Call of Duty to Remove Seoul Crush Footage After Backlash

Activision, the maker of Call of Duty, has announced it will remove video clips depicting the aftermath of the 2022 Seoul crush from its latest game, Modern Warfare 4. The decision comes after significant backlash from families of the victims, who expressed outrage over the repurposing of disaster footage for entertainment.

The footage, which reportedly included scenes of resuscitation efforts, body bags on streets, and individuals being removed on stretchers, was incorporated into an opening sequence illustrating a fictional North Korean invasion. Bereaved families stated they were "appalled" by the use of the graphic material.

In a statement, the families described the disaster as a tragedy that caused hundreds of casualties and left survivors and witnesses with lasting trauma. They characterized the game's use of the chaotic scene, where citizens performed CPR on each other on a freezing street, as "highly inappropriate and senseless."

The Itaewon crowd crush occurred in Seoul's Itaewon district during Halloween celebrations, when over 100,000 people gathered. The narrow alleys became so congested that attendees could not move, leading to a lack of breathable air. The incident resulted in the deaths of nearly 160 people.

Activision confirmed the footage would be removed in the game's upcoming update.