When you think of the US Army you might not automatically think of esports, but it looks like the two are coming together to bring one of the strangest (and coolest) tournaments we’ve heard about in a while.
Yes, the US Army will be hosting a Street Fighter 5 championship, because why not?
Posting on its official website, the Army’s statement confirms: “Army Entertainment, a part of the U.S. Army’s Installation Management Command, is hosting a world-wide esports video game championship series for Street Fighter V, open to all active-duty Army service men and women.”
The championship will be livestreamed, exclusively on Twitch at Twitch.tv/ArmyEntertainment.
According to the breakdown of the event: “The tournament consists of eight garrisons, each hosting a local tournament on post at their Army Morale Welfare and Recreation Warrior Zones. The brackets will be randomly seeded with double elimination.”
There are some pretty excellent prizes being doled out at the event, with the winner from each garrison getting the chance to compete at the Grand Finals, which take place at PAX West in Seattle in September.
The winner of the final tournament will also receive prizes including: “Twitch gear, a two-night stay at the Mandalay Bay MGM resort, an exclusive Army Entertainment Esports jersey, a tournament coin and a $500 gift card. “
For the full line-up, times and dates you can check the schedules here.
And if you’re curious as to why the US army is cracking on with Street Fighter 5, it’s believed that: “The competition will develop Soldiers’ outlook and overall fitness using current technology.
“Soldiers train for the competition by improving hand-eye coordination, mental focus and reaction time. These skills help improve a Soldier’s overall readiness to help with normal job duties.”
What are your thoughts on the idea? Will you be tuning in for the Street Fight 5 tournament?