Activision Blizzard faced criticism in South Korea after Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 used footage apparently taken during the 2022 Itaewon crowd disaster in Seoul in its opening scene. The clips showed attempted resuscitation, bodies on a road and a victim being carried on a stretcher. Relatives of victims and civic groups called for their removal, saying survivors, rescuers and witnesses still experience trauma.

The publisher acknowledged that part of the opening used real news footage to support the game's fictional story, while saying it had not intended to trivialise or disparage the Itaewon tragedy. Players in South Korea identified the footage after the game's release, and broadcasters compared it with images recorded during the disaster.