Call of Duty Has Helped Thousands Of Veterans Get Hired

Hit Activision game franchise Call of Duty has helped 150,000 American veterans find steady jobs since 2009… making it the largest private funder of vet employment and now more effective at doing so than the federal government.

Why It Hits: As the federal government cuts costs and contracts its workforce, innovative organizations that can close the gap on lost services may be the most important ones in the current economy.

Behind the Placements: The Call of Duty Endowment (C.O.D.E.) has truly leveled up vet employment.

• C.O.D.E. has put more veterans in jobs than the federal government since 2022, at an alleged 1/15th of the Department of Veterans Affairs cost.
• According to its president, Dan Goldenberg, it’s raised close to $100 million through the initiative. That includes $48 million solely through the sales of special accessory packs for the games (some of which are designed by vets themselves).
• Every dollar goes directly to vet job placement, which averages $628 per placement — typically landing veterans roles with starting salaries around $75,000.
• 93% of the vets have been placed in full-time positions, with 89% staying in the same role for at least six months.

Final Boss: C.O.D.E. was first launched by former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick to address “super high” unemployment rates for veterans, says Goldenberg. The team realized that steady employment was crucial for veterans’ community reintegration, especially after active combat. Goldenberg explains that “if you have a meaningful job, you probably have health care, you have colleagues, you have purpose.”

Prediction: Considering that 86% of veterans say that gaming provides them a “healthy outlet for stress and anxiety” (with Call of Duty ranking as the favorite game), the partnership makes a lot of sense… and could even lead to more non-gaming partnerships between Activision and the military.