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Articles

Vol. 3 No. 1 (2015)

Misfire: An Exploration of the Military First-Person-Shooter video game genre as a UK Armed Forces Recruitment Tool

  • Harry Toussaint
Submitted
March 11, 2015
Published
2015-04-23

Abstract

This research paper explores the efficacy of the Military First-Person-Shooter (FPS) video game genre as a UK Armed Forces Recruitment tool. It takes an interpretivist approach, investigating young players’ perceptions of the Military through eight in-depth ethnographical interviews. Existing literature has focused on the influence of traditional military advertising on enlistment propensity. However, the literature on the likelihood of military enlistment in military FPS players is sparse. Findings suggest that experiences of military representations in military FPSs may combine with experiences in other media to produce a violent perception of the military. This can be seen to dissuade young players from joining the Armed Forces. However, findings suggest that these experiences also foster an acceptance of the necessity of war.

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