this post was submitted on 14 Apr 2026
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Probably less absurd than it appears. Many modern videogames require gamers to manage multiple situations in real time under pressure while competing with other gamers. A skil you can transfer to 'manage airplanes trying to use the runways while giving direction to incoming planes avoiding accidents and deaths'. I can imagine that must be attractive for adrenaline lovers.
It's not ridiculous, but it's not a slam dunk either, I think.
The average gamer isn't necessarily good at playing them. I would even say the majority. There's a chasm of difference between a pro-level StarCraft player and some dude who hops on Warzone with his drinking buddies every few nights.
At the end of the day all this is is a semi-desperate HR stunt to try and get bodies into our massively overtaxed towers.
https://www.faa.gov/air-traffic-controller-qualifications
There requirements would eliminate the vast majority of gamers. They want people in perfect physical and mental health (perfect vision and perfect hearing) with bachelors degrees. No drugs. And you have to pass a qualifying exam.
Then you are going to be working 3-4 years at low pay until you are fully certified.
You're a perfect physical specimen, not for long, let us destroy that by making you sit here and watch this screen for the next 25 years.
And then force you to retire before the job gives you a heart attack or stroke.
Yeah ... maybe the bachelor's degree isn't really necessary?
Or maybe they could just pay better.
Or maybe they could invest in a (very well tested and absolutely not vibe-coded) computerized system that takes some of the mental burden and stress out of the job.
But out of those 3 options, dropping the degree requirement is the only one that doesn't cost a lot of money, so...
You're also getting no say in where you end up. It could be any city in the United States.