Activision to remove Itaewon crowd crush footage from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 and apologises to victims’ families
Activision has apologized to the families of victims from the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush tragedy in Seoul, South Korea, and confirmed that footage of the real-world disaster will be completely removed from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. The removal will be implemented via a game update scheduled for November 12.
The controversy emerged after the game’s opening cinematic was found to contain short news clips from the actual tragedy, which occurred during Halloween celebrations and resulted in approximately 160 deaths. The footage was used to depict fictional civilian casualties in the game’s campaign opening, drawing criticism for its insensitive use of a real-world tragedy to set the scene for a fictional narrative.
In a statement issued in Korean and translated by Inven Global, Activision stated: “We bow our heads in deep sympathy and apology to the bereaved families and victims.” The publisher acknowledged the inappropriate use of the footage and committed to its complete removal from all versions of the game.
This incident underscores ongoing discussions within the gaming industry about the ethical use of real-world tragedies in fictional entertainment, and the importance of cultural sensitivity when depicting actual events involving mass casualties.