Video sequences depicting the aftermath of a deadly crush in Seoul will be removed from the latest Call of Duty game following strong objections from bereaved families. According to BBC News, the real-world news coverage of the 2022 disaster, which claimed nearly 160 lives, was incorporated into an opening scene of Modern Warfare 4 to portray a fictional invasion scenario involving North Korea.
The opening cinematic featured approximately three seconds of broadcast footage showing a paramedic performing CPR on a collapsed person, according to SBS News. The sequence also included images of people being transported on stretchers, body bags positioned on streets, and resuscitation attempts. Activision, the publisher behind Call of Duty, has apologised and committed to removing the material in a game update scheduled for 12 November.
The crush occurred in the narrow lanes of Seoul's Itaewon district on 29 October 2022, when more than 100,000 people gathered to celebrate Halloween. The extreme crowding made movement impossible for many attendees, and some individuals were unable to breathe as the density of the crowd intensified.
What did the families say?
On 28 October, ahead of the disaster's fourth anniversary, families of those who died issued a joint statement expressing their distress.
We cannot help but be appalled that the chaotic and desperate scene, in which many citizens at the site performed CPR to save one another and victims lay on the freezing street, was used to create a scene in a game.They continued:
Using such an event as material for a game made for entertainment is in itself highly inappropriate and senseless.
The families characterised the disaster as
a tragedy that caused hundreds of casualties, and citizens who took part in the rescue or witnessed it have suffered from trauma until now. The Korea Game Users Association separately called for Activision to apologise and replace the clip, according to TBS News.
How did Activision respond?
Activision initially stated that it had used real news coverage of the disaster to establish the game's fictional narrative but maintained it had not intended to reference or trivialise the Itaewon disaster or any other real-world tragedy. The company subsequently issued a direct apology on 30 October, expressing condolences to bereaved families and victims who were hurt, as well as to others concerned by the incident.
The 10.29 Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families Association welcomed the decision to remove the footage. However, the group indicated to the BBC that they had not initially received a direct apology from Activision before the company's statement on 30 October clarified its position.
Why was the game controversial?
Modern Warfare 4, released on 23 October, had already attracted criticism for basing its campaign on a fictional North Korean invasion of South Korea. The two nations have technically remained at war for decades, with fighting ceasing in 1953 but no peace treaty ever signed. Conflict remains a genuine concern in the region.
At the game's launch, Call of Duty's chief marketing officer, Tyler Bahl, told BBC Newsbeat:
We have to understand this is entertainment. The decision to set the game in this geopolitical context generated mixed reactions even before the Seoul crush footage controversy emerged.
What happens next?
Activision has confirmed that the footage will be completely removed in a game update on 12 November. The company's commitment to this timeline represents a direct response to the sustained pressure from bereaved families and civic groups in South Korea.
