Modern Warfare 4 faces backlash over real-life Seoul disaster footage as Activision responds

Activision has responded to the backlash over the Modern Warfare 4 campaign using real-world footage during an opening cinematic that is linked to the devastating Itaewon crowd crush in Seoul, South Korea, on October 29, 2022, which took around 160 lives and left many more injured.

The crowd crush happened during Halloween celebrations, when huge crowds became trapped in a narrow alley near bars and clubs in the Itaewon nightlife district.

As reported by The Guardian, bereaved families, civic groups and the Korean Game Users Association are calling for an apology from Activision and for the footage to be removed from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. The backlash comes as South Korea marks the fourth anniversary of the tragedy.

Activision responds to Modern Warfare 4's Itaewon crowd crush controversy

“In developing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, we approached the subject matter with care and respect,” said an Activision spokesperson in a comment provided to GAMINGbible.

“The game’s opening cinematic utilizes some real-world news coverage to establish the game’s fictional narrative. It is not intended to reference or trivialize the Itaewon disaster or any other real-world tragedy in any way, shape or form.”

What the controversial Modern Warfare 4 footage shows

The clip used in the opening cinematic lasts roughly three seconds. While it does not show the crowd crush itself, it reportedly shows a paramedic performing CPR on a person lying in the street, alongside shots of bodies on the ground and a person being carried away.

Modern Warfare 4's opening cinematic uses real-world news footage to establish the scale of its fictional North Korean invasion of South Korea. However, the inclusion of footage linked to the Itaewon crowd crush has drawn criticism from bereaved families and campaigners who want it removed.

Activision maintains that the footage was not intended to reference or trivialise the disaster. Whether the publisher will make any changes remains unclear, but the controversy has brought renewed attention to how real-world tragedies are represented in fictional video games.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launched on October 23, 2026, for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch 2.