In 2018, the U.S. Army announced that it would form its own esports team as part of an effort to increase the number of recruits, which had somehow fallen below its annual quota. (Today, the U.S. Navy also announced its entry into esports, not as a participant, but as a partner with ESL North America and Dreamhack.

As an official festival partner of Dreamhack Anaheim and Dreamhack Dallas, the Navy will offer an "on-site hands-on activation" with a LAN setup where "fans can compete with Navy officers and veterans on a variety of game titles" (which is booth marketing terminology, no doubt) to operate. Navy-branded content will also be included in the broadcast of Dreamhack events, with a view to becoming "an integral part of the esports ecosystem."

"The Navy is excited to partner with DreamHack and ESL as we enter the esports arena," said Rear Admiral Brendan R. McLane, USN Recruiting Commander. 'Like the Navy, esports requires a wide variety of skills and roles, and a strong commitment to continuous improvement. Our partnership will help match the U.S. Navy's passion for competition with esports fans at DreamHack North American event venues and through unique online content on the ESL Channel."

America's Army, which debuted in 2002 (believe it or not, the War on Terror had only been underway for a year), has faced criticism over the years for its apparent positioning as a recruiting tool for underage gamers. When the Army announced its esports team, Fraser expected that there would not be a sudden surge in gamers looking to enlist. But advertising is effective (otherwise we wouldn't be buried in esports at every turn), and setting up and staffing live events is an even more powerful tool.

"ESL and DreamHack are always looking for new ways to engage with fans, and our partnership with US Navy allows us to highlight these unique experiences across media channels to reach our audience," ESL Brand Partnership said Paul Brewer, Senior Vice President, ESL Brand Partnerships. Our hope is to develop a shared experience that will help introduce North American esports fans to Navy services and support the U.S. military."

I think the Navy has every right to promote itself, as does Monster Energy, our official festival co-partner, and this agreement is fundamentally different from the US Air Force flyovers at mainstream sporting events that we take for granted It is arguable that it is not. But there is an excess in this effort (the Navy is also the first ever "presenting partner" of Dreamhack's BYOC tournaments in Anaheim and Dallas, where "officers will interact with BYOC participants throughout the weekend") that I find disconcerting. When military brands and personnel engage directly with gamers, especially young gamers, they move beyond marching bands and flag-waving to active recruitment.

Dreamhack Anaheim is scheduled for February 21-23 and Dreamhack Dallas for May 22-24.