History Main / OurWeaponsWillBeBoxyInTheFuture

* The current evolution of main battle tanks. During the World War II and the early Cold War, most tanks relied on sloped armor to bounce shots, hence the curved and heavily-sloped designs for turret and hull shapes. However, sloped armor was abandoned following the introduction of composite armor, which offers better protection and was less effective when applied to hard angles. Almost all modern [=MBT's=] follow this design principle. It is most noticeable with the smooth curves and angled facets of the Chieftain and Leopard I that have given way - abruptly - to the squared-off boxiness of the Challenger 1 and Leopard 2. Tanks that still retain their curves, like the T-72, have hidden them under flat panels of ERA bricks to increase their protection.

* The [[MegaCorp New Conglomerate]] in both ''VideoGame/PlanetSide'' games do not believe in curves. The only curves found on any of their equipment are on their helmets, and on the banana magazines on some of their weapons. Their [[MightyGlacier Vanguard tank]], in particular, looks like it was designed using only a straight edge. The [[TheEmpire Terran Republic]], on the other hand, uses [[EverythingIsAnIpodInTheFuture swooping lines]] on all their equipment (despite their weaponry being less advanced than the NC's [[MagneticWeapon gauss technology]]), and the [[MachineCult Vanu Sovereignty]] aesthetic is best described as insectoid, with complicated overlapping armor segments.

* The futuristic installments of ''Videogame/CallOfDuty'' largely averts this trope, with special cases of note:

The most recognizable of modern compact weapons ([[GunsofFiction/SubmachineGuns FN P90, H&K G11,]] [[GunsOfFiction/Handguns Glock, USP, FN 57]]) were given final form during TheEighties, when boxy, plasticky shapes and textures were the norm in industrial design, so they may look a bit {{Zeerust}}y by the present day. That being said, although weapons in service of modern military, law enforcement, or available for purchase are not all boxy so that the older guns, especially rifles, can easily receive common spare parts for modifications and repairs, the advent of industrialization and 3D printing makes manufacturing boxy guns more practical on the manufacturer's side as well.

The most recognizable of modern compact weapons (FN P90, H&K G11, Glock in general) were given final form during TheEighties, when boxy, plasticky shapes and textures were the norm in industrial design, so they may look a bit {{Zeerust}}y by the present day.

* ''Videogame/Cyberpunk2077'', though only a handful weapons that are boxy like the Zhuo [[Homing Projectile Smart Shotgun]]. The pistols, while boxy, are almost dominated by designs that look more like traditional or present day pistols, and there is almost no other weapons that are excessively boxy, with the most common assault rifle, D5 Copperhead, being a mishmash of AK's front barrel and Kriss' center body.

** ''Videogame/CallOfDutyGhosts'' averts this with large ensemble of real life CoolGuns.

** The T'au's pulse weaponry. [[http://media.moddb.com/images/mods/1/6/5152/57622.jpg About as boxy as it gets.]] Definitely overlaps with CoolGuns, though. WordOfGod is that TheAestheticsOfTechnology for the Tau were decided during their concept phase to go with smooth rectangular shapes with only minimal surface detail to make their weapons look like they had been carefully engineered to keep all the components inside, and they were made to be long and narrow to emphasize that they were accurate and hard-hitting.

* While most (non-mecha) guns in ''Anime/MacrossFrontier'' look more or less similar to modern weapons, the heavy rifles carried by [[PowerArmor EX-Gear]] troops definitely play this trope straight.

Depending on how effective these weapons are in their respective setting, they may also be CoolGuns.

See also CassetteFuturism, KineticWeaponsAreJustBetter and HighTechHexagons. When you apply this trope to spacecraft, the result is the ISOStandardHumanSpaceship.

Put simply, Our Weapons Will Be Boxy in the Future is the tendency for more "advanced" weapons in near-future and SciFi to be {{Handwave}}d as "more advanced" or made of exotic, lightweight materials and yet be large, clumsy, rectangular, boxy things much larger than modern-day arms. This is probably based on the fact that many modern weapons use molded plastics with rounded rectangular shapes and smooth curves. At the most exaggerated extent in fiction, guns resemble rectangular prisms and melee weapons tend towards square profiles and right angles.

* ''VideoGame/Battlefield2142:'' Despite being made of "[[HandWave advanced polymers]]", some of the weapons are outrageously boxy and larger than their modern-day counterparts. Example: [[http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/battlefield/images/b/b0/SCAR_11_AR.png/revision/latest?cb=20110204173947]]. Interestingly, the unlocked weapons which are often more popular tend to more closely resemble real guns.

