In Iraq, Soldiers Become Gamers During Down Time

In Iraq, Soldiers Become Gamers During Down Time

February 24, 2008
Weekend America reporter Adam Allington, on assignment with U.S. troops in Anbar Province, reports that video games are a very popular leisure time activity.
Video game sales are way up [among soldiers]... In a converted Iraqi Republican Guard barracks, Sergeant David Carr and several of his buddies are huddled around a hard-to-find Nintendo Wii.

"We play it when we get off of work almost every night," Carr says... At the moment however, Carr isn't playing a shoot-em-up game. Right now he's got something a little more relaxing, "Hooked! Real Motion Fishing."

GP: This story reminds me that the Fun For Our Troops non-profit organization works to send games and systems to our military personnel serving overseas.
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Comments

Submitted by Grombar - February 24, 2008 at 12:15 pm -0500
I talked to a guy a few months ago who was back from his first tour over there. He said they don't get new games in very often, so they try to find games with lots of content (he mentioned Disgaea), then just play the hell out of them.
Submitted by Canary Wundaboy - February 24, 2008 at 1:33 pm -0500
@ All

Just to be clear, I wasnt suggesting that it was a good idea. I just wonder how the story would have been written by a journalist had they been playing such titles.

I would have expected a "Troops unwind on virtual death simulator" headline.
Submitted by Aoshi - February 26, 2008 at 12:45 am -0500
Send them some Harvest Moon? Hahahaha! But hey, i see the future in gaming to combad PTSD.
Submitted by Canary Wundaboy - February 24, 2008 at 11:55 am -0500
What I wanna know is, would this story have a different slant if they were all playing COD4 or Counterstrike....
Submitted by BlackIce, Dragunov Marksman - February 24, 2008 at 12:23 pm -0500
@Canary Wudaboy

No soldier plays Shooters right after combat. It screws with your mind.
Submitted by The_Peacemaker - February 24, 2008 at 1:13 pm -0500
It would be extremely interesting if a study came out showing that playing videogames reduced the effects of PTSD or the chances of getting it. Jack and friends then would have a really tough time fighting a military backed device.
Submitted by Aaron Lockard - February 24, 2008 at 1:26 pm -0500
I remember jsut a few weeks ago a soldier came home from iraq and started playing CoD4. He ended up having a relapse of his time at iraq and running off into the streets thinking he was under attack. So yea I'd have to agree playing FPS right after your time at iraq isn't a very good thing to do.
Submitted by Anonymous - February 24, 2008 at 1:34 pm -0500
@ Aaron Lockard,

That depends on you and on what happened to you.

A lot.
Submitted by BIlly - February 24, 2008 at 3:14 pm -0500
Wow, somebody send them some good games. Playing Hooked should be considered torture. Yeouch!
Submitted by Ian Cooper - February 24, 2008 at 8:59 pm -0500
So hang on. If videogames are helping the troops relax, this means that Jack Thompson is actually aiding the terrorists and putting our troops in danger.
Submitted by Video Game Media Watch - The Video Game Journalism Review &r - February 24, 2008 at 11:02 pm -0500
[...] Source: Weekend America, GamePolitics [...]
Submitted by Austin Lewis - February 25, 2008 at 9:43 am -0500
@BlackIce
I played Final Fantasy. It was nearly as fucked up. And if playing COD4 sends you into a relapse, you have deep problems and a weak psyche to start with. I love that game. But what I think is the best, and this is just me now, is when I play on XBOX live and end up playing with 11 year old retarded kids who can't stop rapping into the mic long enough to shoot someone, and then talk a lot of shit when you call them out on the level of suck they brought to the table.
Submitted by Jeffery A. Krueger - March 4, 2008 at 9:42 am -0500
I believe some"Relapse"2-playerboardgames are on thier way to some of our troops, I hope they are recieved well,Search Google video and see this game,Fun!! and can learn in less than 4-Minutes, Enjoy!

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