What does “Press F to Pay Respects” mean?
“Press F to pay respects” is an internet meme based on Call of Duty. In 2014, the first-person shooter Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare introduced “Press F to pay respects” as a set of instructions during an in-game quick time event at a funeral. From there, the phrase took off as an internet meme used to convey both sarcastic and sincere solidarity or sympathy. “Press F to pay respects” actually refers to instructions specifically for PC gamers; Xbox users had “Hold X to pay respects” and PS4 users had “Hold Square to pay respects.” “Press F to pay respects” became a meme because the funeral scene was considered strange and comical, and its forced interactivity felt out-of-place for players.
Uses for “Press F to Pay Respects”
The meme typically expresses mock sympathy over a fail or loss. This is most often in the context of a game or an online stream—but it can apply to just about any type of faux-tragedy or funny mishap. You might see people react by writing “Press F to Pay Respects” as a way of sarcastically expressing sorrow—or they might even post an image of the meme. For example, if a gamer’s character died making a silly mistake in a video game, someone watching might say “Press F to pay respects” in response. Someone might post a funny picture of a bug in their game or a moment that looks goofy (similar to the Advanced Warfare funeral scene) and caption it with “Press F to Pay Respects.”
In some cases, you can use the meme to express genuine sympathy. Because the meme’s origins are mostly seen as funny and ridiculous, it’s more common to use “Press F to Pay Respects” in a sarcastic way. However, it can also be used when you’re being serious; just make sure to save it for people who understand you and your sense of humor (so they can tell you’re not mocking them). For example, if a highly-anticipated game gets canceled, you might see someone write “Darn. Press F to pay respects,” in response. If a friend vents to you about feeling stressed over work or homework, you could say “Press F to pay respects” to them. Remember: unless you’re with other people who understand (and use) the meme, it’s better to avoid using it to react to more somber topics (like reacting to the death of a family member).
Origins of “Press F to Pay Respects”
“Press F to pay respects” refers to a funeral scene in Call of Duty. In the game, the main character (U.S. Marine Corps Private First Class Jackson Mitchell) must attend the funeral of his comrade, Private William Irons, who died saving his life. During the funeral, players are prompted to “Press F to pay respects” to Private Irons, after which Mitchell will place a hand on the coffin for about 6 seconds, then leave. The default control to interact with an object in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is “F” on PC, which is why the funeral prompts players to “Press F.” The same prompt (“Press F to pay respects”) also appeared in the 2011 video game Batman: Arkham City, in a scene where Batman can visit the site of his parents’ murders. However, that prompt is optional—whereas the prompt in Advanced Warfare isn’t.
The funeral scene in CoD was widely criticized by players and critics. Many felt it was an awkward scene, especially since it forced players to pay respects when it could’ve simply been a cutscene. The mechanic was seen as arbitrary and unnecessary; plus, because it seemed so comical, some felt “Press F to pay respects” was inappropriate in a scene that was supposed to be mournful. Interestingly, Advanced Warfare screenwriter John MacInnes later stated that he didn’t have control over the scene’s inclusion in the game or know about it until asked about it post-launch. According to MacInnes, the game’s scale made it hard to control every creative decision, and “Press F to Pay Respects” was added in the later stages of the game’s development.
Spread & Legacy of “Press F to Pay Respects”
“Press F to pay respects” detached from Call of Duty over the years. As it became a more popular meme, it was associated with CoD less and less. People started spreading the meme around as early as the same November Advanced Warfare was released, which led to others (like Reddit-user ZyreHD) asking why people were mocking the phrase on Reddit. On a segment of “Clueless Gamer,” late night host Conan O’Brien criticized the “Hold X to Pay Respects” scene (as well as the majority of Advanced Warfare’s gameplay). Paste Magazine declared the scene hilarious and noted that “Press F to Pay Respects” could be a viral meme.
“Press F to pay respects” is one of the most popular game memes ever. Among gamers, the meme is considered iconic—even to those who didn’t play Advanced Warfare. To this day, it’s common for gamers to write “Press F to pay respects” (or even just “F”) when something unfortunate or unlucky happens. PC Gamer’s Morgan Park called the meme Call of Duty’s “greatest legacy.” GameRevolution’s Vitor Braz asserted the meme was “one of the most popular video game memes of all time.” All in all, “Press F to Pay Respects” is currently a widely-known and used meme online, particularly among gamers.
Variations of “Press F to Pay Respects”
F in the chat As “Press F to Pay Respects” became more popular, some simply began typing the letter “F” in online chats, particularly when referring to fails or expressing sympathy about something. It’s still common for viewers to spam “F” in Twitch chats, which is why you might see a streamer say “F in the chat.” Although spamming “F” in the chat is most often mocking or humorous, it doesn’t have to be. Much like the original “Press F to Pay Respects,” some use “F” to genuinely react to bad news. For example, during a tribute stream for the Jacksonville Landing shooting, some viewers posted the letter “F” in the stream’s chat to wholeheartedly pay their respects.
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