America's Army Cost Taxpayers $32.8 Million

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Your tax dollars at work.

U.S. Army projects cost money, usually lots of money. And if you're a U.S. taxpayer, that's your money.

America's Army, the free to play shooter that is ultimately a recruiting tool for the Army, is funded by tax dollars. GameSpot uncovered through a Freedom of Information Act request just how many dollars the project has commanded over the years.

Note that the original America's Army for PC launched in 2002, but investments and development started in 2000.

America's Army year-by-year budget summary

2000--$3,500,000

2001--$5,600,000

2002--$1,862,985

2003--$2,600,000

2004--$3,866,482

2005--$1,288,552

2006--$4,050,748

2007--$2,788,137

2008--$3,887,450

2009--$3,395,702

In total, that adds up to $32.8 million over the last decade. Do you think that it was money well spent? Why or why not?

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Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
112 Comments Comment from the forums
  • lifelesspoet
    I paid for the game, but I have never played it. I think I might have to download it to get my moneys worth.
    Reply
  • lifelesspoet
    I paid for the game, but I have never played it. I think I might have to download it to get my moneys worth.
    Reply
  • Efrayim
    It was a fun game but sometimes the aiming was screwed up.
    Reply
  • coonday
    At least the money spent on America's Army was something everyone had access too. Besides, it was only 2-3 million dollars spent every year. If you really want to look at wasteful spending take a look at what the current stimulus package is giving money to. http://www.tulsabeacon.com/?p=2274
    Reply
  • superprelude
    I think they can pay IW 5 million to mod MW2 into realistic game for the army. But who cares? I am no American.
    Reply
  • metalfellow
    Governments will continue to justify any spending if it suits their ultimate goal. I have played it briefly, didn't really captivate, if anything they should of just backed BF2 for recruiting, better game imo.
    Reply
  • kavic
    um can I have a refund? LOL The game was great until the last year or two. Now its just full of a bunch of kids with power trips that get you banned from most servers if you kill them or hop.
    Reply
  • Annisman
    Considering Obama and Co. Just spent Trillions of dollars in his first term, and inflated the deficate and our currency beyond belief, not to mention the 787 billion dollar 'stimulus' bill that has not only stopped job creation, but has put us in even more debt I think 30 million dollars for a game I enjoy is actually worth it.

    Hey guess where the money that is being returned to us from the banks that we helped bail out is going.... back to you and me ? Oh, no it's being spent by our government on more entitlement programs.

    Spend our way out of debt? Hmmm that just doesnt sound right.
    Reply
  • korsen
    I played that for a while. Fun on co-op. Lame when people team kill though. Someone did that to me for a few rounds so I shot him in the face every round till I was banned.
    Reply
  • sundm001
    I was conceived as a way to popularize the US Army. And someone correct me if I am wrong but does not that money come from their recruiting budget? It is not an added expenditure and considering the cost for retaining and recruiting the amount of people needed to staff an army it is just a small amount considered when they have a budget in the billions. I would say go on. If people enjoy the game and it serves its designed purpose, it looks like they have a winning combination.
    Reply