Bereaved Families Urge Activision to Remove Real Seoul Halloween Crush Footage from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4

Families who lost loved ones in the 2022 Seoul Halloween crowd crush have called on Activision to remove actual footage of the tragedy from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. The game, developed by Infinity Ward, places players in the middle of a North Korean invasion of South Korea. A brief clip of real-life rescue efforts from the Itaewon crush, which claimed nearly 160 lives, appears in the game's opening montage, heavily filtered and with effects added. According to the BBC, the families released a statement saying they were "appalled" that the footage was used and demanded its removal. "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 as it was to create a scene in a game," they said. "Using such an event as material for a game made for entertainment is in itself highly inappropriate and senseless. If the game developer has even a minimum of courtesy and empathy towards the victims, it should take corrective action without delay." In a statement to IGN, Activision said it used the footage to "establish the game's fictional narrative" and did not comment on the removal request. "In developing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, we approached the subject matter with care and respect. The game's opening cinematic utilizes some real world news coverage to establish the game's fictional narrative. It is not intended to reference or trivialize the Itaewon disaster or any other real-world tragedy in any way, shape or form." The crush occurred four years ago when mostly young people flooded the narrow, sloping streets of Itaewon to celebrate Halloween. An estimated 100,000 people packed the streets for the first virtually unrestricted Halloween festivities in three years following lockdowns. Witnesses said police had trouble controlling the crowds. Responding to criticism about setting the game in a fictional conflict that Koreans have real-world concerns about, Call of Duty's chief marketing officer, Tyler Bahl, told the BBC: "We have to understand this is entertainment."