), suggesting an in-game mockery of a real-life attack on civilians. 

In another Tiktok video taken from the Magic City server,  a masked, armed character is standing in front of an Israeli convenience store named Manta, aiming a rifle and shooting at the building.

Glorification Videos

One prominent category of TikTok videos from the Magic City server is glorification content, in which in-game scenes are used to elevate symbolic figures and narratives from the Palestinian violent resistance. These videos do not merely simulate conflict—they mythologize it. For example, one video portrays a school-aged boy standing fearlessly in front of an Israeli tank, evoking the iconic image of the “child with a stone” from the First Intifada. 

Another video references real-life terrorists named Ibrahim Nabulsi who conducted a shooting attack, positioning him as a heroic figure within the game and in the real world.

Through visual storytelling, emotional captions, and user comments, these videos create continuity between past resistance and present-day digital play. Magic City becomes not just a gaming environment, but a platform for preserving collective memory and transmitting it to younger audiences.

Checkpoint Simulation Scenes

One distinct category of videos circulating from the Magic City server features checkpoint simulation scenes, where players reenact encounters with Israeli security forces at roadblocks. These videos typically involve Palestinian vehicles approaching guarded checkpoints marked with Israeli flags and Hebrew signage, while characters engage with police or military avatars. Often framed humorously or sarcastically that they were able to enter Israel or to bypass the IDF—with captions such as “smuggling workers operation”.

Playing as Israeli Security Forces

Another category of videos emerging from the Magic City GTA server on Tiktok consists of players role-playing as Israeli soldiers or police officers. These videos typically feature realistic checkpoints, military vehicles, and police interactions — often complete with Hebrew signage, flags, and Israeli uniforms. While some may reflect satire or parody, others appear neutral.

In one example, a player dressed as an Israeli police officer dramatically dives for cover behind a police vehicle, while the caption reads “Red Alert 🚨😂😂😂” in Hebrew. The exaggerated pose and comic emojis frame the scene as a parody of real-life emergency or perceived overreactions by Israeli security forces. It aims to mock the tension and protocols of Israeli security operations. 

Conclusion 

Magic City functions as more than a video game. It recreates Palestinian terrorism in a digital playground where violence is normalized. It has a generational impact – The environment of Magic City may embed narratives of armed struggle into the digital culture of Palestinian youth. By presenting violent resistance as entertainment, the game contributes to the long-term shaping of political identity and attitudes toward conflict. This form of radicalization may have effects that endure well beyond the virtual space including incite real life actions of terrorism.

Magic City demonstrates how radical content is not confined to one platform but thrives through interconnected ecosystems. The server (game), Discord (community building), and TikTok (amplification) form a reinforcing cycle of exposure, transforming violent scenes into shareable, humorous, and emotionally charged content. Understanding extremism today requires mapping these ecosystems rather than analyzing platforms in isolation.

This case highlights the urgent need for policy, platform, and civil society interventions at the intersection of gaming, social media, and extremism.

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^[1] Olaizola Rosenblat, M. (2024). Extremism in gaming: How extremist content and recruitment thrive on video game platforms. NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights. https://bhr.stern.nyu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/NYUCBHRGaming_ONLINEUPDATEDMay16.pdf

^[2] Kahan, R. (December 26, 2023). Computer game recreates Hamas attack on October 7 and is sold in the world’s largest gaming store [Hebrew]. Ynet. https://www.ynet.co.il/digital/technews/article/r1iuc1100wt

^[3] Avital, Y. (August 5, 2014). Google removes 2 Gaza-fighting inspired games [One question remains: bombing Ashdod still allowed?]. Geektime. https://www.geektime.co.il/google-removes-2-gaza-fighting-inspired-

^[4] Kahan, R. ( December 26, 2023). Computer game recreates Hamas’ October 7 attack and is sold in the world’s largest gaming store. Ynet. https://www.ynet.co.il/digital/technews/article/r1iuc1100wt

^[5]https://gnet-research.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/GNET-47-Extremist-Games_web.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com

^[6] https://gnet-research.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/GNET-47-Extremist-Games_web.pdf

^[7] Ben‑Kimon, E. (2022, August 9). “‘Kochav Ha‑Reshet” that became a “ticking time bomb”: This is Ibrahim al‑Nabulsi who was killed in Nablus [Hebrew]. Ynet. Retrieved from Ynet website https://www.ynet.co.il/news/article/rktb2yjc9