Instead of developing proprietary systems, the military adopts video game controllers because gaming companies have already invested billions perfecting an intuitive, easy-to-learn interface. This strategy leverages decades of private-sector R&D, providing troops with a familiar, optimized tool for complex, high-stakes operations.

In an era where AI can assist with coding challenges, 10X's solution is to make their take-home assignments exceptionally difficult. This approach immediately filters out 50% of candidates who don't even respond, allowing for a much faster and more focused interview process for the elite few who pass.

The first video games and controllers were not created by entertainment companies, but as 'moonlighting projects' by engineers at institutions working on military applications. This origin story reveals the deep, early connection between gaming and military tech, where downtime creativity in one field directly influenced the other.

Before 'crowdsourcing' was a term, Luis von Ahn built games to solve problems computers couldn't. His ESP Game tricked millions of players into labeling images for free, providing crucial training data for early image recognition AI by turning a tedious task into a fun, competitive experience.

To access its target demographic of teenagers, the U.S. Army's recruitment game was designed to be relatively bloodless and free of gore. This secured a "T for Teen" rating, making the experience of war more palatable and accessible to a younger, broader audience.

The game tracked if players cheated on mandatory training modules, like first aid. Years later, during a multiplayer match, the game could announce to a player's team that their medic had cheated, creating social consequences for a lack of integrity and reinforcing Army values.

In multiplayer matches of "America's Army," both teams always perceived themselves as U.S. soldiers and their opponents as a generic enemy. This design prevented players from ever adopting an adversary's perspective, ensuring the experience was always aligned with the U.S. Army's narrative.

In 2002, the Army launched "America's Army," a high-budget game that was completely free. Unlike commercial studios needing sales, the Army's return on investment was recruitment and brand building, allowing it to innovate on the now-common free-to-play business model.

After "America's Army" was outmatched by commercial titles, the military shifted its strategy. It stopped making its own games and instead focused on reaching gamers where they were, appearing at launch events for games like Halo and consulting for franchises like Call of Duty.