This year’s Call of Duty, Ghosts pushes the envelope by featuring some of the newest and best in animal A.I technology. It not only has fish that dynamically move out of the way of players, but also has a realistic dog that is not only a companion, but a character you can control. Mind-blowing stuff. The question everyone is asking though, is whether or not Riley, the aforementioned dog is going to end up going to the great big kennel in the sky.
It would be a cheap ploy; create some sort of emotional connection with the dog, and then kill it off – to make even the most hardened Call of Duty player stand about complaining of onions being cut. But is that what’s going to happen? Infinity Ward’s being a little coy.
“Everybody thinks we’re going to kill the dog,” COD producer Mark Rubin told the Associated Press. “Maybe that’s the expected thing we would do, so maybe it’s not what we’ll do? We’ll see. People around here didn’t know, and they had that same sentiment: ‘We better not kill the dog.’ The emotional investment for the dog here has been just as strong as what’s happening out in the public.”
Riley the dog is, of course, a big part of the game – but Infinity Ward has taken measure to ensure he’s not just thrown in to bits of the game that don’t make sense.
“There was a risk of shoehorning the dog into scenes where he wasn’t originally going to be,” Rubin said. “Fortunately, that only lasted for a few weeks and everybody got back to concentrating on making the game. It’s great that Riley is so popular, but let’s focus on the game. Let’s have Riley make sense and not just put him in space or in a scuba suit.”
Bad move. A dog in a scuba suit? Would justify all of the inevitable 10/10’s and make Ghosts an instant contender for game of the year. Find out about the life, and possible death of Riley when Ghosts is released next month.
Last Updated: October 23, 2013
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| was reviewed on PC | |
Ultimo_Cleric N7
October 23, 2013 at 11:06
Cheap, CHEAP move if they do. And also soul crushing……
John's (JJ's) Steaming backlog
October 23, 2013 at 11:06
Except if it’s a yorkie.
Craig Boonzaier
October 23, 2013 at 11:08
Or a pug
SaintsRowNigri
October 23, 2013 at 11:13
Hey, my childhood dog was a pug crossed with God only knows what else… I still miss that thing to this day. Brakanjan… here’s to you!
SaintsRowNigri
October 23, 2013 at 11:20
I think we have a news24 troll amongst us… Who the hell downvotes a guy for missing his dog?
TiMsTeR1033
October 23, 2013 at 11:25
I love pugs!
ToshZA
October 23, 2013 at 11:27
Tennis Biscuits on the floor. Try it and enjoy the hilarity that ensues.
SaintsRowNigri
October 23, 2013 at 11:31
No sies man. We don’t hold with animal cruelty
ToshZA
October 23, 2013 at 11:33
Whoever bred a Pug was the cruel one. The rest of us are just enjoying the silver lining in such a tragedy.
SaintsRowNigri
October 23, 2013 at 11:42
Hey, just because you are an ugly bastard does not give the rest of us permission to point and laugh, you know? 🙂
ToshZA
October 23, 2013 at 11:44
But it does give me the permission. Allow me my small graces. They’re about as small as a pugs face. So really, hardly noticeable.
MosselMayCry
October 23, 2013 at 12:07
Or a chihuahua
Sageville
October 23, 2013 at 12:16
I’m sorry but chihuahuas’ tea-cup poodles and all those handbag dogs are just car-bumper fodder imo.
MosselMayCry
October 23, 2013 at 12:18
Yup, I also prefer larger dogs. We have a German Sheppard, but I just feel so bad if he looks at me with those eyes when I tell him we’re not going for a walk.
Sageville
October 23, 2013 at 12:45
Big and stupid dogs for me.
Had a Perenian Mountain dog, now got a ridgeback.
NecroRince
October 23, 2013 at 11:29
Agreed. Why not throw a koala in there too?
TiMsTeR1033
October 23, 2013 at 11:35
and a kangaroo!
SargonTheGreatPandaOfAkkad
October 23, 2013 at 14:17
I’d HOPE the friggin’ Kangaroo gets what is coming to it. They’re evil them marsupials are! Evil!
HvR
October 23, 2013 at 11:58
at least a couple of Federation Mexican fighting cocks.
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 23, 2013 at 11:06
I won’t even play the game & I don’t want them to kill the dog.
SaintsRowNigri
October 23, 2013 at 11:14
Dog in a scuba suit? The levels of awesomeness this achieves is second to none!
Sageville
October 23, 2013 at 12:17
…maybe the dog will get the chance to jump over a shark??
