Play more video games forces personnel told, as MOD recognises benefits of eSports

Gamers have a particular set of skills that the Ministry of Defence wants to utilise, turning what might seem like an outside-of-work hobby into a valid military resource. 

The MOD has officially recognised eSports as a military sport and wishes to extract the applicable skills to better equip the military for the ever-changing online world.

"We really want you to be playing these games," said the Deputy Commander for Strategic Command, Lieutenant General Tom Copinger-Symes.

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"This isn't something just to be done out of work time, this is something that contributes massively to digital skills," added Lt Gen Copinger-Symes.

"We want to give [gamers] support doing it. We recognise the benefits it brings to defence."

The news of eSports being recognised by the military was announced by the Minister for Defence People, Doctor Andrew Murrison, and will lead to more funding and new opportunities being made available for personnel.

Military gamers have already made an impact, and the UK's eSports teams include personnel from the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force and veterans. The UK teams also go around the world competing against other countries.

While some of the games may seem like ordinary entertainment, others include training with simulations such as the F-16 jet fighter.

The aim is to prove that gaming and military skills such as communications, strategy and tactics can intermix.

Claire Fry, the digital skills for defence programme lead, said: "For me, eSports encapsulates all the kinds of skills that we need for people going forward, so the ability to think strategically, to come up with different ways of doing things.

"I think for our soldiers, sailors and air people it's about the ability to be able to use technology and devices, so learning those kind of fine motor skills is really important as well.

"But for me, eSports is all about putting digital on the map and really people seeing there is something really critical to defence and can enhance what we do on our mission every day."