Why Germany's military is betting on gamers
For the past 10 years, the German armed forces — the Bundeswehr — have been represented at Gamescom, Cologne's video game trade fair. They've been criticized for trying to draw more young people into military careers.
Germany's military is leveraging the popularity of gaming to attract potential recruits, according to the Bundeswehr. The armed forces set up a booth at the Gamescom trade show in Cologne, Germany's premier video game event, for the first time in 2016 and have returned annually since. The Bundeswehr aims to expand its ranks to 260,000 active-duty soldiers by 2035.
With a significant portion of Gamescom's visitors being male youths aged 16 to 25, the military sees an opportunity to engage with this demographic. At the booth, visitors can experience virtual reality simulations, test their strength, and have career counseling sessions. However, the Bundeswehr emphasizes that being a soldier is not a typical job and requires a commitment to protecting the country's security.
While some peace advocates criticize the Bundeswehr's presence at Gamescom, the military maintains that it is fulfilling its role as a vital part of German society and a modern employer.
Written by urgent.news from DW English (Top Stories)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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