Each veteran received a rental laptop installed with video-conferencing software and a Call of Duty game based on World War II. More than 70 years after they left the battlefields of Europe, on November 11, 2020, Team Legion was deployed into the world of online gaming. Their team logo was inspired by the moment of silence practiced each year on the date 11/11 at precisely 11:11 a.m. In a first-of-its-kind effort, four WWII veterans (all well over 90 years of age) were recruited to form Team Legion, the World’s Oldest Esports team.

Instead of lecturing young people on the importance of remembering the sacrifices of veterans, we connected with our audience in their world and on their terms. Our strategy: increase the awareness and relevance of Remembrance Day by having those who play games of war come face to face with those who lived it. We believed exposing gamers to the actual stories and experiences of veterans could change that. No game could ever create a true understanding of war. Our audience was engaged in the subject matter but had little understanding of the real-world experiences and sacrifices of veterans. Popular war simulation games like Call of Duty shape perception of conflict among youth today much more than activity on actual front lines. We identified that many young Canadians’ primary exposure to war comes through entertainment, often through online gaming. Our challenge: find a new way for HomeEquity Bank to help the Legion engage a younger audience, raise funds for veterans and help stop the lessons of war from fading into history.

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