Players of a new video game are reportedly cast as terrorists who murder unarmed civilians in an airport in scenes described as "reminiscent of last year's mass killings in Mumbai".
Secret video footage of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was leaked earlier this morning, showing one level where characters wearing body armour over business suits shoot down other characters.
The footage of the massacre — described by gaming blog IGN as "some of the most violent-looking and realistic scenes we've seen in a video game" — was published on YouTube but later pulled because of "copyright infringement".
It showed a group of armed men entering the baggage area of an airport where 20 people are shot to death: the rest of the level consists of civilians being killed in other sections of the airport.
The footage ends after the terrorists move up escalators draped with bodies and outside to a tarmac where a passenger plane with red, white and blue stripes is waiting.
Technology website CNet.com said the "scene's gritty realism" was in stark contrast to the cartoonish violence of Grand Theft Auto IV, infamous for its gruesome killing scenes involving machine guns, grenade launchers and steak knives.
Other websites like GameSpot.com have said the decision to mix an airport massacre and terrorism may prove to be "toxic, publicity-wise".
The website said the scene was reminiscent of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India last year which left 200 people dead.
Call of Duty's publisher Activision has not commented on the authenticity of today's leaked footage but most websites that published the clip have been ordered to take it down.
Modern Warfare 2 is the sequel to Call of Duty 4 and has been given an MA15+ rating in Australia.
It is due to be released on November 10.
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