This story is from the summer 2025 issue of VICE magazine, THE REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL ISSUE. Buy the individual issue, or subscribe and get 4 issues delivered to your door each year.
Two mischievous Brazilians have whipped up a storm after modding a first-person shooter game called Squad to look just like the Rio de Janeiro favelas where they live. It’s become the go-to game for many real-life criminals from the Comando Vermelho (CV) and Terceiro Comando Puro (TCP) gangs, as well as the soldiers and armed police officers they’re locked in their depressing forever-war with. We spoke to one of the game’s creators about its success.
VICE: Can you briefly explain what ‘modding’ is, in case anyone doesn’t know?
Feliphe Willian: It’s when players change the original game’s content, adding new characters, new weapons, and new maps. In ours, we changed the warring factions to be the gangsters fighting the Brazilian police and military in the Rio favelas.
Where did the motivation come from?
It was the first mod that portrays the civil war that Brazil is facing. In Rio, where I live, there are almost daily shootouts between gangs and the military.
Are gangsters and cops playing your game?
We know for a fact that members of CV and TCP play it, as well as soldiers and police officers from the military police in Rio de Jañeiro and São Paulo. Both send us photos of weapons they use so we can integrate them into the game and make it more realistic. It’s extremely helpful!
Is anyone angry that you’re doing this? Have you ever been threatened?
No, the police and gangs support the game, as a way to escape the sad reality of the suburbs.
This story is from the summer 2025 issue of VICE magazine, THE REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL ISSUE. Buy the individual issue, or subscribe and get 4 issues delivered to your door each year.
The post Brazilian Gamers Are Playing as Their Favorite Favela Gang Members appeared first on VICE.
