The US Army has unveiled its new esports team at Pax Arena at the sold out Pax West gaming convention in Seattle. Eight thousand soldiers signed up for the 16 slots on the team.
“The U.S. Army has a passion for all things esports,” Maj. Gen. Frank Muth said.
The esports team will compete in tournaments across the country. Muth also said it could be key to meeting the Army’s recruitment mission.
“There are so many folks that don’t know about the Army and what the Army does and what the Army can offer, so this is another venue to start the discussion,” Muth explained.
By showcasing itself to the video game community, the Army hopes to generate interest among gamers. At Pax West alone, the Army expects to get up to 1500 new leads. Compare that to just 350 at a more traditional event.
“We’re all about breaking that mold,” Sgt. 1st Christopher Jones said.
In addition to competing at tournaments across the country, the Army esports team is tasked with talking to the public.
“We want them to take away we’re just like everyone else. We just have a different profession. We have the same shared passion,” Jones added.
By Niji Narayan
Niji Narayan has been in the writing industry for well over a decade or so. He prides himself as one of the few survivors left in the world who have actually mastered the impossible art of copy editing. Niji graduated in Physics and obtained his Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism. He has always interested in sports writing and travel writing. He has written for numerous websites and his in-depth analytical articles top sports magazines like Cricket Today and Sports Today. He reports gaming industry headlines from all around the globe.