In this paper I examine the cultural implications of the United States military’s use of commercial video game controllers as contemporary battle equipment. My research draws on analysis of the academic literature on militarism and video games, controller studies, and media theory, as well as industry sources and mainstream media reporting. The paper is organized into three sections: a history of the relationship between the military and the video game industry, a discussion of the military’s use of Xbox controllers, and an exploration of the causes and consequences of the increasingly blurry line between toys and weapons.