Activision Faces Backlash Over Itaewon Disaster Footage in Modern Warfare 4
- Activision criticized for using real footage from the Itaewon Disaster in Modern Warfare 4.
- Calls from bereaved families and The Korean Game Consumers Association for the footage’s removal.
- Activision clarifies intent, stating the footage was used to establish a fictional narrative.
Activision has faced significant backlash following the inclusion of real-world footage from the Itaewon Disaster in Modern Warfare 4. The bereaved families association and the Citizens Countermeasure Meeting are demanding the footage be removed from the game.
In the game’s opening sequence, brief clips depict a news report regarding fictional civilian casualties amid a simulated North Korean invasion of South Korea. These segments include archived images of a person being carried on a stretcher, someone administering CPR, and multiple bodies on a street.
The protesting groups stated in a joint statement, “Using such an incident as material for a game intended for entertainment purposes is itself highly inappropriate and a senseless act.” They expressed concern for the ongoing trauma experienced by rescue participants and witnesses of the disaster, which resulted in numerous casualties.
The Korean Game Consumers Association added that there must be a clear explanation and an apology regarding the footage’s use, which they argue is disconnected from the gameplay context. They are calling for the footage’s replacement in an update, while urging that the controversy should not escalate into censorship of the game.
In response to inquiries from Eurogamer, Activision issued a statement asserting, “In developing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, we approached the subject matter with care and respect. 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.”
Today marks the four-year anniversary of the Itaewon crowd crush tragedy, which claimed the lives of 160 individuals and injured 196 others, representing South Korea’s most severe mass casualty event since the 1995 Sampoong Department Store collapse.
News Courtesy of Eurogamer
