Activision will remove a segment depicting a real-life tragedy from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 in an update scheduled for November 12. The decision comes after criticism from bereaved families and organizers related to the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush in Seoul.
The opening cutscene of Modern Warfare 4's campaign, which is set during a fictional conflict between North and South Korea, included a scene showing individuals performing CPR on downed people and bodies on stretchers. Following the game's release on October 23, the 10.29 Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families Association and the Citizens' Countermeasures Meeting, groups formed after the actual tragedy, expressed their dismay.
These organizations stated that using such an event for entertainment purposes was "highly inappropriate and a senseless act." They emphasized the ongoing trauma experienced by survivors and witnesses of the disaster and called for prompt corrective measures from the game's developer.
In response to the criticism, Activision stated that the game's development approached the subject matter with care and respect. The publisher explained that the opening cinematic utilized real-world news coverage to establish the game's fictional narrative and was not intended to reference or trivialize the Itaewon disaster or any other real-world tragedy. The update to remove the segment is set to release on November 12.