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The Onion’s First-Ever Video Game Skewers American Politics Just Ahead of the Midterms
The Onion has released its first video game, The Onion Voting Simulator 3D, for free on Steam, after first publishing it on its website. The short, deliberately rough game mocks the obstacles and frustrations of voting in the United States ahead of the 3 November 2026 midterm elections, while its creators say the satire is not meant to suggest that voting is unimportant.
Head writer Mike Gillis began the project after the publication changed ownership, using his experience with Godot and Chicago-based developers to make a prototype. The game puts players in a middle-school gym, where they face a long queue, demands for identification and a hellish world beneath the floor; an optional Stay At Home Mode offers a more relaxed alternative. The project was held back from the 2024 presidential election because its message seemed poorly timed, and Gillis says the coming midterms remain extremely important.
In short
- The Onion has released its first game for free on Steam.
- The game satirises the hurdles of voting in the US.
- Its creators say the 2026 midterms still matter.
Explained simply
The Onion is an American satirical publication that uses invented stories and jokes to comment on real events and public life. Its video game turns the experience of voting in the United States into an exaggerated obstacle course, drawing on frustrations such as queues and identification requirements.
The game was developed by Onion head writer Mike Gillis with Chicago-based developers. It arrives before the 2026 midterm elections, when voters choose members of Congress and, in many states, other elected officials. These elections can affect which party controls Congress and how national laws and policies are shaped.