How far would you go for a vote?
The United States Senator Bernie Sanders declared through the video-sharing mobile app, Tik Tok, that he would learn how to play Minecraft and join its community of gamers if a specific video received enough Likes from viewers. Or rather, the staffer who manages the Tik Tok account for the Sanders campaign made a declaration on Bernie’s behalf. Whether or not the U.S. Senator knows about this little pledge could be another story. Does humble Senator even have any interest in gaming, let alone Minecraft?
is this real life ???? Bernie Sanders’ official tiktok account posting minecraft videos ??? pic.twitter.com/cu4ZCHdRHL
— mia-rose ?️? (@miarolivia) March 19, 2020
The video in question shared by the Bernie Sanders Tik Tok account was created by Tik Tok user and Minecraft player @luacrio7642 and features the player walking through a man-made hallway in a Minecraft server exiting into an open space with giant posters dedicated to the Sanders campaign. One poster advertises Senator Sanders’ promise to raise the federal minimum wage while another poster advertises the “Medicare for all” promise. The Minecraft player turned political activist also gives the nod to the Green New Deal proposed by U.S. Congressman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez last year. If Senator Sanders is interested in joining Minecraft at all, our boy @luacrio7642 should definitely invite him to that specific server.
The Tik Tok video is an apparent attempt to generate excitement among younger potential voters, Generation Y (millennials) and Generation Z (zoomers), who don’t seem to be taking full advantage of their collective electoral influence. Senator Sanders’ main rival, (former) Vice President Joe Biden, looks to be having an easier time turning out the senior vote than Sanders is with the youth vote.
The president we didn’t deserve https://t.co/ZwigZ4qG0R
— brandon (@OctaviusCramer) March 20, 2020
Generations Y and Z will collectively make up approximately 37% of the electorate this November if they all vote, so those demographics are definitely an alluring voting bloc to trap. And, while these two generations make up a majority of video gamers, the gaming community might be becoming even more inclusive for the old geezers. The age group of 35 to 40 represents about 8.6% of gamers. In comparison, the age group of 40+ represents about 9.4% of gamers in what is now an even larger industry than box office ticket sales ($91.5 billion versus $38.3 billion).
