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Outcry prompts ‘Call of Duty’ to cut Seoul tragedy footage
NBC News • • world
Key Points:
- Activision announced it will remove controversial footage from "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4" that included real-life scenes from the deadly 2022 Itaewon crowd crush in Seoul, following public outcry in South Korea.
- The game featured about 10 seconds of edited footage depicting the aftermath of a fictional North Korean attack, which closely resembled the Itaewon tragedy, prompting demands from victim families for its removal.
- Activision apologized and scheduled a game update for Nov. 12 to eliminate the footage, emphasizing the game's fictional nature and lack of intent to trivialize the real-life disaster.
- The controversy arises amid ongoing investigations and legal actions related to the Itaewon crowd crush, with South Korean officials and lawmakers debating the game's depiction of North Korea and its broader implications.
- Despite the backlash, "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4" has been commercially successful, topping sales charts in South Korea and the U.S., and receiving positive reviews for returning to a grounded military shooter style.
