Twitch requires US Army to remove fake sweepstakes promotions

US Army no stranger to Twitch and esports

This isn’t the first time that Twitch has been called out for their involvement with the US Army. They are also Twitch Rivals sponsors, with the army’s logo appearing on esports tournaments for both League of Legends and Valorant. Some viewers found the sponsored links concerning, since they said things like “your skills can make an impact” and “you can take on anything,” potentially encouraging impressionable young gamers to join up. 

The US Army once created their own competitive first-person shooter, America’s Army, in 2002. 

Other branches of the military have also been heavily involved with the esports scene. The ESL is sponsored by the US Air Force and the Navy. Prominent esports organization Cloud9 is sponsored by the US Air Force. Major Ross McKnight, chief of the national events branch at the Air Force recruiting services headquarters, had said in the past that a partnership with Cloud9 could make their fans realize “some of the ways in which they can make a difference in the U.S. Air Force.”

It’s no secret that esports tends to draw a young and predominantly male audience. Given the youth of the audience, it’s no surprise that the US Army is attempting to take advantage of the demographic. Still, some people see the military branch’s efforts as unethical, especially now that they’ve appeared to have been lying to get young people’s contact information for future recruiting opportunities.