"Call of Duty" Faces Backlash Over Itaewon Halloween Tragedy Footage
Examining the line between narrative realism and commercial exploitation in modern video games. Is Call of Duty's recent video footage really ethical?
For a long time, the gaming and movie industries have used real-life stories and witness statements as a go-to approach. In the latest Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, creators have used real video footage from the 2022 Itaewon crowd disaster. For many of the victims' families and bystanders who were there that night, this has ignited debate across the internet and global media, raising questions about whether Call of Duty's artistic choices have gone too far.
Short Overview of the Itaewon Halloween Tragedy
During the Halloween celebrations on October 29th, 2022, an overwhelming number of people crowded into the narrow backstreet lanes of Seoul's Itaewon district to celebrate the annual Halloween events. Our CEO, Jonathan Lui, was there in the early evening hours that night and was surprised to hear about the tragic event that unfolded. The dangerous surge of people led to a severe crowd crush that killed 159 people and left a lasting wound on the nation, with some calling it a result of police oversight and a lack of response and presence.
Why This Is Controversial
Families of the victims and game fans have called out Call of Duty for featuring real-life video footage of bystanders performing CPR on victims, as well as police bodycam footage, in the game.
Although some argue that real-life video footage brings the game to life, this topic is highly controversial, as it ultimately turns real-life loss into background filler for profit, which many consider disrespectful and unethical.
What Game Fans Are Saying
Korean game fans are calling for the creators to remove these clips immediately and replace them with something different. While most gamers view using real human suffering as insensitive, a few wonder whether the design team simply selected stock news footage without realizing its background and the tragic story behind it.
Developer Response
Game developers have responded and confirmed that real news clips were added to the latest Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 to add cinematic effects and elements to the fictional story of the game.
In an official statement sent to news outlets on October 30, 2026, the game developers have stated that the video footage will be entirely removed from the game through a game update scheduled for November 12.
Final Thoughts
For the Dojeon Media team, we understand that in today's gaming industry, using real-life footage to bring a game to life is something many game fans appreciate, as graphics and storylines become increasingly realistic.
However, the gaming world should not rely on first-hand footage from a genuine human tragedy. Since its release, this has been a hot topic across global media platforms, and moving forward, game regulators should enforce stricter controls and guidelines for game makers to ensure that incidents like this don't happen again.
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