America's Army
America's Army was a series of first-person shooter video games developed and published by the U.S. Army, intended to inform, educate, and recruit prospective soldiers. Launched in 2002, the game was branded as a strategic communication device designed to allow Americans to virtually explore the Army at their own pace, and allowed them to determine whether becoming a soldier fits their interests and abilities. America's Army represents the first large-scale use of game technology by the U.S. government as a platform for strategic communication and recruitment, and the first use of game technology in support of U.S. Army recruiting.
| America's Army | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | United States Army |
| Publisher(s) | United States Army |
| Composer(s) | Doyle W. Donehoo |
| Engine | Unreal Engine 3 (v4.0) |
| Platform(s) |
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| Release | Windows:
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| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
The Windows version 1.0, subtitled Recon, was the first released version on July 4, 2002. As of January 2014 there had been over 41 versions and updates released including updates to America's Army: Proving Grounds, which was released in August 2013. All versions have been developed on the Unreal Engine. The game was financed by the U.S. government and distributed by free download. America's Army has also been used to deliver virtual military experiences to participants at air shows, amusement parks, and sporting events around the country.
America's Army had been expanded to include versions for Xbox, arcade, and mobile applications published through licensing arrangements.
In May 2022, official online functionality and support for the latest game in the series, America's Army: Proving Grounds, was withdrawn.