"Press F to pay respects" has become a meme in the gaming community. You'll find these words mentioned in streams, in comments, and on any website where gamers like to hang out – like Reddit and Twitter.
"Press F to pay respects" is a way for people to react or respond digitally when something 'tragic' happened in gaming or related to it.
But do you know where this meme originated from? Well you're in luck if you don't, as we are going to tell you exactly where "press F to pay respects" come from, including the popular first person shooter it originated in. Where Press F to Pay Respects Comes From
Press F (or X or square if on console!) to pay respects comes from the popular Call of Duty series. It first appeared in one of the least popular titles in the series, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, that was released in November 2014.
The specific scene where it arises occurs in the earlier stages of the campaign. After completing the first mission, players are taken to a funeral. Then, after waiting for a period of time, you are able to move, and you will know when you can do so by the presence of a massive F (or square or X) appearing on the coffin in front of you.
Walking up to the coffin and pressing the button that appeared would initiate a game sequence designed to show us that our character lost more than a friend that day. But how did something that was supposed to be sad and thought provoking to the story turn into a meme?