I here that pumps ratings like a baws.
SargonTheGreatPandaOfAkkad
October 23, 2013 at 14:16
The cuteness in this post is ridiculous. Shark Jumping… brought to you by Dog.
UltimateNinjaPandaDudeGuy
October 23, 2013 at 11:16
COD… Yawn… I just want a new game that isn’t the same FPS again =/
SaintsRowNigri
October 23, 2013 at 11:19
I dunno. I’ll always champion CoD’s single player campaigns.
UltimateNinjaPandaDudeGuy
October 23, 2013 at 11:23
Just so much more of the same over and over again… I include BF single player in this. After playing it online the single player is very much bleh to me…
I would very much like a WW1 or WW2 game again. Imagine how awesome it would be with the graphics and detail today, but then again I can just see them putting way too little emphases on the SP again. Oh the days of COD and MOH being about killing Hitler. Good old days <3
SaintsRowNigri
October 23, 2013 at 11:31
Make no mistake. I still rate Medal of Honor: Allied Assault as one of the greatest WW2 games ever. The Normandy landing level: I am still waiting for a game to beat that level. And if COD can attain that level of greatness again I would not complain.
But see, the Modern Warfare series goes to great levels to recreate an awesome battlefield (not the game) experience in their single player campaigns. It kind of reminds me of us kids playing “army” in the backyard. Nothing too serious but still bucket loads of fun.
Unavengedavo(aka. IceCreamMan)
October 23, 2013 at 11:19
What? Do you mean to say that the dog dies in the end of Marley & Me?
Thanks for spoiling the ending for me!
SaintsRowNigri
October 23, 2013 at 11:21
No dude. Seriously. I had to check if the dog dies in the end before seeing that movie. Shit like that makes me cry like no tomorrow.
Kromas
October 23, 2013 at 11:28
SPOILER ALERT!
The scene with Will Smith and his dog in I am Legend made me cry like a baby. I have 11 adorable doggies and hate being sad when something like that happens.
ToshZA
October 23, 2013 at 11:30
I am Legend made me cry. Not for the usual reasons though – it’s more like the reason for people who played Aliens: Colonial Marines. Or watched an international game of chess. Or Golf.
Kromas
October 23, 2013 at 11:39
You are cold as ice.
ToshZA
October 23, 2013 at 11:43
Not with my fluffy blanket wrapped around me. Then I’m nice and toasty. But thanks for caring. 🙂
SaintsRowNigri
October 23, 2013 at 11:32
The year before I had to put down our Boerboel. After that, I cannot stand a dog dying, even in a movie.
Unavengedavo(aka. IceCreamMan)
October 23, 2013 at 11:36
Hachi: A Dog’s Tale was one of the saddest movies I have ever watched…
John's (JJ's) Steaming backlog
October 23, 2013 at 11:38
Damn you IceCreamMan *sniff sniff*
Unavengedavo(aka. IceCreamMan)
October 23, 2013 at 11:51
Damn the onions…
oVg
October 23, 2013 at 11:27
Either way, this will be the end credits 🙂
HvR
October 23, 2013 at 11:30
Evil genius moment:
You complete the final mission and Riley is still alive!!!
Final cutscene player relaxing BBQing some weenies (insert some weenie QTE), Riley chilling in the shade.
He spots a Persian cat and takes off after it.
Garbage truck appears out of nowhere and runs over Riley.
MOoooohahhahahah!!!!!
ToshZA
October 23, 2013 at 11:31
You enjoy the pain of others, dont you?
HvR
October 23, 2013 at 11:31
I feed of the tears of the innocent..
ToshZA
October 23, 2013 at 11:32
*off.
And that sounds tasty, actually. Does it cure AIDS?
HvR
October 23, 2013 at 11:36
No but quenches your thirst like nothing else on earth.
ToshZA
October 23, 2013 at 11:37
I wonder what peach flavoured tears of the innocent tastes like.
Ir0nseraph
October 23, 2013 at 11:31
BF4 style punch the dog http://youtu.be/CrtwqDt0IEk
I would never punch my dogs I love my dogs , and I don’t thing its cool if people are cruel to animals.
HvR
October 23, 2013 at 11:41
This bad motha knows how to handle Riley
Craig Salter
October 23, 2013 at 11:38
if they do kill the dog i can see PETA shouting animal cruelty
John's (JJ's) Steaming backlog
October 23, 2013 at 11:39
I’m surprised they haven’t said anything about an animal being in a game of war already. Crazy bastards those.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
October 23, 2013 at 12:24
They’ve been too focussed on Pokemon Y X. I guess the craziness at Peta can’t multitask.
