Ludic Militarism & Warfighter Development
- military has seen a resurgence in military wargaming since 2014, prompted by Department of Defense memos emphasizing its importance.
- Games now support language training, cultural sensitivity, and strategic planning.
- A dedicated community of practice designs and analyzes these games,aiming to train service members and refine strategic plans.
The U.S. military is experiencing a full-blown military wargaming renaissance, a transformation in training and strategic planning it began in 2014. This revitalization, crucial to modern warfighter development, spans digital and tabletop games, considerably impacting recruitment, unit cohesion, and veteran reintegration. Thes games immerse players,cultivating focus and internalizing crucial lessons,yet raise ethical questions around cognitive and emotional targeting. News Directory 3 explores how wargaming drives engagement and shapes strategic plans,led by a dedicated community of practice. Discover what’s next for the future of simulated warfare.
Wargaming Renaissance Takes Hold in US Military
Updated May 31, 2025
The U.S. military has seen a resurgence in military wargaming since 2014, prompted by Department of Defense memos emphasizing its importance. This renaissance, integral to the Defense Innovation Initiative and Third Offset Strategy, involves digital and tabletop games used across recruitment, training, research, and education programs.
Games now support language training, cultural sensitivity, and strategic planning. They also boost recruitment, foster unit cohesion, and aid veteran reintegration, according to research. This highlights the key role of games in managing military life, from initial recruitment to rehabilitation programs.
A dedicated community of practice designs and analyzes these games,aiming to train service members and refine strategic plans. These specialists assert that wargaming saves lives. Their work focuses on how gaming shapes modern warfighters,according to academic research.
Military wargaming produces people through rule-based systems that intervene in cognitive and emotional processes, according to a new book, “Politics of Play: Wargaming with the US Military.” Games generate engagement, consolidate lessons, promote problem-solving, and improve information retention. However, they also subjectify players through power dynamics between designers, sponsors, facilitators, and trainees.
The pursuit of victory and immersive experiences drive these processes. wargames use reward systems, consequences for failure, and iterative irresolution to motivate players. Immersion, cultivated through narrative and player choice, enhances focus and internalizes lessons, making them feel real.
Games are ‘pure rule-based action’, indeed a ‘kind of utopia of rules.’
What’s next
Future studies may explore the ethical implications of military wargaming, particularly regarding the targeting of players’ beliefs and identities.