Controversial North Korean invasion setting for next Call of Duty game
The next Call of Duty game, Modern Warfare 4, will feature a campaign set around a fictional North Korean invasion of South Korea, sparking concerns about the game's portrayal of a still-unresolved war.
The next installment in the Call of Duty franchise, Modern Warfare 4, has been revealed, and its campaign setting has generated significant attention and controversy. The game, due out on October 23, partly follows South Korean soldiers as they battle a full-scale North Korean invasion. Dr.
Sarah Son, a Senior Lecturer in Korean Studies at the University of Sheffield, expressed concerns that the game's portrayal of a renewed conflict on the Korean Peninsula "could be controversial" as it "turns still-unresolved war into entertainment". However, some Koreans have reacted more positively, with one calling Korea's inclusion in one of gaming's biggest franchises a "symbolic moment". Developer Infinity Ward has promised that the game will be "grounded in the military authenticity Modern Warfare is known for".
The game's trailer, which has already been viewed almost 22 million times, focuses on a group of young South Korean conscripts on a routine patrol that is disrupted by a missile attack from North Korea. Players will also get to play once again as fan-favourite Captain Price, who will appear in different missions in several cities alongside the Korean campaign. Modern Warfare 4 will launch on current-generation consoles, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2, marking the first mainline Call of Duty to skip PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
The game's release has generated significant buzz, with posts about the latest version amassing more than three million interactions within 24 hours of the announcement across Instagram, TikTok, X, and Facebook. Some Koreans reacting to the setting have welcomed Infinity Ward's decision to tell the story from the perspective of ordinary South Korean soldiers caught up in the conflict. Beyond the setting, Infinity Ward has announced significant changes to gameplay, including revamped movement mechanics and more interactive environments.
The studio is also overhauling DMZ, its extraction-style multiplayer mode, and introducing a new 'Frontlines' system designed to make battles feel more dynamic and reactive.
Source: BBC Technology