From GoldenEye 007 and Half-Life to Call of Duty and Escape From Tarkov, video games have created quite a bizarre trend when it comes to naming their virtual weaponry. But why exactly do video game weapon names sometimes seem so random? Is it a case of law? Licensing? Or a subject even more difficult to work around?
With the help of Keeper of Firearms & Artillery, Jonathan Ferguson, and a range of video game developers, we unpick the weird world of virtual firearm design and weapon names.