Entertainmentupdated 2h ago3 min read
Archive photo · 29 October 2023Families Demand Call Of Duty Remove Itaewon Crowd Crush Footage After North Korean Attack Scene
“Activision did not comment on the request to edit the scene to remove the video from that night.”
“Activision, the game’s publisher, told the Yonhap news agency that ‘some actual news footage included in the game’s opening cinematic was utilised”
Photo: *Youngjin, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cropped for layout
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Bereaved families demand removal of real Itaewon crowd crush footage used in Modern Warfare 4. Footage appears in opening cinematic depicting a fictional North Korean invasion; controversy spreads.
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Call of Duty faces backlash
Families of victims of South Korea's 2022 Itaewon crowd crush demanded that footage of the disaster be removed from the latest installment of "Call of Duty," after the game used real recordings to depict the aftermath of an imagined North Korean attack. Cho In-young, an official with a committee representing victims' families, told AFP that the game showed "a complete lack of sensitivity" toward bereaved families and the dignity of those who died.
Activision said it used the footage "as an element to convey the fictional story depicted in the game," and the company added that it had "There was absolutely no intention to reference or trivialize the Itaewon disaster or any other real-life tragedy," according to the AFP report. The controversy centered on an opening scene in "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4" that used rescue efforts, police and firefighters controlling the scene, and bodies lined up along the streets, with monochrome tones and noise filters added to make it appear as if it was the result of war.
Bereaved families call it senseless
Bereaved families who lost loved ones in the crush caused by overcrowding in Seoul's narrow streets said they were appalled to see the footage included in the latest "Call of Duty" game. The families called the inclusion "senseless" and said the game makers Activision should delete the footage, while they also said "We cannot help but be appalled" that the chaotic and desperate scene was used to create a game sequence.
Activision confirmed it used recordings from that night but said it had "not intended to reference or trivialise the Itaewon disaster or any other real-world tragedy in any way, shape or form," and a spokesperson said the game's opening cinematic "utilises some real world news coverage" to establish the fictional narrative. The BBC also described the timing as the fourth anniversary of the crush, and it said the game was released last week and had already faced criticism for basing the story on North Korea invading South Korea.
What happens next for Activision
The dispute has unfolded as South Korea marked the fourth anniversary of the Itaewon disaster, with the BBC noting that more than 100,000 people went out in Seoul's nightlife district to celebrate Halloween and that the narrow streets became so tightly packed that people could not move. The bereaved families' council and a coalition of civic groups said they planned to formally raise the issue after collecting signatures, and they demanded corrective action "as soon as possible" if the game developers had "even the slightest respect and empathy for the victims of the Itaewon disaster."
Activision did not immediately reply to a request for comment in the AFP report, while the company told Yonhap that the footage was used to convey the fictional story and insisted it had no intention of referencing or trivializing the real tragedy. The BBC reported that "Modern Warfare 4" had already faced criticism for its North Korea invasion premise, and it quoted Call of Duty's chief marketing officer, Tyler Bahl, saying, "We have to understand this is entertainment".