History Channel takes up Brothers in Arms

Two-hour documentary on the 101st Airborne, 502nd Parachute Infantry to use Gearbox game footage to depict the group's invasion of Normandy.

Gearbox Software's Brothers in Arms has been putting game players in the first moments of the D-Day invasion of Normandy since March, but it's about to start doing the same for people who've never touched a controller in their lives.

Gearbox, Brothers in Arms publisher Ubisoft, and The History Channel today announced a two-hour special, creatively titled Brothers in Arms, that will use footage from the game to tell the story of the 101st Airborne, 502nd Parachute Infantry from June 6, 1944, and the D-Day invasion of Normandy through June 13, 1944. The in-game footage will supplement firsthand accounts, commentary from historians, photos, and archival footage, all presented by host Ron Livingston (Office Space, Band of Brothers).

Brothers in Arms will premiere on The History Channel on Sunday, December 18 at 8 p.m. EST/PST.

This is not the first time The History Channel has used a game to get its point across to an audience. Eschewing the crude maps and fake footage employed for most military re-creations on television, 2004's Decisive Battles used the Rome: Total War engine to generate entire armies from the Greek and Roman empires. The armies were pitted against one another in scripted battles that depicted nuanced tactics for the audience.

36 Comments

  • net198

    Posted Jul 23, 2008 4:26 pm PT

    This game gonna be a legend

  • electro_14

    Posted Jun 22, 2006 8:17 am PT

    actually brothers in arms is a game about world war 2 but band of brothers is series of episodes about a company fightnig in world war 2 but i like brothers in arms better.

  • conkersbat

    Posted Dec 5, 2005 7:30 pm PT

    Cool. They should have a special on the history of gangsters with San Andreas.

  • LordOfMidnight

    Posted Dec 5, 2005 11:16 am PT

    Pretty sweet! The History Channel rocks and thier use of modern technology shows that they are in the loop! Rock on!

  • jpp67

    Posted Dec 3, 2005 5:52 pm PT

    cool

  • smokey_77

    Posted Dec 2, 2005 11:37 pm PT

    puppy0 ever heard of VCR or HDD recorder it sounds good to watch

  • DeathStar17

    Posted Dec 2, 2005 1:17 pm PT

    I love the history channel.

  • drangel_jam

    Posted Dec 2, 2005 12:47 pm PT

    Awesome! Now those who find history boring have nomore excuses right!?

  • Yu_Poozuki

    Posted Dec 2, 2005 10:52 am PT

    Decisive Battles was great, I can't wait for Brothers in Arms.

  • Col_Kilgore

    Posted Dec 2, 2005 10:12 am PT

    Nothing can be better than Band of Brothers. NOTHING!!!!

  • ArmoredAshes

    Posted Dec 2, 2005 9:58 am PT

    And they try and say that video gamesarent educational...stupid politicians...maybe this will also help sway whats going on with the whole bill liberman and clinton are trying to pass

  • Cyber-Head

    Posted Dec 2, 2005 7:45 am PT

    to gmoney! dont forget god bless all the other countries who help'd.

  • Rigon

    Posted Dec 2, 2005 7:37 am PT

    "Brothers in Arms" is a seperate special presentation altogether, wholly different from "Band of Brothers" (which is a 10-episode series from HBO, which I've seen all of, and which is hardcore.)

    Oh, and Puppy0, you're a douche-bag. That is all.

  • BigC43

    Posted Dec 2, 2005 7:25 am PT

    Brothers In Arms looks like a great game and the fact that it is used on the History Channel would make my parents more likely to let e get it!

  • NeoJedi

    Posted Dec 2, 2005 5:57 am PT

    Very good, great work by the History Channel and Ubi. Gonna check that out.

  • amogley

    Posted Dec 2, 2005 3:48 am PT

    I think it will be interesting to compare the real-life history and the virtual history presented in BIA.

    I really enjoyed BIA and I thought it was very underrated. Good to see it getting some recognition outside the gaming world too.

  • nemes1s3000

    Posted Dec 2, 2005 2:11 am PT

    It'll pretty much be like Band of Brothers, but a little better.

  • macmaster1

    Posted Dec 1, 2005 8:40 pm PT

    This is good news,people are finding new ways to use video games. Using games to educate people about our history is an excellent idea and i hope to see more of it.

