The Cult and Contemporary American Politics in Ubisoft’s Far Cry 5 (2018)

Abstract

When cults with an apocalyptic worldview are represented in contemporary North American fiction, something specific can be seen to occur. As Žižek (2010) argues, the four horsemen of the apocalypse are now embodied by global contemporary issues (for example: biogenetic concerns, ecological crises). Apocalyptic belief underpins not only fictional narratives but recognizable ideologies within religious, political and secular spheres, and has done so for centuries, specifically within the United States. However, a considerable number of post-/apocalyptic videogames have specifically turned toward the cult as a recurrent figure in their storytelling. Therefore, drawing upon philosophical, sociopolitical, and literary source materials (Foucault (1986); Thompson (1997); Sutton (2014); Introvigne (2014), alongside narratives from novelistic, filmic, televisual and videogaming platforms, this article will explore the use of the cult in post-/apocalyptic fictions. Using Ubisoft’s 2018 videogame, Far Cry 5, as a case study, this article highlights the use of a fictional cult known as The Project at Eden’s Gate to critique contemporary American politics, aligning the violence of apocalyptic scenarios with the violence of President Trump’s own apocalyptic rhetoric. Ultimately, this article will posit the cult as a new trope within post-/apocalyptic fictions; one which seeks to challenge constructs of power.