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British intelligence spooking Xbox Live

  • By Nick Akerman, GameSpot UK
  • Posted Nov 20, 2009 9:52 am PT

Adverts, gamer pictures, themes, and videos to hit Microsoft's online service as part of a recruitment drive by the GCHQ.

British intelligence agency Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) is set to target UK gamers via in-game Xbox Live advertisements. The British intelligence agency, which oversees both internal agency MI5 and external agency MI6, confirmed its plans for a six-week campaign on the platform in such games as Modern Warfare 2, Left 4 Dead 2, and Assassin’s Creed II.

A mock-up of the upcoming advertising campaign.

A mock-up of the upcoming advertising campaign.

In a statement, the GCHQ said that many of its recruitment criteria are "reflected in gameplay experiences on Xbox, such as quick thinking, problem solving, and teamwork." It is looking to "fill around 250 predominantly IT and technical roles at graduate and professional level, many of which require specialist skills which are likely to resonate within the online community."

In addition, the agency is hoping the ads will raise awareness about the type of work that it undertakes on a daily basis to "protect the security and well being of the United Kingdom." As well as static and video ads, the campaign will feature downloadable themes and gamer pictures.

This is not the first time the GCHQ has targeted gamers in this way. A 2007 campaign on Ubisoft's Rainbow Six Vegas and Splinter Cell: Double Agent and Activision’s Enemy Territory: Quake Wars encouraged players to apply for jobs using static in-game adverts. That campaign resulted in a 500 percent increase in hits to the GCHQ recruitment Web site and raised global interest in GCHQ's work, according to the agency.

100 Comments

  • Einsteinium1

    Posted Nov 30, 2009 4:43 pm GMT

    There aren't too many people who solve problems for fun and that is exactly what they want. It makes sense.

  • swamptick

    Posted Nov 30, 2009 8:49 am GMT

    I think it's pretty cool.

  • buft

    Posted Nov 28, 2009 5:06 pm GMT

    lol do we really want our intellegence agents running around pulling off "headshots" and "pwning" terrorists? wouldnt it be at least better to target universitys rather than people in these games with itchy trigger fingers

  • slothmang

    Posted Nov 28, 2009 8:50 am GMT

    @thibbledorfP

    maybe they will get one of the twelve intelligent people from there

  • thibbledorfP

    Posted Nov 26, 2009 4:26 am GMT

    They're trying to find intelligence on Xbox Live? Hmmm...

  • the2gamer

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 6:57 pm GMT

    Mmm... pretty good. But it changes when youre in the field....

  • PowerstrokeGT

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 12:35 pm GMT

    Its just ads...you nuts. Christ....dont join the military if you dont want. Im not pro join the ranks by any means, but everyone else can use ads, why not the military?

  • xion-br-3 posted Nov 24, 2009 12:07 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    xion-br-3

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 12:07 pm GMT (hide)

    HAHA.. This is no surprise to me, thats excactly what FPS games were developed for in the first place. There should be a law against using militant games to brainwash young kids. I mean just look for yourselfes COD 4,HALO 3 ,BATTLEFIELD,GOW 2,L4D etc.. These were not hits by accident! there recruting stations to psycologically brainwash kids who like to shoot and T-bag. Thats our future? YIKES!

  • rinoflow

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 10:58 am GMT

    Wonderful news. In the future they'll be using ace gamers to actually use as virtual commanders in real world settings. You know the type, dropping bombs on school children and lots of other false flag terror tactics. Now they want to recruit through a sickening level of flattery simple gamers , presumebly to aid them to stop those dreadful dissenting voices against increased government oppression of the general populace.

    What a wonderful idea. Where do I sign up.

    You will not win New World Order. Rest assured that will never happen.

  • Darth_Ultima

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 8:55 am GMT

    I have always wanted a License to Kill.

  • SkytheWiz1

    Posted Nov 23, 2009 6:20 pm GMT

    Just a thought, but...
    how do they plan on testing people on Assassin's Creed II on Xbox Live?