  • NeleNel

    Posted Dec 1, 2005 8:37 pm PT

    Err... Isn't the special called Brothers in Arms? It definately says it's called Band of Brothers. And i'm pretty sure HBO took care of that already.

  • dinodude64

    Posted Dec 1, 2005 8:22 pm PT

    cant wait to c this i dont know if you guys ahve seem decisive battles but the history channle used the game engine perfectly to depict the battles and after watching a couple episodes i went out and ended up buying the game which turned out to be better than the show

  • CheatRZ

    Posted Dec 1, 2005 8:02 pm PT

    That was just announced today? The info that the Brothers in Arms story would be on the History Channel was on the back of the BIA: EIB case since it's release =P

  • DHeesch

    Posted Dec 1, 2005 7:53 pm PT

    Sounds great to me. I'm a history major so the History Channel is always on my weekend line up. To things that I love joining together equals a must see for me.

  • lilweightlifter

    Posted Dec 1, 2005 7:31 pm PT

    I am definitely watching this!

  • skakidinabox

    Posted Dec 1, 2005 7:02 pm PT

    Basically, for whoever was bashing the history channel, I can pretty much bet you haven't watched the majority of their shows, which are quite enthralling. Today I watched 3 hours of "Shootouts!" a show I've never even heard of before, which was extremely interesting, citing various shootouts and conflicts between uniformed men, whether it's soldiers, police officers, or S.W.A.T., it was quite intriguing.

  • Dawg605

    Posted Dec 1, 2005 6:59 pm PT

    "Band of Brothers will premiere on The History Channel on Sunday, December 18 at 8 p.m. EST/PST. "

    Should say Brothers in Arms, shouldn't it?

  • r9tgokunks

    Posted Dec 1, 2005 6:33 pm PT

    Whoa, this looks very awesome!

  • cusoker

    Posted Dec 1, 2005 6:25 pm PT

    Sweet. Its so cool to see gaming and tv hook up in such a unique fashion. I like watching the HC and playing WWII games. Its a wonder tho that those crazy senators (who shall remain nameless ;-)) arent screaming at the top of their lungs to remove the game from the show since it is a "M" rated game.

  • assassinX01

    Posted Dec 1, 2005 6:17 pm PT

    certainly a good way for the art to be intergrated into other medias.

  • gmoney983

    Posted Dec 1, 2005 6:07 pm PT

    It's nice when two mediums can combine to make something special. I think it's great because it gets gamers involved in the history behind the games they play. To show them that the fight for our freedom was real and fought by brave men and not all done by the push of a button. True heroes that don't get enough recognition for their valor in our countries darkest hours. Because without them we'd all be speaking German right now. God Bless those Brothers In Arms and may God Bless America!

  • 9202491

    Posted Dec 1, 2005 5:43 pm PT

    Man, the History Channel sure knows where it's at.

  • death5ter

    Posted Dec 1, 2005 5:37 pm PT

    Great thanks to Gearbox and the History Channel.

    They widely informed the user (gamer) about the game, not by just fictional battles but true and authentic battles that happen during ww2.

    Recommended to all fans of WW2 History, specifically the 101st Airborne.

    I'll watch it. : )

  • TommyD100

    Posted Dec 1, 2005 5:35 pm PT

    Brothers in Arms is probably the most acccurate WWII game that is out there. CoD can't even compare. The unlockables found in BiA can tell you that.

  • Puppy0

    Posted Dec 1, 2005 5:28 pm PT

    YEAH! I can't wait to watch the history channel either! Oh wait, maybe I will be Doing something on Sunday night. Yeah, having a life really makes you miss out on some things. Too bad.

  • jerico6

    Posted Dec 1, 2005 5:20 pm PT

    Can't wait for it. Sounds AWESOME!

  • Pickles16

    Posted Dec 1, 2005 5:18 pm PT

    wow this will be great advertisement for BIA, and it would be pretty cool to see this on the history channel like they did with Rome: total war, it would of prolly b better tho if they used Call of Duty 2 tho for it

  • gameloverx

    Posted Dec 1, 2005 5:17 pm PT

    i'm looking forward to see that

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