New Call of Duty game sparks outrage for including real footage of Seoul crowd crush that killed 158 people
Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 has faced backlash for including real footage of the deadly 2022 Seoul crowd crush that killed 158 people.
The clips, lasting approximately three seconds, appear at the beginning of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, depicting civilian casualties during a fictional North Korean invasion. One scene shows paramedics performing CPR on a collapsed victim, while another displays bodies on the roadside with a victim being transported on a stretcher.
Tragic History
The footage references the deadly crowd crush that occurred during Seoul's Halloween festival in 2022. At least 158 people died and hundreds were injured when approximately 100,000 people gathered in the narrow Itaewon street. The crush happened shortly after 10pm local time, with many victims being women in their 20s, teenagers, or young adults.
Emergency responders set up a makeshift morgue in an adjacent building due to the high number of fatalities. The disaster was triggered when a crowd began pushing forward in a narrow alley near Hamilton Hotel upon hearing rumors of a celebrity nearby.
Family Response
Bereaved families and civic groups have demanded Activision remove the real footage from the game. 'We are appalled that the chaotic and desperate scenes were used exactly as they were to create a scene in a game,' stated the families' council in a joint statement.
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 families argue that witnesses and first responders continue to suffer trauma, and online comments about the victims have intensified their pain.
Company Defense
Activision defended their use of the footage, stating it was included in the game's opening cinematic to convey the fictional story. 'We had absolutely no intention of mentioning or treating lightly any actual tragic events, including the Itaewon tragedy,' the company told Yonhap news agency.
The Call of Duty series has generated over $40 billion in revenue since its release. Modern Warfare 4, released last week, follows a South Korean marine private fighting against a North Korean invasion through Korean streets.
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