Activision’s "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4" is facing protests from victims’ families and civic groups after its opening cinematic used real news footage from South Korea’s 2022 Itaewon crowd crush. They are demanding that the publisher immediately remove the clips.
According to reports, the game centers on a North Korean invasion of South Korea. Its opening sequence features several brief pieces of real footage depicting civilian casualties from the fictional war, including people performing CPR on victims in the street, multiple bodies lying on the road and an injured person being carried away on a stretcher. South Korean players identified the source of the footage after the game’s release, while local broadcasters aired side-by-side comparisons of the in-game cinematic and news coverage from the night of the disaster.
The deadly crowd crush occurred during Halloween celebrations in Seoul’s Itaewon district on October 29, 2022. A total of 158 people were killed at the scene, while two others who later died from trauma linked to the disaster were subsequently recognized as victims.
On the disaster’s fourth anniversary, the bereaved families’ council and civic groups issued a joint statement condemning the game’s direct use of footage from the rescue effort. “We are appalled that the chaotic and desperate scenes of countless citizens performing CPR to save one another and victims lying on the cold street were used exactly as they were to create a scene in a video game.”
The families stressed that many people who participated in the rescue effort or witnessed the disaster are still living with psychological trauma. They also said the game’s war scenario has fueled hateful online comments targeting the victims. The Korea Game Users Association likewise called on the publisher to apologize and replace the footage.
Activision responded that the development team approached the subject matter with care and respect. The publisher said real news footage was included in the opening cinematic to establish the game’s fictional narrative and was never intended to reference or trivialize the Itaewon disaster or any other real-world tragedy.
"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4" follows a South Korean Marine fighting back against a North Korean invasion. Politicians had previously urged President Lee Jae Myung to play the game himself to better understand the military threat. Despite the ongoing controversy, the game topped Steam’s South Korean sales chart within days of its release.
via： The Guardian