Activision to cut Itaewon crowd crush footage from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4
The publisher said the in-game news report was meant to set up a fictional narrative and offered condolences to the victims' families.
Activision has confirmed it will remove real-life news footage of the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 following a backlash, according to gamesradar.com. The footage appeared as part of an in-universe news report at the end of the game's first mission.
The clip showed rescue efforts at the scene, including CPR, bodybags and stretchers. Activision said the material was used to establish the game's fictional narrative and was not intended to reference or trivialise the Itaewon disaster or any other real-world tragedy. The publisher offered its condolences to the families and victims of the incident.
The 10.29 Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families Association welcomed the decision to cut the footage, but said Activision has not reached out with a direct apology.
Earlier criticism and past scrutiny
Earlier this week, bereaved families issued a statement via BBC News calling the use of the footage appalling and inappropriate. On October 29, 2022, a crowd crush in Itaewon, Seoul, during Halloween festivities killed 160 people and injured 196 others.
The removal follows past scrutiny of the series: 2019's Modern Warfare reboot was accused of attempting to rewrite history over its portrayal of the 1991 Highway of Death as a Russian attack.
Quick answers
What footage is being removed from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4?
Real-life news footage of the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush, which appeared in an in-universe news report at the end of the game's first mission and showed rescue efforts including CPR, bodybags and stretchers.
Why is Activision removing the footage?
Activision said the footage was used to establish the game's fictional narrative and was not intended to reference or trivialise the Itaewon disaster or any other real-world tragedy, and it offered condolences to the families and victims.
Have the bereaved families responded?
The 10.29 Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families Association welcomed the decision but said Activision has not reached out with a direct apology.