Bereaved families in South Korea have called for the removal of real footage depicting the deadly 2022 crowd crush in Seoul from the latest installment of the video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. The brief clips are included in the game’s opening cinematic, where they are used to illustrate civilian casualties during a fictional North Korean invasion.

The footage features distressing scenes, including a person administering CPR to a victim lying in the street, rows of bodies laid out on the road, and individuals being carried on stretchers. These images directly reference the fatal incident that occurred in the Itaewon nightlife district during Halloween weekend in 2022, where 158 people were killed in a narrow alley due to overcrowding. Two additional victims have since been recognized as having died from trauma related to the disaster.

In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, a council representing bereaved families alongside a coalition of civic groups condemned the use of these real and traumatic scenes in the game, describing the decision as “appalling.” They emphasized that many who had participated in rescue efforts or witnessed the event continue to suffer from trauma. The groups also expressed concern over the spread of hateful comments about the victims online, linked to the game's portrayal.

Activision, the publisher of Call of Duty, responded to inquiries by stating that “some actual news footage included in the game’s opening cinematic was utilised as an element to convey the fictional story within the work.” The company asserted it had “absolutely no intention of mentioning or treating lightly any actual tragic events, including the Itaewon tragedy.”

The controversy emerged as South Korea approaches the fourth anniversary of the crowd crush, with players and Korean media identifying and comparing the game’s footage against real visuals recorded during the disaster. The Korean Game Users Association has urged an apology from Activision and called for the offending footage to be replaced.

Modern Warfare 4 centers on a South Korean marine private engaged in combat against a North Korean invasion across several identifiable locations in Korea. The title had already attracted political attention before its release, particularly as conservative politicians encouraged President Lee Jae Myung—known for advocating a more conciliatory stance toward North Korea—to play the game as a means of understanding what they describe as the threat posed by Pyongyang.

Despite the backlash, the game quickly rose to the top of South Korea’s sales charts on Steam, the leading PC gaming platform, shortly after launch.