* ''[[VideoGame/RedFaction Red Faction: Guerrilla]]'' does a good boxy gun. It does several good boxy guns. Boxiest would be the assault rifle, which looks like it hasn't been unpacked from the box it came in (although it resembles a cross between real life weapons H&K G11 and Norinco QBZ-95). [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/RFG_assaultrifle.jpg]]

* ''VideoGame/StarCraft'': The Gauss Rifle used by the [[SpaceMarine marines]] is somewhat of a {{BFG}}, but especially in its updated incarnation, is almost a perfect rectangle. It makes sense since Terran PowerArmor is equally huge and isn't good at delicate hand movements. Oddly, however, the gauss rifle can be effectively wielded without wearing PoweredArmor. Somewhat averted, however, with Ghost Canister rifles, which are much smaller and resemble much more large-bore modern assault rifles. In the official artwork, however, the gauss rifle looks rather a lot like a SPAS-12 shotgun.

* ''[[VideoGame/RedFaction Red Faction: Guerrilla]]'' does a good boxy gun. It does several good boxy guns. Boxiest would be the assault rifle, which looks like it hasn't been unpacked from the box it came in (although it resembles a cross between real life weapons H&K G11 and Enfield SA80/L86). [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/RFG_assaultrifle.jpg]]

* ''[[VideoGame/RedFaction Red Faction: Guerrilla]]'' does a good boxy gun. It does several good boxy guns. Boxiest would be the assault rifle, which looks like it hasn't been unpacked from the box it came in (although it resembles a cross between real life weapons H&K G11 and FAMAS). [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/RFG_assaultrifle.jpg]]

* ''LightNovel/TheIrregularAtMagicHighSchool'' feature assault rifles shaped like large boxes. These weapons are used by the Great Asian Alliance soldiers during their (unsuccessful) invasion of Yokohama.

On the SlidingScaleOfShinyVersusGritty, this trope tends towards the latter, as this trope's association with TheEighties brings to mind many [[Anime/{{Akira}} famous works]] [[Film/RoboCop1987 of dystopian]] [[Film/BladeRunner cyberpunk]] [[Film/TheTerminator fiction]]. However, there are exceptions. [[CrystalSpiresAndTogas "Enlightened"]] civilizations may still keep their boxy arms around as a symbol of older times or as a realist answer of how they keep the peace. If the Enlightened civilization has an active military, expect these SpaceElves to use [[EverythingIsAnIPodInTheFuture vaguely iPod-shaped weapons]].

On the SlidingScaleOfShinyVersusGritty, this trope tends towards the latter, as this trope's association with TheEighties brings to mind many [[Anime/{{Akira}} famous works]] [[Film/RoboCop of dystopian]] [[Film/BladeRunner cyberpunk]] [[Film/TheTerminator fiction]]. However, there are exceptions. [[CrystalSpiresAndTogas "Enlightened"]] civilizations may still keep their boxy arms around as a symbol of older times or as a realist answer of how they keep the peace. If the Enlightened civilization has an active military, expect these SpaceElves to use [[EverythingIsAnIPodInTheFuture vaguely iPod-shaped weapons]].

* ''VideoGame/Battlefield2142'' has this as the European Union's aesthetic for its weapons, contrasting the more rounded looks for the weapons of the Pan-Asian Coalition. Applies to the unlockable weapons as well.

* ''VideoGame/{{Sin}}'' gives us [[http://www.ritualistic.com/screens/sineps/render_050827_03.jpg the Magnum,]] Blade's default weapon in both games. The front is so heavy and square that Blade even uses it [[PistolWhipping as a melee weapon]] in ''[=SiN=] Episodes''.

** ''VideoGame/Fallout3'' has a very clear [[ZigZaggingTrope aesthetic dichotomy]] between laser and plasma weapons. The laser pistol and rifles are basically rectangular boxes with a handle and trigger attached to the bottom. They don't even come with sights, by default. Compare a conventional minigun to the futuristic [[BeamSpam "Gatling Laser,"]] and judge for yourself which is the boxiest. Plasma weapons were [[RaygunGothic just the opposite]], being cylindrical "needles" with wires and glowing diodes jutting out everywhere. The ballistic weapons tend to be more mundane mid-20th century designs for small arms and DieselPunk for heavy weapons, though the 10mm handgun and SMG from the previous games return, the former being much boxier this time.

* Averted with ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'''s Combine [[http://sgthk.deviantart.com/art/Overwatch-Pulse-Rifle-Textured-98196601 Overwatch Standard Issue Pulse Rife,]] aka the [=AR2=]. It looks high tech and futuristic, but isn't boxy. Despite its shiny appearance, it's used by the Bad Guys.
* ''VideoGame/SiN'' gives us [[http://www.ritualistic.com/screens/sineps/render_050827_03.jpg the Magnum,]] Blade's default weapon in both games. The front is so heavy and square that Blade even uses it [[PistolWhipping as a melee weapon]] in ''[=SiN=] Episodes''.

