Woman sues video game manufacturer

[Phlegm]

Old woman sues GTA:San Andreas maker because of content.

from Associated Press:

NEW YORK (AP) -- A woman upset that she bought the video game "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" for her 14-year-old grandson without knowing it contained hidden, sexually explicit scenes sued the manufacturer Wednesday on behalf of consumers nationwide.

Florence Cohen, 85, of New York, said in the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan that the game's manufacturer, Rockstar Games, and its parent company, New York-based Take Two Interactive Software Inc., engaged in false, misleading and deceptive practices.

She sought unspecified damages on behalf of herself and all consumers nationwide, saying the company should give up its profits from the game for what amounted to false advertising, consumer deception and unfair business practices.

Cohen said in the suit that she bought the game in late 2004 for her grandson when it was rated "M" for mature, for players 17 and older. According to the suit, she directed that it be taken away from her grandson, which was done.

The game was released in October with an "M" rating. After a storm of negative publicity about the hidden scenes, the Entertainment Software Ratings Board, an industry group responsible for rating games, changed the rating to "AO" for adults only.

Laurence D. Paskowitz, the lawyer who filed the lawsuit on behalf of Cohen, said no parent would knowingly buy an adult-only video game for their children.

"They should really make sure this doesn't happen again," he said. "The least this company can do is offer refunds."

Hidden areas in video games that can be unlocked with special codes or modifications are not uncommon.

Take Two Interactive initially said the scenes were not part of the retail version of the game but later admitted they were.

A message left for a company spokesman was not immediately returned. On Tuesday, Take-Two announced that it had been notified by the Federal Trade Commission's Division of Advertising Practices that it was conducting an inquiry into the game's advertising claims.

The company said it planned to cooperate fully with the probe.

"Rockstar Games and Take Two Interactive regret that consumers may have been exposed to content that was not intended to be accessible in the playable version of 'Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'," it said in a statement.

The company said it had halted production of the game in the controversial form and was working on a version of the game without the hidden sexual content.

"Going forward, the company will refine the process by which it edits games and will enhance the protection of its game code to prevent such future modifications," it said.

Earlier this week, the House voted 355-21 for a resolution asking the FTC to investigate the company. Last week, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-New York, asked the FTC to investigate Rockstar, saying the company had "gamed the ratings system" by concealing sex scenes in the game that can be unlocked by computer programs available on the Internet.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Target Corp., Best Buy Co. and Circuit City Stores Inc. have pulled the game -- last year's top-seller among console games -- from their shelves following the rating change.

[Arlos]

A woman upset that she bought the video game "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" for her 14-year-old grandson

Cohen said in the suit that she bought the game in late 2004 for her grandson when it was rated "M" for mature, for players 17 and older.

Uh, does anyone else see the logical disconnect here?

-Arlos

[brinstar]

yep, big red flag right there

[Narrock]

The lady should have thrown away the game early on, but GTA is just wrong. Some programmers have very sick minds.

[Harrison]

I'm surprised the stupid bitch is able to sue.

She wasn't able to give her grandson a game appropriate for his age...how can she be expected to even file a suit?

[Martrae]

The violence, language and such was ok..but the hidden sex scene made it a bad game? What a country...

[Harrison]

I am sick of these whiny bitches in our country.

[Guntaag Gorefeast]

Eh, be fair now. Ive been addicted to all the GTA games...but san andreas was a bit over the line.

Not saying she should sue( in fact, i really really hate people who sue over almost anything, let alone something they bought that they dislike) but ffs. What burnt me most about it was the constant N words. Certainly turned me off to the game, still havent picked it back up after the first week.

As far as the sex scenes go, who gives a shit~ the things you can see on NBC at 9pm are worse than GTA as far as sexual content goes (for the most part)

Also, see M rating~

[Captain Insano]

I'm surprised the stupid bitch is able to sue.

She wasn't able to give her grandson a game appropriate for his age...how can she be expected to even file a suit?

You can sue for whatever you want... that doesn't mean the court won't toss the case out without even hearing it.

I don't expect this to go very far.

[Captain Insano]

Eh, be fair now. Ive been addicted to all the GTA games...but san andreas was a bit over the line.

Not saying she should sue( in fact, i really really hate people who sue over almost anything, let alone something they bought that they dislike) but ffs. What burnt me most about it was the constant N words. Certainly turned me off to the game, still havent picked it back up after the first week.

As far as the sex scenes go, who gives a shit~ the things you can see on NBC at 9pm are worse than GTA as far as sexual content goes (for the most part)

Also, see M rating~

like when you say N word do you mean Nigger?


Just for clarification please.

[KaiineTN]

link video game porn np~!

[lareau]

Umm isn't the Coffee mini game only in the PC version and if she bought the game in 2004 wouldn't that mean that she bought the ps2 version that didn't have the mini game?

[Wrath Child]

The lady should have thrown away the game early on, but GTA is just wrong. Some programmers have very sick minds.

Sick or not, GTA was a blast to play.

[brinstar]

i have no desire to play this game whatsoever and i never have, it sounds very vulgar and uninteresting

but someone stupid enough to buy a 17+ rated game for a 14 year old should be laughed out of the courtroom

[Guntaag Gorefeast]

yes ralf@@

That word cuts me like a knife, but thats just me.

[Guntaag Gorefeast]

Also, that word got my favorite fascist shamus banned=/ so sad QQ

[Tossica]

The GTA games have all been crap. The first top down view one was fun for about 20 minutes.

[Donnel]

The lady should have thrown away the game early on, but GTA is just wrong. Some programmers have very sick minds.

Aren't you glad you have the freedom of speech to post that? Now don't trample on the freedoms that others enjoy.

[dammuzis]

this is a mature game that she bought for a child

if i was on the jury i would make her pay rockstars court fees

[Narrock]

The lady should have thrown away the game early on, but GTA is just wrong. Some programmers have very sick minds.

Aren't you glad you have the freedom of speech to post that? Now don't trample on the freedoms that others enjoy.

Who's trampling on anything? I just stated my opinion.