America's Army (Game) Comes to the Arcade

Engadget
Aug. 01, 2007

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.