* As seen above, ''VideoGame/StarCraft''. The Gauss Rifle used by the [[SpaceMarine marines]] is somewhat of a {{BFG}}, but especially in its updated incarnation, is almost a perfect rectangle. It makes sense since Terran PowerArmor is equally huge and isn't good at delicate hand movements. Oddly, however, the gauss rifle can be effectively wielded without wearing PoweredArmor. Somewhat averted, however, with Ghost Canister rifles, which are much smaller and resemble much more large-bore modern assault rifles. In the official artwork, however, the gauss rifle looks rather a lot like a SPAS-12 shotgun.

* ''VideoGame/{{Dystopia}}'' Inverts this by making the least advanced weapon, the Assault Rifle, look like a long box with a handle. However, it's played straight with the Bolt Gun.

** Though averted in VideoGame/MassEffect3 with weapons from other alien cultures: the [[http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Arc_Pistol Quarian Arc Pistol]], the [[http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Scorpion Salarian Scorpion]], the [[http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Disciple Asari Disciple shotgun]], the [[http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Geth_Pulse_Rifle geth pulse rifle]], [[http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Javelin sniper rifle]] and [[http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Geth_Plasma_Shotgun plasma shotgun]] are all fairly sleek. Some human weapons are sleek too, such as the [[https://masseffect.fandom.com/wiki/M-7_Lancer M-7 Lancer]] and [[http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/N7_Valkyrie N7 Valkyrie]].

* ''Film/{{District 9}}'' has a [[http://www.tgdaily.com/sites/default/files/stock/article_images/games/d9assaultrifle.jpg good example.]]

* ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'' has most of Rocket's equipment be boxy. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] as he often builds things himself from spare parts.

* Justified in the ''VideoGame/XCOMEnemyUnknown'' remake with the weapons reverse-engineered by the titular organization, since there's a war on, and aesthetic considerations are second to functionality. The plasma weapons carried by the aliens are a little more aesthetic, but they usually wouldn't be able to be carried by human soldiers without some major re-engineering (which is why weapons dropped by stunned aliens can't be used in the same battle; only after the XCOM engineers get their hands on them and adapt the design). Strangely averted in the ''Enemy Within'' DLC by [[EvilCounterpart EXALT]] laser weapons. Unlike XCOM designs, the EXALT versions look more like modern-day weapons but have the exact same stats as the XCOM versions. However, it's specifically mentioned when [[StormingTheCastle storming the EXALT HQ]] that the organization prefers form over function.
* ''Videogame/{{XCOM2}}'' plays this straight with the majority of the weapons, both on the hands of XCOM and [[VichyEarth ADVENT]] (though ADVENT weaponry has rounded corners and the plasma guns wielded by the aliens are curvy as ever), with notable exception of the XCOM plasma weapons and Avatar Psionic Repeater.

** ''Videogame/CallOfDutyGhosts'' averts this with large ensemble of real life CoolGuns, although for this particular installment the developers resort to RareGuns a lot.

* The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walther_WA_2000 Walther WA 2000]], a [[RareGuns rare]] bullpup marksman rifle with a rectangular profile mixed with wood furnishing, a black polymer version also exists but finding an example of that is like asking for a falling star ''and'' a blue moon at the same time.

** ''VideoGame/Fallout4'' takes the energy weapon design concepts from ''3'' and adds the Institute lasers, which are [[UpToEleven even larger and more rectangular than the standard lasers]], emphasized by their [[EverythingIsAnIpodInTheFuture smooth, white plastic shells]]. Again, the ballistic weapons averts this, with a clear DieselPunk look.

* ''VideoGame/SaintsRow2'' has the AR-50 assault rifle, and while technically the game isn't set in the future, the weapon itself is a prototype developed by the [[VideoGame/RedFaction Ultor Corporation]], based off the H&K [=XM8=] Assault Rifle, combined with a FN 40GL/Mk 13 Mod 0 Grenade Launcher attached to it (which weren't designed to be used with each other) resulting in a very boxy looking weapon.

* The [[http://www.enemyforces.net/firearms/kriss_super_v.htm Kriss .45]] is an experimental submachine gun that uses an innovative recoil system and unusual stock to make it a wonderfully accurate and controllable weapon that is mostly square.

* The [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HK_G11 HK G11.]] is essentially a rectangular box with a trigger, handle, and scope. It also uses caseless ammunition, making it rather futuristic. In a subversion, this weapon is produced in TheSixties and discontinued in TheNineties due to the AwesomeButImpractical nature of using specialized caseless ammunition in contrast to the usual standard issue assault rifle magazine. Thus any media produced at the time became UnintentionalPeriodPiece in predicting the future.

* Infantry weapons in the United States seems to be beginning down this trend, with the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XM25_Individual_Airburst_Weapon_System XM25 grenade launcher]] and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FN_SCAR FN SCAR battle rifle.]]