Activision has confirmed that real news footage of the 2022 Itaewon disaster will be removed from the opening scene of Modern Warfare 4. The decision follows intense criticism from the families of victims who were appalled by the use of images showing the aftermath of the deadly crush in a fictional war setting.
The video clips, which depicted the chaotic scene in Seoul’s Itaewon district, were included in the game to illustrate a fictional North Korean invasion. The footage showed people being carried on stretchers, body bags on the street, and resuscitation efforts. The 10.29 Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families Association stated that using such a tragic event as material for an entertainment product was highly inappropriate and senseless.
Activision Apology and Removal Timeline
In a statement released on Friday, the game’s publisher apologized to the bereaved families and victims. Activision acknowledged that it had used real news coverage to establish the game’s fictional narrative but insisted it had not intended to reference or trivialize the Itaewon disaster or any other real-world tragedy. The company confirmed that the footage would be removed in the game’s next update, scheduled for November 12.
While the bereaved families welcomed the decision to remove the footage, they told the BBC that they had not received a direct apology from Activision. The families emphasized that the disaster caused hundreds of casualties and that those who witnessed or participated in the rescue efforts continue to suffer from trauma.
Controversy Over Game Setting
The inclusion of the Itaewon footage added to existing controversy surrounding Modern Warfare 4, which is set during a war between North and South Korea. The two countries have been technically at war since 1953, as no peace treaty was ever signed. At the game’s launch, Call of Duty’s chief marketing officer, Tyler Bahl, defended the setting by stating that it is important to understand the context of entertainment.
The 2022 Itaewon crush occurred on Halloween night when more than 100,000 people gathered in the narrow alleys of the Itaewon district. The streets became so tightly packed that people could not move, and some were unable to breathe. The disaster resulted in nearly 160 deaths, making it one of the deadliest peacetime crowd crushes in recent history.
Source: BBC
