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The US Army is charging into the world of computer gaming in the hope of finding prime recruits among the legions of young players of online battle games.
The US Army will spend an estimated $US2 million ($2.4 million) in the coming year to sponsor a channel at the Global Gaming League website, a popular spot for internet computer game lovers.
“We saw a lot more opportunity to bond with gamers and meet them on their turf,” said McCann World Group vice-president Anders Ekman, who is handling the project for the army.
A first-person shooter game based on the army training manual will be a centerpiece of the channel, which will feature independent game titles in the same genre, according to Mr Ekman.
The army’s online push is aimed at gamers in the cherished recruiting age range of 17 to 24. The “America’s Army” game was released about five years ago and ranks in the top 10 most popular computer games of its kind, Mr Mr Ekman said.
The army’s channel at GGL will launch in early June. Play at the channel will be “laddered,” with winners moving up in rankings and top players given shots at cash prizes in an “Elite Forces” championship.
The army’s campaign to adapt to internet culture includes having a profile page on popular social networking website MySpace.
“There is a huge future out there for the army with marketing to the digital generation. There is much more to come.” he said
Source:
Australian IT
Related Links:
Global Gaming League
