Washington's secretary of state pitches games as soft power with no incentive attached
Summary
Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, a former US Army officer who served in Kuwait and Iraq, told developers at SLICE and PAX West 2026 that video games function as US soft power.
The pitch lands as the Trump administration cuts Voice of America funding, the exact Cold War precedent Hobbs cited.
Hobbs named no tax incentive, grant program or procurement contract tied to the soft power framing.
"As someone who has served overseas and been in wars... I don't want to go war."
01
Hobbs frames games as a Cold War-style cultural export tool
Hobbs argued that games as soft power reduce the odds that families like his send loved ones to war.
He cited CD Projekt Red's The Witcher as proof, exporting Polish history to global audiences.
He drew a direct line to Voice of America broadcasts that reached Soviet-occupied Poland with American culture.
"If there's a way for you to reach hearts and minds through your games... To create change through those countries that are restrictive - I think that's a good thing."
02
Foreign states already treat creative-economy investment as national strategy
Analysts have labeled Saudi Arabia's PIF game acquisitions a soft power campaign by the Saudi government.
Sociologist Katherine Cross named Turkey, Japan and South Korea as states expanding creative-economy investment deliberately.
Cross argued state backing turns creative and knowledge work into a recognized pillar of economic strategy.
"I would obviously much rather have Japan producing its enormous and beautiful cultural output than mass-producing warships."
03
The pitch runs against a federal retreat from soft power funding
The Trump administration cut Voice of America funding while escalating hard power actions, per Cross.
Cross cited the dismantling of USAID and cuts at the Forest Service, NOAA, NIH and NSF as evidence of a broader retreat.
Hobbs acknowledged the contradiction, tying his state pitch to a federal government moving the opposite way.
"Unfortunately we're in a situation where our current president is reversing that exchange."
04
No incentive mechanics back the rhetoric
Washington State already runs programs to grow local game development, per Game Developer.
Neither the SLICE nor PAX West remarks named a tax credit, grant, procurement contract or licensing framework.
The pitch signals political appetite at the secretary of state level with no disclosed budget or eligibility criteria.
What this means
For Publishers & Developers: No Washington incentive exists yet - the soft power framing is rhetoric that offers no funding line to plan around.
For Investors & VC: Track whether Hobbs converts this appetite into a named grant or tax credit before pricing any state-backed thesis.
Events
Companies
Games
Locations
North AmericaUnited Kingdom
SYNTHESIZED FROM:
COMPILED BY GAMES ATLAS EDITORIAL
RELATED ARTICLES
EXPLORE MORE
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!