In the new shooter Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, developer Infinity Ward is under criticism for using a killstreak that deploys white phosphorus, a horrific weapon. A game designer has now responded to this criticism, wondering why atomic bombs in previous Call of Duty titles did not receive as much attention.
What is the issue with “White Phosphorus?” White phosphorus is considered a terrible weapon of war in the real world. Phosphorus ignites upon contact with air and is almost impossible to extinguish. It causes horrific burns and deaths.
In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, it is said that phosphorus will be used in multiplayer: It serves as a reward when players achieve kill streaks.
The criticism: CoD Modern Warfare strives to portray war as brutally as it actually is in the single-player campaign, but in multiplayer, it glorifies such a dreadful weapon.
White Phosphorus is “rather harmless” in Modern Warfare
This is how white phosphorus works in Modern Warfare: The site VG247 had the opportunity to observe the effect of white phosphorus in the game during the multiplayer reveal:
- A smoke wall is created – it obstructs visibility
- At the same time, phosphorus burns those players who get too close
A designer explains: In the game, phosphorus will not be as brutal as in real life. The player characters should only cough and fall to half health.
No special “burn” animations for phosphorus have been developed. Critics had concerns that these would be particularly gruesome and shocking.
Phosphorus as a realistic substitute for EMP
Where does the phosphorus in Modern Warfare come from? The function as a “protective wall” is the real reason why white phosphorus is in the game, explains multiplayer design director Geoff Smith. They wanted to find something to replace the old “EMP” killstreak.
Because the electromagnetic pulse as a means of disorientation, which disrupts the players’ interface, was probably too abstract for the realistic approach of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. EMPs did not fit in.
Multiplayer is not a statement on the brutality of warfare
Smith goes on to explain that in the multiplayer of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, they do not want to make a statement about how terrible modern warfare is. That’s not what multiplayer is for – it’s more of a playground and clearly separate from the single-player mode.
“Our game is more about two sides, there are no bad guys or good guys, you play as one of the sides. We are just creating this playground where the game is played.”
Smith wonders about the strong reaction to white phosphorus; after all, they had nuclear weapons in previous Call of Duty titles. But the atomic bombs did not provoke such strong reactions.
Smith believes that the intensity of the criticism may relate to the now more realistic depiction of the game. If CoD Modern Warfare looked more like a cartoon, there might not be so much criticism.
