According to information obtained by GameSpot from the United States Army, the America’s Army series has cost $32.8 million across the 10 years of the franchise’s existence. Development costs have risen and fallen over the years – starting with a first year budget of $3.5 million and a 2009 budget of approximately $3.4 million – though we can’t imagine that the America’s Army program will be spending as much in 2010 considering the developers of America’s Army 3 were summarily canned after completing the last game.
Over the course of the 10 years that the franchise has existed, the US Army has never released any statistics on recruitment efficacy, profitability of the franchise, or results of the programs efforts, among other things. It has equally drawn support and contempt from critics, with some saying the “recruitment centers” target underage youth and others saying they offer insight into real war. One idea we think most Joystiq readers will agree on, regardless of politics: a gaggle of much better (though admittedly not free!) FPS games are out there right now, just waiting to be played.
America’s Army franchise cost $33 million to deploy over 10 years originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tags: 9th-2009, america's army, business, development, development-costs, Joystiq, joystiq-playstation, military, us-army, xbox
Ohio Democrat and US House rep Dennis Kucinich has got some serious beef with America’s Army (the game, not the US Army) and the US government’s “Virtual Army Experience.” Billing the recruiting center-cum-arcade as a “high-tech traveling exhibit” and saying it advertises to “children as young as 13-years-old,” Kucinich requested a variety of improvements be made to the experience — for instance, not targeting the experience at people under 18 years old.
The House Armed Services Committee chairman Ike Skelton acquiesced to Mr. Kucinich’s requests in monotonal agreement, matter-of-factly stating, “I support the VAE — at the same time, I know it can be improved.” To see the entire thrilling exchange play out on C-SPAN, check it out after the break.
[Via GamePolitics]
Continue reading House representative speaks out against ‘Virtual Army Experience’
House representative speaks out against ‘Virtual Army Experience’ originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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If you live in the U S of A, here’s something you may not know: your tax dollars pay for the development of a free-to-play shooter called America’s Army. The latest release of that series – America’s Army 3 – is shipping out tomorrow; however, if you want to get your money’s worth (remember: tax dollars) you owe it to yourself to download it today! That’s where Joystiq’s very own Big Download comes in. Head on over and pre-load the game client so, while the rest of the world hammers those servers tomorrow, you’ll be knee-deep in Rules of Engagement.
Want to play America’s Army 3? Pre-load now from Big Download originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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