Denmark is adopting a new method to recruit soldiers. The military aims to recruit gamers in particular, as they are said to remain calmer under pressure according to tests with the eSports team Astralis.
What was tested? The Danish military conducted tests with the eSports team Astralis to determine if gamers qualify as soldiers. The tests primarily assessed how the members of the eSports team would perform as pilots.
From these tests, the military drew some conclusions that are intended to assist in finding new recruits through eSports organizations in the future.
What is the Danish military aiming for? Major Anders Bech, the head of the Ministry of Defense in Denmark, explains that gamers are the focus of recruitment. According to the Major, they remain calmer under pressure than non-gamers, possess quicker reaction times, and make decisions faster.
Gamers can also be simply better candidates for the military in terms of teamwork, orientation, and visualization skills. This was demonstrated in the tests with Astralis. And Major Anders Bech intends to utilize these skills.
eSport as a Recruitment Method for the Military
How does the military plan to recruit soldiers? To find suitable candidates more easily, the Ministry of Defense established a partnership with the organization Esport Danmark. This is merely the beginning. There are plans to collaborate with more such organizations.
Something similar was already done by the military in 2017. They searched for suitable candidates on large gaming platforms and approached them. This even led to finding individuals who were very well suited for training as soldiers.
Where do the problems lie? As Major Anders Bech explains, a good soldier must naturally possess a variety of skills. While what gamers can bring to the table plays a role, it is not everything. Therefore, not every player “functions” equally as a good soldier. This insight also came from the tests with Astralis.
The selection thus goes beyond what the Danish military sees in gamers. Nevertheless, the chances are high to find suitable recruits among players.
We Just Want to Play!
What do the players think about this? On Reddit, this situation is being discussed. Generally, no one wants to be used for purposes they don’t agree with, and some find this situation paradoxical.
- florianw0w says: “What the hell? So, first, it’s said that gamers are murderers because of all the massacres, for which games are to blame. And now the military wants to recruit players?”
- deefop says: “We just want to play video games and not kill anyone!”
What do you think about this? How do you feel about the Danish military seeking new soldiers through eSport?
