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Ex Half-Life and Valve dev says CoD MW3 is “gross and exploitative”

One former Half-Life 2, Portal, Left 4 Dead, and Valve developer says that Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3’s use of quotes is “gross.”

Half-Life 2 CoD MW3: A scientist in glasses, Gordon Freeman from Valve FPS game Half-Life 2

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 is having a tougher time than the average CoD. The MW3 campaign has drawn some serious criticism, in our own review especially, while recent player numbers suggest the multiplayer is struggling to hold players in line with Modern Warfare 2, despite the changes to zombies and Warzone. As Activision’s annual shooter rolls on, Chet Faliszek, the legendary ex-Valve writer behind the Half-Life 2 episodes, Left 4 Dead, Portal, Portal 2, and Left 4 Dead 2, tells the Call of Duty team that one particular aspect of the latest CoD is “exploitative” and “gross.”

In our Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 review, we cite a number of issues relating to the MW3 campaign including its new, ‘open-combat’ missions, and its recycling of environments from Warzone and multiplayer maps. A sporadic Call of Duty tradition (they’re not in every CoD game), Modern Warfare 3 also includes ‘death quotes’ – memorable remarks from famous figures that appear on screen every time you’re killed. The Half-Life 2 Episode One and Two writer Faliszek, whose credits also include CSGO, shares a short video regarding Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3, and one death quote in the FPS game specifically.

“I just played Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 this weekend, the single-player, and I’m shooting people in the face,” Faliszek explains. “And then I didn’t shoot people in the face well enough so I died. And then I got this quote from famous military proponent Rosa Parks.”

Faliszek then shares a screenshot from CoD Modern Warfare 3, whereby a quote from Parks, one of the central figures of the American Civil Rights Movement, appears in Call of Duty after you have died. “Knowing what must be done does away with fear,” the quote from Parks reads.

“Dear Call of Duty team,” Faliszek continues, “I get it. You’re thinking ‘she has this great quote, she’s a civil-rights activist, we’re going to call attention to her.’ No. This is exploitative. This is gross. Rosa Parks has nothing to do with the grossness of your shoot people in the face game. Don’t have her as a death quote. Just don’t.”

Faliszek promises to share more thoughts on Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 in the future. The former Valve developer is currently preparing to launch a new co-op game, The Anacrusis, which leaves Steam Early Access on Tuesday December 5.

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