Along with the increasing popularity of video games, the U.S. army started to develop milirary games that funcation both as serious games and a new form of elaborate advertisement (p40). It all started off when the recruitment hitting its lowest levels in 1999, which encouraged the U.S. Army to develop the America's Army project.According to Randy Nichols, the invention of the army games have successfully drew increased positive attention to the army and "helping with recruiment at an affordable price that other brances of the military have begun experimenting with games" (p41).
Although army games should supposed to be "serious", it is actually not the case. According to Randy Nichols, army games should be entertaining even when they are not produced for only entertainment purposes in ordert to attract more and more soldiers (p43). In addition, army games are very efficient in gaining awarenss in the society because games can be duplicated easily once they have been produced. Morover, the fact that "more than 50 percent of Americans over the age of six play video games" also suggests that video games can serve very crucial role in marketing the U.S. Army.
I don't know if counter strike can be counted as an army game but I used to be in love with this game. The game is pretty realistic in terms of the various kinds of weapons and team work that can be seen in real life. However, has this game increased the number of people interested in joining the army? I don't know, because to me, games and real-life situations are totally different since becoming real soldiers in wars can be very life-threanting. Before reading this article, I have only heard of people who are interested in paintball in Taiwan then later on decided to become a foreigner soldiers in France, but I am not sure how many people would join army because of all kinds of games.
Question for you all: do you think it is possible for those who first get attracted to army games to join the army? do those marketing or advertising methods help with the recruitment?
Yeah, I think those marketing and advertising would help young man to get into the army. the slogan "Be all you can be" was very successful to stimulate young guys to join the Army because it looks really cool, and very attractive in a way that man could become something special by joining Army. and by playing game, actually being part of a platoon to save the world, or the home country would bring a great glorious mind to the player, which really gives player very positive thinking about joining an Army
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