Cheatimerism: Machinima Short Film Exposes Consumerism Inside Grand Theft Auto 5

Luca Miranda, co-founder of Milan-based art collective Eremo, created the short film Cheatimerism entirely within Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto 5. Instead of following the game's criminal narrative, Miranda uses cheat codes to spawn endless luxury cars and garbage trucks, arranging them into piles to critique consumerist ideology. The film is part of the VRAL online supplement of the Milan Machinima Festival, curated by Matteo Bittanti. In an interview, Miranda distinguishes cheat codes from modding: cheat codes are hidden but native to the game's original code, revealing its underlying philosophy, while mods are user-created modifications that can subvert game norms. The film streams for free on VRAL's website until November 26, 2020.