VOID Interactive’s 2023 tactical shooter Ready or Not serves as copaganda. This isn’t inherently negative, but like any media centered on law enforcement heroism, it shapes our views on police.

Copaganda is a term utilized by critics for media that depicts policing favorably, overlooking imperfections and portraying officers as the thin blue line separating order from chaos. It spans from network dramas like Blue Bloods or Law & Order, where police are perpetually justified, to initiatives like D.A.R.E., which critics argue were more about embedding police in classrooms and encouraging children to inform on their families.

For the past month, I’ve been engaging with the newly launched console version of Ready or Not on PlayStation 5, a port clouded by controversy and accusations of censorship. VOID Interactive, the studio behind the game, indicated in a Steam post that modifications were made to facilitate its console release. Ready or Not has encountered controversy before. In 2021, during its early access stage, the developers severed ties with publisher Team17 after announcing that a school shooting mission would be featured—and it came to fruition.

At its most cynical reading, Ready or Not caters to right-wing fears: a dystopian urban nightmare—Los Sueños, a fictional Los Angeles—overrun by gangs, cartels, and pedophiles, leaving heavily armed tactical units to “bring order to chaos.” This narrative mirrors real-world messaging frequently promoted by law enforcement, particularly at the intersection of crime, race, and poverty.

VOID Interactive and its vocal supporters describe Ready or Not as an unwavering, hyper-realistic police simulator. Its background and tactical authenticity have gained traction within the MilSim (military simulation) community, a niche gaming sector brimming with current and former service members alongside military aficionados.

The game purports to immerse players in the bleak, high-stakes reality SWAT teams confront daily, however grim it may be. Scenarios encompass a school shooting, a nightclub-style massacre, a hospital siege, apartment block shootouts, and standoffs with libertarian and anarchist compounds.

Constructing missions based on troubling episodes in recent U.S. history entails a certain taste for edginess—and a clear absence of tact. Call of Duty does something similar. Yet, here’s the frustrating reality for players like me who don’t align with its vision: Ready or Not is incredibly enjoyable to play.

One of the primary draws of Ready or Not—and a significant reason for my enjoyment—is that it’s fundamentally a survival horror game masquerading as a tactical shooter. VOID Interactive effectively posed the question, “What if we captured the essence of SWAT 4’s Fairfax Residence mission and created a whole game around it?” The tension of breaching a door, the uncertainty of what lies around the next corner, the thrill of a flawless takedown, the stifling atmosphere of dread—everything synergizes so flawlessly that it’s easy, for a moment, to overlook what the game is advocating.

This is no coincidence. Despite its reputation as an ultra-realistic shooter, Ready or Not embraces violence and does not dissuade it. The game incentivizes you for clearing rooms and neutralizing suspects with lethal accuracy. Every encounter necessitates it: fail to adhere to the rules of engagement, and you’ll be met with failing grades at mission’s end.

While non-lethal play exists within the game, it comes across more as a challenge mode for players striving for high S-ranks rather than an integral core mechanic. Your non-lethal options are limited: a taser, a beanbag rifle, pepper spray, gas grenades, and flashbangs. You can attempt to incapacitate suspects using low-caliber rounds instead of lethal force, but that calls for split-second decisions in high-pressure scenarios where NPCs can fatally harm you without warning.

In this manner, the gameplay resonates with police narratives regarding crime management. The developers consulted multiple law enforcement officers to faithfully represent their experiences. An experience characterized by a reality where every door hides an armed suspect, every call could devolve into a shootout, and hesitation may lead to demise. This perspective reinforces the notion that constant, overwhelming force is the most rational reaction. It’s profoundly problematic—and it simultaneously facilitates exceptional level design.

“You almost have to approach every traffic stop assuming there is a firearm in that car,” remarked an Ohio police sergeant to Spectrum News earlier this year. However, according to a Mapping Police Violence report, police killed 108 unarmed civilians in 2024 and 77 thus far in 2025. Out of the 1,260 total fatalities caused by police that MPV documented last year, 619 occurred in responses to suspected non-violent crimes—or in situations where no crime had been reported at all.

If Ready or Not were genuinely pursuing police realism, you’d be engaged in endless paperwork, conducting traffic stops, and lingering at concerts while you accumulating overtime.

Early in its development, the creators asserted that no subject was too controversial.