On a sunny Friday morning, the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence has unveiled something far more familiar to millions of teenagers around the world: a gaming tournament. The International Defence Esports Games (IDEG), the MoD said, will bring together soldiers from more than 40 countries, pitting Britain’s “future cyber warriors” against international teams in an arena.
General Sir Tom Copinger-Symes, who heads the UK’s Cyber and Specialist Operations Command, told the Telegraph, “Lessons from conflicts, including Ukraine, have demonstrated the real-world value of gaming technology in training drone operators and enhancing cyber capabilities.”
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“IDEG will strengthen our war-fighting readiness whilst building crucial partnerships with allied nations who share our commitment to technological innovation in defence.” The MoD further explained, “Personnel develop critical battlefield skills through competitive gaming, such as tracking multiple threats at once, directing soldiers on the ground, performing under intense pressure and changing tactics based on live intelligence.”
