Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is facing calls from bereaved families and a South Korean consumer advocacy group to remove real news footage from its opening cinematic that appears to show a victim of the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush in Seoul, which killed 159 people.
The controversy centres on a brief clip in the game's introductory sequence, which features archival news footage alongside fictional reports about a North Korean invasion of South Korea. The footage reportedly includes a paramedic performing CPR on a person lying on the ground. South Korean players identified the shot as footage from the Itaewon disaster, prompting calls for Activision to replace it.
Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families Demand Removal
According to South Korean broadcaster SBS, the October 29 Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families Association has issued a statement calling on Activision to remove the footage from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4.
The Itaewon crowd crush occurred in October 2022 during Halloween celebrations in Seoul. A crowd surge in a narrow alleyway resulted in 159 deaths and 196 injuries. The disaster continues to affect survivors, bereaved families, and people who witnessed or participated in rescue efforts.
The association criticised the inclusion of the footage in a video game intended for entertainment, describing the decision as inappropriate and insensitive.
"Using such an incident as material for a game meant for entertainment purposes is itself highly inappropriate and insensitive," the statement reads, according to SBS's English translation.
The association also highlighted the continuing trauma experienced by those affected by the disaster and urged the developer to take corrective action.
"If the game developer has a shred of basic courtesy and empathy toward the victims, it should take prompt corrective action," the statement added.
Korea Game Users Association Also Calls for Changes
The Korea Game Users Association, a South Korean consumer rights advocacy group, has also called on Activision to edit the opening cinematic and remove the footage.
The organisation said the publisher should explain how footage of the real-life disaster came to be included in the game and issue an apology to bereaved families and others affected by its use.
It also called for an update that replaces the clip, arguing that the footage is unrelated to the game's narrative progression.
The criticism focuses on the use of genuine disaster footage within a fictional military scenario, rather than the game's depiction of fictional conflict between North and South Korea.
Activision Responds to the Controversy
Activision has acknowledged that real news footage was used in the opening cinematic. In a statement to SBS, the publisher said the material was included to support the game's fictional narrative and denied any intention to make light of real-life tragedies.
"Some of the actual news report footage included in the game's opening cinematic was utilized as an element to convey the fictional narrative within the work," the statement reads, as translated by SBS.
The company added that it had no intention of referencing or trivialising the Itaewon disaster or any other real-life tragedy.
Activision's statement addresses the intention behind the footage's inclusion, but the families' association and the Korea Game Users Association have called for more direct action, including removing the clip from the game.
Modern Warfare 4 Controversy Raises Questions About Real-World Footage
The dispute highlights the challenges of using archival news footage in fictional entertainment, particularly when the material depicts real victims and events that continue to affect the public.
In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, the opening montage uses real news reports to establish the context for its fictional invasion scenario. However, the inclusion of footage from the Itaewon crowd crush has drawn criticism because the images are connected to a real tragedy that claimed hundreds of lives and left lasting consequences for those affected.
The bereaved families' association and the Korea Game Users Association are asking Activision to replace the clip and address how it was included. Activision has acknowledged the use of actual news footage and stated that it did not intend to disrespect the victims.
At the time of the reported statements, the central issue remained whether Activision would make changes to the opening cinematic in response to the requests.
