The next Battlefield will take a more authentic approach, drawing on the experiences of real veterans. In As part of the ‘Hiring Our Heroes’ program EA gives soldiers the chance to find their way back to real life and to process and contribute their experiences to the job.
Returning from the military to civilian life isn't always easy. That's why the 'Hiring Our Heroes' program provides essential tools to facilitate and even enable this process – from recruitment and scholarship programs to providing educational and networking opportunities. Some veterans are now working directly on the production of the next BattlefieldThis is a huge advantage for EA, as they can incorporate their real-world experiences into the game. In the past, they often relied on military advisors for this purpose, which is hardly comparable to having someone actually in the field.
"Recently, two notable new hires have made their way from the military to EA. They bring a wealth of knowledge and skills that will enrich our company and open a path for them in our industry."
There's Aaron Johnson, a former special operations officer and now Associate Game Manager at Ripple Effect, and Madison Daugherty, a former military officer and current Battlefield product manager.
“To be honest, I was a little nervous when I left,” Johnson explains. “Most members who leave don’t like to talk about it. But we feel like we’re going into something new. And you have all these experienced people around and you wonder if you’re worthy of being there, and that’s something we all go through. I went through it.”
Daugherty adds:
“I wanted to start solving different problems and see where life would take me. But I wasn’t sure how to begin – this decision comes with a lot of fear and uncertainty. Luckily, I found the Hiring Our Heroes program,” said Daugherty. “I can provide good feedback here on what realistic military items look like. We’ve put together summaries on the topic of military realism.”
Senior Product Manager Mack Ohlinger also sees the program as a valuable contribution from which all parties can benefit.
“Veterans have unique experience and can really bring teams together,” says Mack. “They are the driving force. If you channel them in the right direction, they have tremendous energy and initiative. This can improve the team's self-esteem and the product, and increase the speed at which everything moves forward.”
The goal of this initiative is to make our own teams and games like Battlefield to take it to a new level, the results of which EA is already incredibly excited about.
Exactly, and then the generals above tell them that war is also woke and diverse. Lol