Alex Ovechkin now a playable character in an online war game

The National Hockey League’s (NHL) Washington Capitals captain, Alex Ovechkin, has partnered with video game producer Wargaming, which sees him feature as a playable character on its online World of Warships game.

The Russian hockey star can be played as either an American or a Soviet commander in the online game.

Producers will hope his appearance will help drive the popularity of the product and increase in game sales.

World of Warships, which is mainly popular in Eastern Europe and Asia, also includes voiceovers, images and a trailer featuring Ovechkin as Wargaming looks to expand its audience.

This isn’t the first time the game developer has used elite athletes to drive interest in a game and align with fans of sporting clubs.

Wargaming previously partnered with Italian soccer player Gianluigi Buffon to promote its World of Tanks game earlier this year.