CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE: Infinity Ward Addresses "White Phosphorous" Killstreak Controversy

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare will include a plethora of killstreaks within its multiplayer mode. If you're unfamiliar with the concept of killstreaks, they're essentially powerful abilties that players are able to make use of by getting a certain number of kills without dying. For example, you might be able to call in an AI-controlled helicopter as a reward for an eight kill streak.

One of the killstreaks that will be included in the upcoming instalment is called "White Phosphorous" and has elicited some controversy. In-game, it's a plane that will fly overhead and drop harmful and disorienting gasses. It requires a ten kill streak to unlock.

It's based on a real, weaponised chemical that the military makes use of. It would be considered a war crime if the chemical were to be used improperly — and that's essentially what Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is portraying by including it.

Multiplayer maps typically take place in areas in which civilians could be located. White Phosphorous would therefore not realistically be used. Thus, it's inclusion seems to starkly contrast the strictly realistic and dark tone that the game is said to make use of.

Geoff Smith, the upcoming first-person shooter's multiplayer design director, recently participated in an interview with VG24/7 (via IGN) in which he addressed this controversy. According to Smith, the game's multiplayer is a totally different animal to its singleplayer.

“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. I always felt like in the previous games that multiplayer is like the distant weapon fire that you hear a few blocks away from where the single player is.”