In what seems like a publicity stunt for the newest iteration of the Call of Duty franchise, it has been reported that British SAS troops play the game for hours.
They were inspired by race car drivers playing racing games.
The benefits of playing the game are twofold. First, troops are able to have multiple lives to analyze why they made certain decisions while clearing houses or being ambushed. Second, and a more direct benefit, is that troops become wired after playing the games.
You’ve heard blue light/screens are bad for you. Now imagine your character’s life is in the balance, and it all hinges on your decision/skill. Playing the games brings elevates the nervous system, turning it into a fight-or-flight, a state which troops would find desirable before going into combat.
This concept could easily be included in a story about future combat on Earth or a military sci-fi thriller. To be honest, it has shades of Ender’s Game mixed in, which makes the fact that it was written in 1985 all the more impressive. There could be a sci-fi novel based on random video games, similar to a West World, where users can pay to visit the world of their favorite game. Set in the backdrop of a Japanese city/seedy underbelly of a futuristic city, with a black market of illegal simulations, like committing the perfect murder.
