# Virtual War Games 'America's Army' Sets 5 Guinness World Records in 2009 (UPDATE) By Marissa Brassfield | Published 2009-02-12 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/americas-army-guinness-world-record References: [army.mil](http://www.army.mil/-news/2009/02/10/16678-americas-army-game-sets-five-guinness-world-records/) & [americasarmy](http://americasarmy.com/) Since we wrote about the [U.S. Army](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/veterans-networking-app)-endorsed "America's Army" PC game in 2006, its popularity has surged; in 2009, "America's Army" will receive awards for setting [Guinness World Records](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pocket-lab-mini-pc) in five categories. "America's Army" is the largest virtual army, with over 15 times more registered users than the active duty ranks of the actual Army. It's also the most frequently-downloaded war video game, with over 42.6 million downloads. "America's Army" also has logged the most collective hours spent playing a [free online shooting game](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wilder-world), with over 230.9 million hours as of August 2008. There are two more Guinness World Records that don't directly involve gameplay. AmericasArmy.com is the first military website to support a video game series, as well as the first multi-platinum game to receive a government-licensed trademark, according to Army.mil. Moreover, "America's Army" boasts the largest traveling game simulator, a 19,500-square-foot behemoth that includes six life-size vehicles that can accommodate 50 players at once. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.1/10 - Popularity: 56% | Activity: 88% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/games) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Virtual Gaming:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop virtual reality gaming experiences that offer realistic military simulations. - **Guinness World Records:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create products or services that can set new records in various categories, generating publicity and brand recognition. - **Military-endorsed Entertainment:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Collaborate with the military to create immersive entertainment experiences that promote a positive image of the armed forces. ### Where This Applies - **Gaming:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Incorporate virtual reality and advanced graphics in military-themed video games to enhance realism and player engagement. - **Entertainment:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Partner with government agencies or military organizations to develop immersive entertainment attractions that educate and engage audiences. - **Technology:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create innovative software or hardware solutions for military applications, such as virtual training simulations or advanced military vehicles. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Military Simulation Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rainbow-six-mobile.md) - [Lifelike FPS Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/unrecord.md) - [Free-Roam VR Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/space-marine-ii.md) - [Multi-Platform Shooter Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/warzone-20.md) - [3D Holographic Game Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vividq-call-of-duty.md) - [Spanish FPS Game Launches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/united-1944.md) - [Gamified Action Figures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/g-i-joe.md) - [Military Simulation Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/company-of-heroes-3.md) - [Helicopter-Towed Digital Screens](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ninja-gaiden-4.md)