A photo of Bernie Sanders at the inauguration is making its way into every videogame

Why is a photo of US senator Bernie Sanders bundled up on a folding chair so popular? Perhaps it's his look of resignation at being out in the cold, or the sense that he stopped by the inauguration of President Joe Biden on his way to do something else—like picking up bread and milk, maybe. His preparedness for the chilly, but not frigid, Washington DC weather, especially his big mittens, conveys a relatable preference for comfort over formality, and it helps that his big coat previously appeared in the much-edited "I am once again asking you for" photo. 

The appeal of the image is perhaps greater than these parts, though. It evokes a sort of stoicism that seems to suit the moment. It says, "Here I am, sitting on a folding chair. Here are we all." 

But why are people putting this image of bundled-up Bernie into videogames? There's probably no point in trying to unpack that in any detail. In the many photo edits that have appeared on Reddit and Twitter since the inauguration, interpretations of Bernie's body language vary greatly. Sometimes he is admonishing us or presiding over us, other times he has a request, and sometimes he is simply enjoying a sit. Here are some of our favorite images of the Vermont senator's new videogame roles: 

I raise you 1 Cyberpunk pic.twitter.com/BcZmv0x0geJanuary 20, 2021

I made something stupid: pic.twitter.com/eX190OJID6January 20, 2021

Hey, you. You’re finally awake. You were trying to cross the border. from r/gaming

I am once again asking you to kill a bandit chief. from r/gaming

the illusive bern has a mission for you ???? pic.twitter.com/yQZtmo38PWJanuary 20, 2021

Thanks for watching my table Bernie. pic.twitter.com/VKahCThFwgJanuary 20, 2021

I can't believe that @coffeetalk_game is Bernie's GOTY of 2020. pic.twitter.com/nMCSwm1CDsJanuary 20, 2021

Now that Biden is president we finally have a new Tojo Clan chairman pic.twitter.com/o8EGcBBhb9January 20, 2021

New MK 12 looks crazy! from r/gaming

What is a man pic.twitter.com/csxoiMGT0HJanuary 20, 2021

Bernie is in my game??? pic.twitter.com/Uszy9NoGzsJanuary 21, 2021

We see you Bernie, we see you. pic.twitter.com/zHvN5tRawQJanuary 21, 2021

Outer Bernie – because someone had to do it. #BernieSanders @Mobius_Games pic.twitter.com/uJ7QWTo4MoJanuary 21, 2021