When a teammate becomes the immediate threat
Friendly fire means a player’s attacks can damage—or kill—members of their own team. That rule changes how a co-op fight works: players must watch not only the enemies ahead, but also where their partners are standing. A shotgun makes the risk especially vivid at close range, where a shot meant for an enemy can also catch an ally in the blast.
Once a teammate has caused serious damage, the group’s priorities can flip. The objective may still be waiting, but the conflict inside the team feels more urgent: players may stop advancing to confront the person who fired. The mission’s planned route gives way to an improvised one, driven by anger, suspicion, or a desire to even the score.
A rule that creates a second game
That disruption is part of what makes friendly fire consequential. In games that allow it, success depends on restraint and coordination as well as aim. Players have to choose their shots, leave room for one another, and decide whether a mistake deserves forgiveness or retaliation. The same mechanic can produce a tense rescue, an argument, or a full-on vendetta.
When the team abandons its goal to pursue one of its own, the game has briefly shifted from fighting its designed enemies to managing the relationships among players. The shotgun blast matters not just for the damage it deals, but for the decision it forces on everyone afterward.
