Activision will remove video clips depicting the aftermath of the 2022 Seoul Halloween crowd crush from the opening cinematic of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. The decision follows strong criticism from families of the 160 victims who died in the real-world tragedy.
The footage was reportedly used to establish the game's fictional narrative, portraying the immediate aftermath of a North Korean invasion of South Korea. However, victims' families argued that using such an event for entertainment was "highly inappropriate and senseless."
A statement released by Activision acknowledged the distress caused, stating, "We offer our deepest condolences and sincere apologies to the bereaved families, victims and everyone who has been deeply hurt or distressed by this incident." The publisher asserted that the use of the video was not intended to "reference or trivialize" the actual event. The revised opening cinematic is expected to be implemented in an update scheduled for November 12.