How Accurate Are Helmet Depictions in Video Games?

The EXFIL^® Carbon in “Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint.”
 

In some games like “Escape from Tarkov,” the helmets have realistic impacts on gameplay. In “Tarkov,” helmets are ranked for different factors such as coverage area and durability. There is also a tradeoff applied to movement and turning speed based on the specific helmet used; this mimics the decisions that helmet developers make in the real world, as a piece of protective equipment can be “over-engineered” to protect against nearly anything but become heavy and cumbersome as a result. Video game players can select lightweight tactical helmets with less coverage but less of a detriment to mobility – a reflection of special operations teams making a shift to high-cut helmets.

Then there’s a wide range of realism when it comes to what a tactical helmet in a video game can stop. Real NIJ Level III-A ballistic helmets like our EXFIL^® Ballistic and EXFIL^® Ballistic SL are tested to withstand five 44 Magnum rounds and five 9mm FMJ rounds. In “Grand Theft Auto Online,” a player in a ballistic helmet can survive up to four shots from the game’s 9mm pistol with a silencer and one shot from a more lethal weapon like a heavy sniper rifle. On the other hand, “Rainbow Six Siege” has a one-shot headshot game mechanic.

In the end, it comes down to what can be coded into the game. While a bullet impacting a helmet straight-on versus at a 45-degree angle would make a difference on the outcome for a person in real life, a video game might only code for a simple yes/no model on whether the character was shot in the head and apply damage from there.

But a video game is just that – a game. Game developers are more focused on playability and fun, and rightfully so. The most compelling games help players escape from the real world rather than being overly concerned with realism.

When it comes to virtual combat, your helmet can boost the cool factor of your character’s appearance. When it comes to actual combat, your helmet can protect you from real-life threats.