America's Army (Game) Comes to the Arcade
In what many thought was a huge waste of taxpayer money, the U.S. Army in 2002 released its own video game called 'America's Army.' It was PC-exclusive at first and enabled gamers to get a taste of the Army lifestyle ... an extremely limited and action-packed taste, but a taste nonetheless. Now, gamers will be able to get an even more limited (and, presumably, even more action-packed) look at the life of an American soldier at arcades around the U.S., thanks to a new arcade version of the game.
The idea behind the original was that the millions spent developing the game would drive better recruitment than, say, a 30-second prime-time TV commercial. After a few million downloads and rave reviews for the free game, the Army brass behind the idea were proven right when they met recruitment goals for 2003 and 2004 (with nearly 20 percent of new Army recruits saying they had played the game).
Unlike the PC download, the arcade version of the game will not be free and will cost 50-cents a pop. Since it looks like the arcade America's Army will be a light-gun game (something like 'House of the Dead' or 'Time Crisis'), it's a little unclear whether any vaguely realistic military tactics or strategy will come in to play.
Here's hoping that at least one of the two quarters you'll need to pump into the box goes toward paying down the war debt.
From Engadget
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Comments
3
Subscribe to commentsFrostieJul 30th 2007 11:40AM
Propaganda. Meant to idolize the army to sucker young kids into wanting to go.
The video game crowd, already sucked into virtual thinking may sign up thinking real war will be like a video game and when the game is over, you just go home.
orrocsam1Jul 30th 2007 11:35AM
real cute to throw in your political commentary in a video game article.
Thumper3rdACRAug 4th 2007 10:33AM
REMOVING SOLDIERS FROM THE FIELD WILL NEVER HAPPEN. USING BOTS TO DETECT, SURVEILLE AND ELIMINATE ENEMIES IS A GOOD IDEA. IT WILL NEVER REPLACE CERTAIN MOS'S [JOBS] IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT, I WOULD RATHER SEND THAT BOT WITH THE SAW MOUNTED ON IT THAN A GUY WHO WILL DRAW FIRE AND COULD BE KIA. THE AERIAL DRONES AT THE PLATOON AND SQAUD LEVELS WILL SAVE LIVES.