US soldiers trade years of military service for time off to play GTA 6
Teeeeeeen-hut. The United States military is flying the star-spangled banner for the next Grand Theft Auto, with US soldiers apparently trading in their hard-earned time just so they can have some off to play GTA 6.
The gaming world is bracing for what looks like the biggest release of all time, and although we've had the release date shuffled around a lot, November 19 is the big one to mark in the diary. It's hard to underestimate the hype surrounding GTA 6, with it tipped to make a bank-busting $3.25 billion in the first week alone.
Knowing how popular the game is going to be, some companies are even closing so their staff can play. This includes the California-based Burger Motorsports, which confirmed it will be issuing a "company-wide operational pause."
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The army is also aware of GTA 6's pulling power, and according to CBS News, soldiers at Georgia's Fort Stewart are re-enlisting just so they can get four days off to play GTA 6. We previously covered how a memo circulated online and teased the reenlisting clause, but according to the outlet, 20 soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division have already signed up.
There are apparently 130 eligible soldiers, with them having until November 14 to decide whether they're going to reenlist.
Although this seems like an unusual caveat, it's unclear whether this scheme will stay isolated to Fort Stewart or roll out across the rest of the army.
In a statement, Lt. Col. Angel Tomko, a spokesperson for the 3rd Infantry Division, explained: "The idea was to have a unique incentives program that connects to what Soldiers are interested in. The command team, in conjunction with the career counselor, wanted to get soldiers excited to reenlist.”
The US Army has used enlistment bonuses like college tuition, choice duty station assignments, and access to special training programs to try to encourage soldiers to enlist or reenlist, while it's also dabbled with gaming in the past.
CBS News reminds us that after the Army missed its recruitment goal for the first time in over a decade back in 2018, it started seeking future soldiers at gaming conventions. It also launched its own esports team that focused on shooters, including Call of Duty and Fortnite in hopes of driving up numbers.
In 2019, the outlet spoke to Major General Frank Muth at a San Antonio gaming convention, with the high-ranking officer saying he was looking for the next generation of American soldiers. When asked whether there's a correlation between gamers and what the Army is looking for in recruits, Muth explained: "Yes. It's the decision-making, it's the ability to take in a lot of information quickly and to be able to make a decision...It's about teamwork."
After a series of massive leaks was shared online, there are concerns that hackers will try to ruin GTA 6's launch. Just imagine the horror of reenlisting in the US Army just to get your four-day GTA 6 pass, only to have that looming November 19 launch day ruined.