There are reports that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is not selling as well as developers had hoped. Player engagement also seems low. Despite terrific reviews, there is even news that Activision is making major changes after serious outcry over a potentially disgusting corporate move.
Activision is removing a Seoul crowd crush scene from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 after backlash from bereaved families in South Korea. The opening cinematic used real news footage from the 2022 Itaewon disaster, where nearly 160 people died in a Halloween crowd crush. The company has apologized and says a Nov. 12 update will take the footage out completely.
It’s hard to believe that this was ever deemed an okay thing to include in the game during development!
Steam charts aren’t everything but it’s kinda crazy to see how big of a fall off Call of Duty has had since MWII on Steam. MWII had the most potential and biggest downfall, MWIII did decent, BO6 brought A LOT of people back then died out quick, BO7 did terrible and MW4 is barely doing better than BO7.
— Hope (@TheGhostOfHope) October 17, 2026
The Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families Association and allied groups said they were appalled to see real aftermath images repurposed in a game. MSN’s gaming report carried the same removal news to a wide U.S. audience. The families’ point was simple and heavy. People died on those streets. Entertainment was not a fit place for that tape.
What Activision Is Pulling, and Why
Modern Warfare 4 launched in late October around a fictional North Korean invasion story. The opening sequence used real news clips to sell chaos on the ground in South Korea. Among that material was footage tied to the Itaewon crush, including rescue aftermath that families recognized immediately. Activision said the game is fiction, that the news tape was meant to build immersion, and that the studio never intended to evoke or trivialize the Itaewon disaster. The apology and the Nov. 12 removal are the actions that followed the outcry.
That sequence matters because intent and impact split in public. A developer can argue the edit was brief and fictionalized. Families can still see their worst night on a disc. Once those families speak, the only clean corporate move is deletion. Activision chose deletion on a dated patch, which is faster accountability than a vague review promise.
READ: Walmart Says Zelda Switch 2 Preorder Cancellations Were an Error, Offers 48-Hour Rebuy
The Real Disaster Behind the Backlash
On Oct. 29, 2022, huge Halloween crowds packed the narrow alleys of Seoul’s Itaewon district. The crush left nearly 160 people dead and sent a trauma through the city that has not faded on anniversary weeks. Modern Warfare 4’s release landed close to that calendar, which sharpened the reaction. Bereaved groups said citizens who rescued or witnessed the disaster still carry that night, and seeing it in a campaign intro crossed a line no fictional war setting could excuse.
An image from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare – Call of Duty
South Korean broadcasters and family associations pushed the demand into national coverage. Gamers’ groups asked for an explanation and a fix. Activision’s second statement went further than the first: deepest condolences, a clear apology, and a calendar date for total removal. The families’ association welcomed the deletion while telling the BBC it had not received a direct apology from the company. That gap is still part of the story.
What the Nov. 12 Update Needs to Finish
A patch that “completely” removes the footage has to clear the opening cinematic and any leftover references players can trip into. Anything less will read as half-work. Call of Duty updates land on a massive installed base, so the Nov.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Season 01 Trailer Shoot House returns https://t.co/4ZjQ6fhTYY
— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) October 28, 2026
12 build is the public test of whether Activision meant the apology.
Real tragedy footage in commercial games always fails the same moral math. The clip may be seconds long. The grief is not. Activision is now on the record that the Seoul crush material is coming out. The bereaved asked for respect first. The Nov. 12 update is how the industry proves it heard them.
Overall, it’s not a great sign for an Activision that is now also in charge of Microsoft’s previously most-important-franchise… Halo. Can they turn around Call of Duty and can they figure out where things have gone so wrong? Lower player counts are trending worse and big games could be the talk of town this holiday season — but Call of Duty might not be one of them this year.
Should big war games be barred from real disaster footage entirely, or is a fast removal enough when families object? Sound off and let us know!
UP NEXT: Activision Removes Controversial Call of Duty MW4 Scene After Backlash
