{
  "id": 17201486,
  "title": "Call of Duty publisher apologizes for using real footage of Itaewon crowd crush",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/call-of-duty-publisher-apologizes-for-using-real-footage-of-itaewon-17201486",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-30T08:57:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/20261030/call-of-duty-publisher-apologizes-for-using-real-footage-of-itaewon-crowd-crush"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Activision Publishing, the publisher behind the Call of Duty video game series, issued a formal apology on Friday after using real footage of the tragic 2022 Seoul crowd crush in its latest installment, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. The footage, which showed a paramedic performing CPR on a victim lying in the street, was prominently featured in the game's opening moments as a depiction of civilian casualties during a fictional conflict with North Korea.\n\nIn a statement to local reporters, Activision expressed deep regret to the victims and their families who suffered immense loss, as well as to all those who may have been alarmed or upset by the inclusion of the footage. The publisher confirmed that they had no intention of using tragic events, such as the Itaewon crowd crush, as inspiration for their games or to downplay the pain caused by the incident.\n\nThe incident occurred on October 29, 2022, when over 150 people lost their lives in a narrow alleyway in Seoul's vibrant Itaewon district, located in the city's nightlife zone. The families of the bereaved members are among those affected by Activision's decision to use the tragic footage in their latest game.",
  "summary": "The makers behind the Call of Duty video game apologized Friday for using real footage of the deadly 2022 Seoul crowd crush in its latest installment of the game and agreed to remove the footage. A short clip showing a paramedic performing CPR on a crowd crush victim lying on the street appeared in the opening moments of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. The footage was used to depict a scenario of…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "BBC News",
        "title": "Bereaved families appalled by footage of Seoul crush in Call of Duty",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/bereaved-families-appalled-by-footage-of-seoul-crush-in-call-of-duty",
        "published": "2026-10-29T12:01:41.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Yonhap News",
        "title": "Call of Duty publisher apologizes for using real footage of Itaewon crowd crush",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/call-of-duty-publisher-apologizes-for-using-real-footage-of-itaewon-17200647",
        "published": "2026-10-30T08:00:51.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}