Modern Warfare 4 to Remove Itaewon Footage in Nov 12 Update

By GameDrop Staff · Nov 01, 2026 · Updates · 2 min read

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 key art — Image: Activision

Activision has said it will remove footage of the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush from the opening of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. The change is due in a November 12 update, according to a statement given to Korean broadcaster MBC and reported by Kotaku.

Quick summary

The intro used distorted footage of the October 29, 2022 Itaewon incident in Seoul
Activision apologised to victims' families and said it never meant to downplay their pain
The footage is to be removed in an update on November 12
As of Kotaku's report, no English statement from Activision or Infinity Ward had appeared

What happened in the Modern Warfare 4 intro?

The game is set around a fictional war between North and South Korea. Its opening sequence uses footage of a crowd rushing, while a narrator explains that North Korean forces have invaded the South. Kotaku notes the images are seen through a distorted filter, but people familiar with the original video would likely recognise it. The Itaewon crush happened during Halloween celebrations and killed 160 people, according to Kotaku.

What did Activision say?

After Korean audiences objected, Activision confirmed to MBC that the footage will be taken out in the November 12 update and apologised to the families and victims who were hurt. It said there was no intention to minimise the suffering people have experienced.

When will the update arrive, and will it affect gameplay?

The date given is November 12. Neither source we reviewed describes what will replace the footage or whether the update includes other changes, so wait for the official patch notes. Our Season 1 guide covers the live-service content timeline.

Why does this matter for players?

It is a rare case of a major publisher pulling real-world disaster imagery from a shipped campaign after public pressure. If you are about to start the campaign, the intro as it stands today includes the footage until the patch lands. Kotaku's own reaction was that such material should not have been approved to begin with.

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