In the MMORPG Black Desert, a Halloween event was supposed to last until November 2nd. However, on October 30th, the team announced that they were canceling the event and all promotional activities in the online role-playing game. They made this decision after the tragic events that occurred on Saturday in Seoul.
What happened in Seoul? On October 29th, Halloween was to be celebrated in the capital of South Korea: It was the first time since the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions that people in Korea could celebrate the festival.
Apparently, many more people attended the celebration than anyone expected.
Eye witnesses report that the streets were overcrowded with people who just wanted to celebrate Halloween (via CNN): In the nightclub district of Itaewon, the crowd was very tightly packed in narrow streets.
People surged like in a packed subway – pushing and screaming
An eyewitness told CNN that the streets were like a “packed subway on Saturday night,” with people standing so close together that it was hard to move. People began to push and shove, and many screams could be heard. The eyewitness was able to get to safety and saw others climbing onto buildings to survive.
The costumes of the people contributed to the chaos of the situation. The eyewitness said there was a police officer who was shouting, but it was unclear whether it was a real police officer because so many people were in costumes.
According to reports, a mass panic broke out in the crowd, and people were trampled to death. CNN reports that the Interior Ministry informed them that 154 people died, including 97 women.
In the wake of the tragedy, a national mourning period has been declared in South Korea, lasting until November 5th: During this time, public events are suspended, public buildings display flags at half-mast, and public service employees express their grief with ribbons.
Meanwhile, authorities are investigating how exactly the mass panic occurred. The trigger for the mass panic remains unclear.
Here’s what Black Desert has to say: They state that in light of the “terrible news,” they are suspending all ongoing Halloween events and promotions. They ask fans for their understanding and express their condolences to all affected.
What are other MMORPGs from South Korea doing? As reported by PC Gamer, a current event in Lost Ark is still ongoing. However, it is more of a “general autumn event” and not specifically a Halloween event.