  • Leejjohno

    Posted Nov 23, 2009 3:55 pm GMT

    "In a statement, the GCHQ said that many of its recruitment criteria are "reflected in gameplay experiences on Xbox, such as quick thinking, problem solving, and teamwork.""
    Damn... I wish I was a smacktalking, egotistical, shortsighted, narrowminded biggot. Maybe then I would have the necessary skillset to be a spook.

  • clintbrew

    Posted Nov 23, 2009 3:44 pm GMT

    i wonder if they gonna send the intersect from chuck an i get flashes like chuck

  • Dan21278

    Posted Nov 23, 2009 2:17 pm GMT

    What is the world coming to?

  • Xtatic324

    Posted Nov 23, 2009 1:41 pm GMT

    @ alabama2561990

    lmao!... nice one

  • gauty

    Posted Nov 23, 2009 7:40 am GMT

    he he... me... a secret agent... ha ha ha... lol...

  • DeanSMASH

    Posted Nov 23, 2009 3:14 am GMT

    If they start replacing my wanted posters in AC2 to MI5 recruitment advertisements then I'm going to be sick on myself.

  • key1001

    Posted Nov 23, 2009 12:22 am GMT

    This is very foolish indeed.

  • WTFitsPauL

    Posted Nov 22, 2009 10:03 pm GMT

    @ alabama2561990

    LOL

  • pmo5010

    Posted Nov 22, 2009 7:18 pm GMT

    ladies and gentlemen - Goldeneye 007 just became a reality!

  • OXM-Madman

    Posted Nov 22, 2009 11:02 am GMT

    Awesome, by playing video games I might become a secret agent! =D

  • EverteMax

    Posted Nov 22, 2009 8:00 am GMT

    wahahaha...fun

    and stop talking about the airport lvl in MW2. It seems that everywhere i go to these few days is all about that...even when it isn't about MW2!!! like this one!

    if you guys 'really' care so much about morality, go render help to those homeless or needy.

  • Claidheamb_mor

    Posted Nov 22, 2009 7:03 am GMT

    This is pretty cool, the British secret service are recruiting gamers. It'd be awesome to work for them!

    @kamizuka
    The airport level in Modern Warfare 2 made you feel awful? I think a more cynical approach is important when considering the implications of that scene. It was designed to shock. However, my problem was that the player was being led by the hand, and being forced to move at a snail's pace during the majority of that section. I felt more like an android sentry turret than an "evil terrorist".

  • Supaza

    Posted Nov 22, 2009 3:19 am GMT

    i bearly see how that would work in MW2, but assassin's creed II? You find yourself running away from a load of soldiers and into a bill board advertising GCHQ?

  • kamizuka

    Posted Nov 22, 2009 2:57 am GMT

    @DFen lol, so MW2 is and advertisement for terrorists PS i didnt like that scene, and gave the game an afwfulfeeling while playing it

    i remember when gaming was.... you know having fun, awesome hobey. not for all of this crap

  • steelmouth

    Posted Nov 22, 2009 2:45 am GMT

    Ant this just a swell idea, finally we gamers can now justify our very expensive hobby we can now look in the eye our partners, families and all who trash video games and tell em "am not getting the xbox to play games but to look for a job" duh

  • JJB03

    Posted Nov 21, 2009 7:47 pm GMT

    i have never seen a GCHQ advertise for jobs anywhere else? wht
    y start on the xbox

  • Wings_008

    Posted Nov 21, 2009 7:28 pm GMT

    ex, MegaDrive ex (that's my Gamertag )

  • Excedra

    Posted Nov 21, 2009 7:23 pm GMT

    whats so scary bout that?

  • alabama2561990

    Posted Nov 21, 2009 4:37 pm GMT

    wow kinda scary what if you refused they could erase you, your gamertag and body

  • penpusher

    Posted Nov 21, 2009 4:36 pm GMT

    @rasco2005

    They arent looking for spies ... their looking for IT monkeys, someone to fix the pcs when they break down, nothing more dangerous then that

  • azureblade89

    Posted Nov 21, 2009 3:34 pm GMT

    Gamer's don't make the best of spies..I for one tend to rush into battle gunning away because I know I have infinite respawns depending on the game.

