America's Army
U.S. Army
★
7.0
14 user ratings
★
6.5
15 critic ratings
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VOTES
15
Summary
America's Army is a game technology platform used to create first-person shooter (FPS) games, first published in 2002 by the U.S. Army. Marketed as a strategic communication tool, the game allows young Americans to explore the Army in a virtual environment at their own pace and according to their personal interests, helping them decide if a military career aligns with their goals, preferences, and skills. America's Army marks the first major use of game technology by the U.S. government for strategic messaging and the first time such technology was employed to support Army recruitment efforts. The idea for America's Army was developed in 1999 by Colonel Casey Wardynski, the Army's Chief Economist and a professor at the United States Military Academy. Wardynski aimed to "use computer game technology to offer the public an engaging, informative, and entertaining virtual Soldier experience." The project was managed by two other U.S. Army officers working with Wardynski at the Office of Economic and Manpower Analysis (OEMA): Major Chris Chambers and Major Bret Wilson. The first Windows version, 1.0, titled Recon, was released on July 4, 2002. By January 2014, over 41 versions and updates had been launched, including updates to America's Army: Proving Grounds, which came out in August 2013. All versions have been built using the Unreal Engine. The game is funded by the U.S. government and made available for free download. As noted by game historian Carrie McLeroy, America's Army has "grown in ways its creators could not have anticipated." Numerous government training and simulation programs have been developed using the America's Army platform to educate and train U.S. Army personnel. The game has also been used to provide virtual soldiering experiences at events such as air shows, amusement parks, and sporting events across the country. The America's Army series has expanded to include versions for Xbox and Xbox 360, arcade systems, and mobile platforms through licensing agreements.
