The global fight of Medal of Honor: Warfighter

Medal of Honor: Warfighter is the studio’s second stab at the rebooted FPS franchise from EA. Whereas the previous game was all about the fight in Afghanistan, Warfighter promises a “global fight,” one comprised of real-world events.

March 7, 2012 9:30 AM2Remember when US Navy SEALs rescued hostages from Somali pirates? How many of you thought “that would be a great level in a game?” Apparently, the team at Danger Close also thought so.Medal of Honor: Warfighter is the studio’s second stab at the rebooted FPS franchise from EA. Whereas the previous game was all about the fight in Afghanistan, Warfighter promises a “global fight,” one comprised of real-world events that happen all around the globe.

Click for more screens from Medal of Honor: Warfighter

At a Game Developers Conference event in San Francisco last night, Electronic Arts showed off a hands-off demonstration of Warfighter’s new direction. The demo level took place in the Philippines, where you were in an assault against Abu Sayyaf in an effort to rescue hostages. This mission isn’t inspired by fiction. It happened in real life. “Getting inside this kind of real world event is at the heart of Medal of Honor,” executive producer Greg Goodrich told the audience.”Every mission in this game has a dotted line to a real life event,” Goodrich added. Warfighter will trot around the globe in a story that ties multiple events based on a “single terror threat.” It’s the first time in the Medal of Honor franchise that a game is not based “on a single historical event.”Sending players around the word would not only alleviate one of the last game’s main criticisms, by introducing a greater variety of levels. (Medal of Honor exclusively took place in the desert.) However, Goodrich argues that Warfighter can demonstrate that there is an “international Tier 1,” and that the traits of honor and goodwill “are not uniquely American.”The concept expands into multiplayer, where players can assume the role of one of twelve squads. “Each of our allies has their own Wolf Pack of elite operators,” Goodrich said. “Kids in Poland don’t dream of becoming US Navy Seals… so we’re taking a page out of the FIFA playbook.”Medal of Honor was criticized by some for the inclusion of the Taliban in its multiplayer mode. Because of the negative feedback, the team had to rename the terrorist organization to the generic “Opposing Force.” Will Warfighter’s new multiplayer mode attract the same kind of criticism? Danger Close plans on offering a “Blue on Blue” playlist, one that allows good guys to go against good guys. Pitting SAS against SEALs against GROM certainly sounds like a military nut’s dream come true–but how will the mainstream media react?Medal of Honor: Warfighter will be available on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 this October.