Call of Duty: Modern Warfare multiplayer design director Geoff Smith spoke out on Infinity Ward's decision-making process behind including the controversial White Phosphorus Killstreak that has been getting the game so much negative publicity recently. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is the most promising game the series has advertised in years, but the build-up to launch has thus far been marred by controversial design decisions that have distracted from the gameplay evolution present within the title.
Infinity Ward is getting good at defusing controversy, at least - the developer had its hands full earlier during the Modern Warfare pre-release media cycle when it was revealed the game would contain child soldier sections, as well as the ability to kill unarmed civilians during gameplay. Infinity Ward hasn't shied away from inviting these criticisms toward its upcoming game, just like the studio has likewise been bold and brash in its answers regarding the content, often citing the developer's desire for realism within the game regardless of how outwardly shocking or offensive it may seem. White Phosphorus is a chemical used by military forces and its improper use can constitute a war crime - though it's worth noting it's typically used as a smoke-cover and disorienting tactic.
While speaking during an interview with VG24/7, Smith explained that Infinity Ward approached the multiplayer setting with an entire different mindset than the one for its single-play mode, hence the more "casual" inclusion of a weaponized chemical in multiplayer. Here's what Smith had to say about the philosophy that saw White Phosphorus in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare:
"Our game is more about two sides, that there is no good guy or bad guy, you play on either one. We're just creating this playground to play on."
The inclusion of White Phosphorus also emerged from a conscious decision from Infinity Ward to create a Killstreak that better displayed a disorientation effect than an EMP could. Smith mentioned that conveying an electromagnetic pulse was difficult. With White Phosphorus , it will presumably have a noticeable effect on the map and on gameplay without needing subtle recognition from players.
Still, it's not exactly a great explanation as to why there's a weaponized chemical being hyped up as a Killstreak bonus in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare's multiplayer. Smith correctly pointed out that previous games included nukes and didn't stir up the same amount of controversy that the inclusion of White Phosphorus has, but those were operating on different axes - the nuke has been a major part of gaming culture for decades now between Fallout, Call of Duty, and other post-apocalyptic games, and it's frequently treated with the right amount of gravitas. Many of the critics of Modern Warfare's White Phosphorus don't necessarily want it removed outright, but rather to be explored with the same careful and somber approach that Infinity Ward has been so proud of with regard to its upcoming single-player campaign.
Source: VG24/7