Original artwork, not a still
Game prompt
Press 'F' to pay respects.
— Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare · 2014
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
A quick-time event meant to be solemn became gaming's all-purpose salute. Critics mocked a game demanding a button press to feel grief, and players answered by typing F in chat whenever something sad, or sarcastically sad, happens. The popular form is the PC wording; console players only ever held X or Square. Arkham City had used the same prompt three years earlier, optionally, at the Waynes' alley.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Call of Duty: Advanced WarfareShow the scene
In Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (Sledgehammer Games, 2014), Private Mitchell's best friend Will Irons is killed in the battle for Seoul, the fight that also costs Mitchell his arm. At Will's funeral the game stops for an interaction: a prompt over the coffin tells the player to pay respects, and pressing the button makes Mitchell step forward and rest a hand on it. The wording was "Press F" on PC; on Xbox and PlayStation the prompt was a held button.
Sources (2)
- Wikipedia: Press F to pay respectsOrigin and Reception sectionsReference checked
- Wikipedia: Call of Duty: Advanced WarfarePlot and Press F sectionsReference checked
Context reviewed