arabdubai

arabdubai

Taiwan's Military Scouts Recruits at Game Expo

By Dr. Eleanor Vance | Published on January 01, 0001

The Taipei Game Show, that Y1 COM “other” TGS, is like every other video game show out there. Lots of pretty people, lots of gamers, and games games games galore. However, this year’s Taipei Game Show has something not so normal: within the depths of the game show convention is a recruitment base for Taiwan’s military.(new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=995c4c7d-194f-4077-b0a0-7ad466eb737c&cid=872d12ce-453b-4870-845f-955919887e1b'; cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "995c4c7d-194f-4077-b0a0-7ad466eb737c" }).render("79703296e5134c75a2db6e1b64762017"); }); Taiwan has its own government and military. Unlike the mainland, Taiwan legally allows video game consoles for sale, hence TGS. For the first time in TGS’ history, the Taiwanese military was invited to exhibit at the game show. The military booth, situated right next to the Logitech booth, was manned by actual armed military servicemen and women as well as a remote-controlled bomb disposal unit. Unfortunately (or luckily), the guys at the show weren’t those really scary special forces guys https://kotaku.com/terrifying-soldiers-look-like-comic-book-villains-1448957601 Kotaku caught up with Major Hsu of the Taiwanese Air Force to talk about the reason behind the booth and the situation of video games and the military. “The purpose of the booth, well, we were invited by the organisers to show up,” said Hsu. “We wanted to show what we’re doing, and to fit in with the expo and to show the taxpayers what we do, we brought along personnel to demonstrate that we train our troops well and that we are using the best equipment.” Hsu Y1 Games said that game conventions such as Y1 App TGS have lots of potential recruits, recruits that Hsu says fits what the military is looking for. He says they’re looking to recruit young men who are patriotic, well-educated, and good with technology. Y1 COM “Recruitment centers are often too intimidating for young people,” said Hsu. “The convention gives us a great relaxed place for young people to come and see what we’re all about.” Military service in Taiwan is currently mandatory for all young men ages 18 and up. Recent events in Taiwan, such as the death of a young conscript, Y1 Games have created recruitment problems for the military. Hsu says that these issues only mean that the military must work harder to rebuild the public’s trust, and going to exhibits to show gamers what military service is all about is a good way to do so. Military recruitment at game conventions isn’t anything new. The US Army Y1 App was criticised for doing so when it took part in the Electronic Entertainment Expo in 2002 to promote the game America’s Army. Video games and the military have often had a rocky relationship with activists groups and concerned citizens talking about the trivialisation of subject matters such as war. Hsu says that the goal of the military at the game show isn’t to belittle war, but rather to further educate gamers and potential recruits. According to Hsu, reception by visitors of TGS has been mostly positive with a number of actual enlistments. Kotaku East is your slice of Asian Internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am. Eric is a Beijing based writer and all around FAT man. You can contact him @[email protected] or follow him on Twitter @FatAsianTechie

Reader Comments

TreasureFinder350

I won a small jackpot yesterday and it was really exciting! The thrill of winning real money keeps me coming back. The website feels fair, and payouts are processed promptly, which makes me trust the platform even more.

SpinQueen65

Customer support responded incredibly fast when I had an issue with my account. They were polite, professional, and solved my problem within minutes. It's reassuring to know that help is always available when needed.

GameTiger394

I absolutely love the game selection here, especially the slot games. The graphics are amazing and the animations are super smooth, making every spin feel exciting and immersive. I've spent hours playing without getting bored!

Recommended Reading

The Nintendo Download_ Adventurous Islands, Bubbles Bobbling, And Clay Fighting

Abstract: While those of us in the U.S. were sleeping in, Nintendo spent yesterday adding a fresh crop of titles to their [[link]] downloadable lineup, with a healthy dose of old games made new and the odd clock. Five n...

Those Real, Free Sackboys Were Pretty Decent!

Abstract: When we heard Media Molecule were just giving some Sackboys away, we figured they’d be of a pretty shoddy quality. They were [[link]] free, after all. Turns out they were better than we thought! https://kotaku...

Turbo_ The Video Game Movie Not Based On A Real Video Game

Abstract: While most video [[link]] game film adaptations suck, the low-budget, high-gloss Turbo has the advantage of not being based on an existing game. The Tron meets The Karate Kid short was filmed for under $100,00...