Activision to remove Itaewon crowd crush footage from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 and apologises to victims’ families
Activision has apologised to families of those killed in the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush and says it will remove real footage of the disaster from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. The footage appeared in the game’s opening cinematic, prompting calls for its removal from victims’ families and a citizens’ group.
A game update scheduled for 12 November is expected to remove the clips completely. Around 160 people died in the Itaewon disaster. Activision said it had not intended to invoke or trivialise the tragedy; South Korea’s interior and safety minister called the footage’s inclusion “secondary harm” and said appropriate sanctions should be considered.
In short
- Activision apologised to Itaewon victims’ families.
- An update will remove the footage on 12 November.
- South Korea’s interior minister criticised its inclusion.
Explained simply
The Itaewon crowd crush happened in Seoul, South Korea, in October 2022, during Halloween celebrations. About 160 people died when a large crowd became trapped in a narrow street.
Activision is the video-game company behind the Call of Duty series. The incident has drawn attention to how real disasters are shown in entertainment, and to the concerns of bereaved families and others about the impact on those affected.