Does the military actively recruit video gamers?

The US military does. I don't think this happens in many other countries. It doesn't recruit video gamers because video gamers have a skill set they want, but more because video gamers are statistically likely to be: 1. young men 2. read more

I think actively recruiting gamers has died down though, as I haven't seen any of this on Xbox One. References: Wittek, C. T., Finserås, T. R., Pallesen, S., Mentzoni, R. A., Hanss, D., Griffiths, M. D., & Molde, H. (2016). Prevalence and predictors of video game addiction: A study based on a national representative sample of gamers. read more

"In this game you might die like eight times in like 15 minutes. In real life people know what they are getting themselves into." New editions of "America's Army" are now being developed for home video game systems -- a move that will deploy even more young cyber-soldiers to the military's virtual battlefield. read more

The military has used video games “at every organizational level for a broad array of purposes,” he writes. It’s had three big aims in this: to recruit soldiers, to train them, and, most recently, to treat their psychological disorders, such as PTSD. read more

Today's U.S. military recruits enjoy an arsenal of simulators and video games that sharpen their fighting skills and may even protect them from the mental stresses of combat. But experts caution that virtual reality could also help mask the reality of war. read more