But seriously though, as an animal lover myself, Peta gives us all a bad name… :/
John's (JJ's) Steaming backlog
October 23, 2013 at 12:25
I agree. My woef is like my child, but PETA is what happens when you give stupid people power.
HvR
October 23, 2013 at 11:45
I would kill off the dog for that reason alone.
oVg
October 23, 2013 at 11:40
BF4 respond 😛
http://i.imgur.com/hNexrFZ.gif
No Longer SIR Twakkus
October 23, 2013 at 11:43
LOL!
NecroRince
October 23, 2013 at 11:46
HAHAHAHAHAHAHHA! 🙂
FoxOneZA
October 23, 2013 at 11:57
99 problems and a pooch ain’t one.
Guest
October 23, 2013 at 12:14
or this
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
October 23, 2013 at 12:26
Lessons of War: Brought to you by Colonel Banana. When using the full mount on a dog, makes sure that your groin is not exposed. Canines always fight dirty!
Gavin Mannion
October 23, 2013 at 11:51
Honestly I hope the dog bites it in the first mission.. I can’t see how the dog is going to make the game any better…
FoxOneZA
October 23, 2013 at 11:56
I see the Navy Seals or whatever they are in the new BF4 launch trailer takes down a Dog with fisticuffs. BF4 goes dog punching http://www.joystiq.com/2013/10/22/battlefield-4-goes-dog-punching/
John's (JJ's) Steaming backlog
October 23, 2013 at 12:07
If they had this thing, then it would be an entirely different story. And it would actually be some creative thinking for the COD crew to put it in.
SargonTheGreatPandaOfAkkad
October 23, 2013 at 14:33
You sir, have no soul. They’re the only animal to domestic themselves because they thought we were so damned awesome. And you reject their awesomeness!? Shame, sir! Shame!
Hahaha. But in all seriousness. Any attempt at immersion in a CoD playthrough has my vote.
Rock789
October 23, 2013 at 11:57
If they kill the dog… Then what’s the meaning of life?! **sobs**
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
October 23, 2013 at 12:09
Comeon guys, this is Call of Duty Cheap Thrills… of course the dog is going to die. The fact that they’ve been advertising the mutt since day one means that it has to be important storywise and we have to “feel attached” to it.
THUS… the Dog’s going to take an arrow to the knee! It’s going to be one of those nauseating scenes where the artificialness of it oozes out of every orifice and copy-pasted building.
John's (JJ's) Steaming backlog
October 23, 2013 at 12:14
Copy and paste on COD? No, never!
SargonTheGreatPandaOfAkkad
October 23, 2013 at 14:15
Pure and irrational lies. The dog is going to disarm the bomb after YOU get shot in the knee and can no longer reach the complicated control interface which requires you to do some basic algebra AND cut a wire in order to save ‘Merica.
Then it’ll have puppies. Because it was a girl. All along.
Matthew Holliday
October 25, 2013 at 10:36
nah, they get us attached, have the dog get kidnapped by Russian Spetznaz, a Die Hard type rescue mission follows.
also gna be a “Homeward Bound” type part, dog gets lost then has to go find his owner, with a broken leg or something, owner cries when dog comes back.
game ends with random guy and his dog Riley standing on a mountain watching whats left of Russia, burn.
Brenz
October 23, 2013 at 12:11
I think they will.
If past games are an indication they usually throw a shocker in somewhere.
Getting you connected with the dog, then killing it sounds about right.
Fnuik
October 23, 2013 at 12:15
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm116/blackonblackta/1241100353_anchorman-kicking-the-dog.gif
Unavengedavo(aka. IceCreamMan)
October 23, 2013 at 12:48
Just for this spoiler, I shall spoil the ending of the most awesomeness movie ever created… SHARKNADO!!!
The town is saved when the twisters are stopped, and the sharks are killed.[INSERT EVIL LAUGH HERE]
Matthew Holliday
October 25, 2013 at 10:30
SHARKNADO, was so bad it wasnt even good.
5-10 minutes of my life i sincerely regret wasting.
CaptainNemo42
October 23, 2013 at 13:02
Wait, people actually care about the story in a CoD game?
DBL_ZA
October 23, 2013 at 13:46
1. Header WIN
2. Don’t kill the dog
3. Downvote this post