Outcry after Call of Duty maker uses real footage of deadly Seoul crowd crush in new video game

Bereaved families in South Korea have demanded that Activision remove real, seconds-long broadcast footage of the devastating 2022 Itaewon crowd crush from the opening moments of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, which launched on October 23, 2026, as part of a fictional North Korean invasion narrative.

Bereaved Families and South Korean Groups Condemn Itaewon Footage in Opening Cinematic

The inclusion of harrowing video clips showing paramedics performing CPR and rows of bodies laid out in the street has sparked fierce backlash in South Korea. The footage depicts real news broadcast material from Getty capturing the tragedy on Halloween weekend in 2022, when 158 people died in a narrow alley in Seoul’s Itaewon nightlife district, with two additional victims later recognised from trauma-induced deaths. The controversy surfaced as the country marked the fourth anniversary of the disaster.

We are appalled that the chaotic and desperate scenes, in which countless citizens performed CPR to save one another and victims lay on the cold street, were used exactly as they were to create a scene in a game.

The bereaved families’ council and a coalition of civic groups, Joint Statement

The bereaved families’ council alongside civic organizations issued a joint statement demanding the immediate removal of the clips. Representatives noted that individuals who took part in the rescue or witnessed the crush continue to live with trauma, while hateful comments directed at victims have spread online in connection with the game’s premise.

Activision Responds to Criticism as Korean Broadcasters Compare Side-by-Side Clips

Publisher Activision defended the creative choice in a statement provided to the Yonhap news agency. The company asserted that some actual news footage included in the game’s opening cinematic was utilised as an element to convey the fictional story within the work and maintained that they had absolutely no intention of mentioning or treating lightly any actual tragic events, including the Itaewon tragedy.

Outcry after Call of Duty maker uses real footage of deadly Seoul crowd crush in new video game — Photo: Lords of Gaming

Players across South Korea quickly identified the footage following the game’s release, prompting local broadcasters to air side-by-side comparisons with recordings captured on the night of the disaster. In response, The Korean Game Users Association issued formal calls for an apology and demanded that the contested footage be replaced.

Political Pressures and Commercial Success on South Korean Sales Charts

The latest installment in the long-running franchise had already generated political debate prior to its release. Conservative politicians in South Korea urged President Lee Jae Myung, who pursues a conciliatory approach toward Pyongyang, to play the title in order to understand what they framed as the ongoing threat from North Korea. Despite the controversy surrounding its opening scenes, the game topped South Korea’s sales chart on Steam within days of its debut, placing players in the role of a South Korean marine private fighting an invasion through recognisable streets.

Campaign Structure, Narrative Scope, and Gameplay Innovations

Developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision Blizzard for $70 or £60, Modern Warfare 4 arrives as a single-player campaign consisting of sixteen distinct missions. The main narrative lasts approximately seven to eight hours and spans international locations including South Korea, New York, Paris, Mumbai, and North Korea. The plot divides its focus between a conventional regional war and individual covert operations, showcasing stark geopolitical tensions that mirror contemporary real-world news while eschewing sci-fi elements.

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 Campaign Gameplay Walkthrough Part 1 – INTRO (PS5 Pro)

The campaign splits its storytelling across dual narratives. On one side, infantry grunts face the ground-level chaos of the North Korean invasion alongside South Korean forces and allied American troops. On the other side, Captain John Price operates as a rogue agent following his assassination of General Shepherd at the conclusion of Modern Warfare 3. Price’s missions introduce classic, bombastic espionage sequences, such as a tailing operation in New York City, a high-speed car chase through the streets of Paris, and evasion maneuvers in Mumbai.

Alexander Norris, Associate Design Director at Infinity Ward, noted that the studio aimed to give infantry characters a grounded combat experience appropriate to their circumstances, contrasting with Price’s more cinematic exploits. The game also features a star-studded voice cast including Mads Mikkelsen as The Archer, María Elisa Camargo as Valeria Garza, and Barry Sloane reprising his role as John Price.

Integration of DMZ Mechanics and Multiplayer Modes

A notable addition to the single-player experience is a mission titled “Stranded,” which acts as an open-world DMZ training exercise. While praised for integrating extraction mechanics into a narrative structure, some reviewers observed that the open-world mission occasionally disrupts narrative pacing and features real-time asset rendering issues. The DMZ mode itself functions as an extraction shooter supporting up to 60 players on platforms including PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.

In addition to the campaign and DMZ, the title’s multiplayer offerings include innovative matchmaking environments. Modes like Kill Block revitalize round-based deathmatch play through maps that subtly evolve between rounds, while other playlist variations challenge players with dynamic objectives and cash-based bounties.

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