Bereaved families have called on Activision to remove real footage of the 2022 Seoul Halloween crowd crush disaster from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. The game, developed by Infinity Ward, features a brief segment of real-life rescue efforts from the Itaewon crush, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 160 people, within its opening montage. The footage is reportedly filtered and has effects applied.
According to the BBC, the families issued a statement expressing their "appallment" at the footage's inclusion and demanded its immediate 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," the families stated. They added, "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 response, Activision provided a statement to IGN explaining that the footage was used "to establish the game’s fictional narrative." The company stated, "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." Activision did not comment on the specific request to remove the footage.
The Itaewon crowd crush occurred during Halloween celebrations four years ago, with an estimated 100,000 people gathered in the narrow streets of the Itaewon district. Witnesses reported that police struggled to manage the large crowds.
Addressing criticism regarding the game's setting in a fictional conflict that resonates with Korean societal concerns, Call of Duty's chief marketing officer, Tyler Bahl, told the BBC, "We have to understand this is entertainment."