  • ColonelX24

    Posted Nov 21, 2009 1:41 pm GMT

    So they're spying on people to recruit them, because being spied makes you want to be a spy?

  • maximo

    Posted Nov 21, 2009 1:39 pm GMT

    its madness.... we are talking about the British secret service advertising on XBOX Live in order to recruit people...

  • DFen

    Posted Nov 21, 2009 1:00 pm GMT

    well instead of bashing on cod mw2 about that one cutscene in the game at least they see the good side of the game that can help in some way

  • gnrlstuart

    Posted Nov 21, 2009 12:26 pm GMT

    orwellian, MI6 potentially spying on gamers.

  • kavadias1981

    Posted Nov 21, 2009 11:10 am GMT

    @Blank2k2

    Oh yeah? What did I miss? Anything juicy?

  • jazilla

    Posted Nov 21, 2009 10:29 am GMT

    Just use facebook and GPS to spy on us. It's what my government uses to spy on us. I'm an American by the way.

  • Blank2k2

    Posted Nov 21, 2009 8:38 am GMT

    @kavadias1981

    Abit of a dejavou moment going on here? lol

  • E1025gama

    Posted Nov 21, 2009 4:40 am GMT

    omg i can be 007!!!!!

  • Xx_Hopeless_xX

    Posted Nov 21, 2009 3:48 am GMT

    Interesting idea..seeing as i'm not in the UK though it might get annoying to have UK recruitment ads popping up..

  • punkpunker

    Posted Nov 21, 2009 12:00 am GMT

    "confirmed its plans for a six-week campaign on the platform in such games as Modern Warfare 2" oh no,there will be a 27 year old recruit thinks pistol rambo is cool

  • DotComBoris

    Posted Nov 20, 2009 11:23 pm GMT

    Surely the people qualified for this job are too busy working. Besides, the real money is not in government!

  • OF-5

    Posted Nov 20, 2009 10:02 pm GMT

    Lol i wanted to make fun of this but it is actually pretty cool...

  • Glade_Gnarr

    Posted Nov 20, 2009 9:44 pm GMT

    So that's how 007 began.

  • otanikun

    Posted Nov 20, 2009 9:17 pm GMT

    That's actually pretty friggin cool

  • MatzeEdend

    Posted Nov 20, 2009 8:55 pm GMT

    Its a neat idea... but how many of the people they're reaching out to are actually qualified for that kind of work? For example: I see too many gamers becoming so-called "tech experts" in electronics stores, when really they haven't the slightest clue about the technology they're selling.

    I admit, its not the best analogy, but what are they looking for, really? Hackers and other tech security experts. Out of all the gamers who will see those ads, how many of them will actually have the skills needed for the job? All they're going to get is thousands of resumes from gamers wanting to be James Bond who don't have the least bit of technical skill, and maybe a handful of useful resumes that they'll have to shovel through the crap just to get to.

  • Lordborg909

    Posted Nov 20, 2009 8:08 pm GMT

    Its kinda scary that the govt would use games in this way.... big brother is watching you??

  • Heshertonfist

    Posted Nov 20, 2009 8:03 pm GMT

    "We have a REAL war you can fight!"

  • boobush

    Posted Nov 20, 2009 8:02 pm GMT

    I wonder how much cash they get for game advertisement, seeing how this has happened before. I don't know, just hear what the govt. says, but don't fall for everything they say, like a fascist.
    Oh, and singhellotaku, for what I've heard from friends, flying an advanced jet fighter is harder than flying a commencial airline, playing a fast melody in a piano, driving through the desert after hours of driving and getting tunnel vision, all together. To be a pilot you have to be a math genius as well. So don't make claims that can't be backed.

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