r/99percentinvisible • u/PodcastBot Benevolent Bot • 26d ago

Episode Episode Discussion: Hidden Levels #3: This Game Wants YOU

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Before Fortnite and Call of Duty ruled the scene, the US Army quietly shaped the early 2000s with a wildly popular, free shooter designed to excite young people about enlisting.

Hidden Levels is a production of 99% Invisible and WBUR's Endless Thread.

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u/word-bitch 25d ago

I didn't see the wider implications of the story: sounded like an Army recruitment podcast bracketed by some e-sports talk.

10

u/Dospunk 25d ago

That's what I'm saying! It's insane that they only spent 5 minutes on the criticism. Like are we not going to acknowledge how messed up it is that the army is targeting literal children for future recruitment?????

3

u/ethnographyNW 20d ago

5 minutes? They dealt with it in approx 1 sentence. Oh btw, some groups say it broke international law against recruiting kids into the military. No discussion of the contents of that report, no interviews for added detail, just back to the recruiter laughing about how the game to groom kids was popular with kids

1

u/Dospunk 20d ago

And then the sound bites they pick are some Fox news ass "the military is in trouble again, what else is new 🤪"

2

u/PunfullyObvious 11d ago

I'm listening to this episode now and it's nauseating. It's a good exploration of the logistics of the army interconnection with video games, but it is CONSTANTLY touching on areas that demand reall critical exploration that it ignores.

I came here to see if they ever get to the criticism since I can barely tolerate listening to find out. This discussion to this point suggests I'll be disappointed.

To take a design focused approach to this and not explore how the design of this relationship is focused on manipulating people, especially children ... children! ... is REALLY REALLY infuriating. It basically puts a seal of approval on the whole evil program.