Grand Theft Auto Sex Scandal - The Aftermath
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
So, for the past couple weeks, a scandal has been brewing. A PC modder broke some code in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas to unlock a gameplay element that was “intentionally left out” by Rockstar. Simply, after you take a girlfriend on a date, you can accept an invitation to come in for “coffee.” This opens up a sex mini-game, where you view both bodies going at it, controlling the motions and positions, being rated on how much you “satisfy” your girl.
Rockstar then issued a statement that the modder “manipulated” code to make the game do something it wasn’t intended to do…which is common.
Then the modder proved to several sources that he did nothing but uncover code that already existed. This was proven more valid when the PS2 version was found to have the same code, being unlocked through the Action Replay soft-modding device. There was no content added by any of the users. Rockstar left the content in, just broken.
Rockstar then backtracked, issuing a statement that they “didn’t intend” the content to be found or unbroken, blaming the modders for their upcoming plight. As expected, a handful of politicians responded, including Hilary Clinton, putting pressure on the ESRB to act. The ESRB quickly re-rated San Andreas from M (for Mature 17+) to AO (Adults only 18+.) San Andreas was, and is currently, pulled off the shelves of Best Buy, Circuit City, Wal-Mart and Target, in a major blow to Rockstar. Those who still have it on the shelves must apply “AO” stickers to cover the old M rating.
Rockstar has promised to release a new version this fall with the broken code removed, so the game can return to an M rating.
Rockstar got what they deserved, frankly. It’s not uncommon to leave assets in the code that can’t be accessed, but you have to use your brain when leaving code in there that can CHANGE THE RATING. This leads me to believe Rockstar DID intend for it to be found, as the modder said it was simple to access.
Now, Miami attorney Jack Thompson wants to steal the popularity from the “hot coffee” scandal by forcing Electronic Arts to remove The Sims 2 (rated T for Teen) from shelves because PC modifications exist that put genitalia and sex acts into the game
Jack’s an idiot.
There is a HUGE difference, here. ANY game can be modified by hackers to be different, even pornographic. Elmo’s Fun with Math could be altered by any hacker to include genitalia. Yeah, it’s sick, but it’s not the fault of the game company. If Jack Thompson is successful, this could be the most detrimental, broad-based legal action against the video game world.
Sexual, AO content was already there in San Andreas. Nothing of the sort already existed in The Sims 2.
I have faith that Jack Thompson will have egg on his face after this is over. He’s a money-grubbing attorney that wants to gain fame by stealing the thunder of a legitimate case. Well, his 15 minutes are almost over.
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Comments
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Posted by SarahSota (anonymous) on July 26, 2005 at 1:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
As you can already have sex with a prostitute, shoot her in the head, and then steal your money back in this game- who the hell cares about some sex?
Posted by gamer (Matt Cox) on July 26, 2005 at 1:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Valid point.
Although, while the depictions of death are vivid, the "sex" beforehand wasn't. With this, it's right there in front of you, controlling the gyrations.
It's the same double standard the MPAA has. Gratuitous and graphic violence is R, but gratuitous and graphic sex boils over into NC-17
Posted by Chris_Paradies (anonymous) on July 26, 2005 at 2:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I can understand why they would give it an AO rating. It meets the guidelines.
But what i can't stand is the parents who already buy there children a game who's 12, 13 years old, way under the suggested age, and they complain about it. When they already bought a game that is knowingly sexual, violent, bloody.
Sex was vivid. When you took a girlfriend out on a date, and she inivites you in, you see the outside of hte house and the camera is shaking and you hear moans. When you pick up a prostitute your car starts shaking.
They shouldn't be given an AO rating because it wasn't meant to be seen. There's lots of stuff on every game that doesn't get taken out in the final editing and then isn't meant to be seen.
Posted by ichikuo (Hanluen Kuo) on July 26, 2005 at 2:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
'There is a HUGE difference, here. ANY game can be modified by hackers to be different, even pornographic.'
The problem here is that I bet he DOESN'T know the difference.
Rockstar was pretty stupid for leaving that in. I've never had a problem with video game rating system so I think businesses and Rockstar have handeled the situation well. But the sheer fact that more people, like this Jack guy, are making judgements about games without knowledge about them sickens me.
Posted by gamer (Matt Cox) on July 26, 2005 at 3:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Making broad judgements without appropriate knowledge? He should run for office of some sort.
Posted by Ryckert (Dan Ryckert) on July 26, 2005 at 3:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I watch a pretty good amount of cable news, and I find it pretty ridiculous how much press this situation has been getting. Even more ridiculous is how uninformed a lot of the anchors are on the subject. I don't think they realize how hard it would be to unlock the content on the PS2 or Xbox versions. Sure, it can be done, but you have to go through a lot of trouble to do it, it's not just a case of typing in a code. Hell, I'm an extremely hardcore gamer, and I wouldn't know the first thing about unlocking it in my PS2 version.
On another note, I think the "hot coffee" thing is retarded. I really don't think I'd find ANY entertainment value in pressing buttons to simulate sex with some pixellated woman. That's just stupid.
Has anyone considered that Rockstar might be geniuses because of the timing of this scandal? Think about it....any hardcore gamer (and most casual gamers) bought San Andreas LONG ago. It's been out for almost a year, and sales have been through the roof. Now that it's been a year and the hype has died down...this scandal pops up and it's all over the news and internet again. TONS of free publicity for Rockstar, and now news of the game is reaching out to non-gamers who wouldn't normally know much about it (Cable news viewers). I really don't think the recall is a "major blow" to Rockstar at all, considering how long it's been out. They'll repackage it with the "M" rating, bring it back to the major retailers, and it might hit another brief surge in sales.
And yes, Jack Thompson is a total idiot. I remember last summer when me and Kuo prank-called him. Funny stuff.
Posted by BobDarkAvenger (anonymous) on July 26, 2005 at 4:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Something is seriosuly wrong when people are getting upset that there is simulated sex in a game where there is simulated murder. Not that I mind the violence, I just think murder is a little more offensive than intercourse.
Posted by cfdxprt (anonymous) on July 26, 2005 at 5:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I just found this traveling my usual routes about the internet...
http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/...
LMAO!
Posted by Chris_Paradies (anonymous) on July 26, 2005 at 11:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
omg i love maddox, he's so funny, read some of his other stuff it's great
Posted by cfdxprt (anonymous) on July 27, 2005 at 8:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Here's his best page ever...
http://maddox.xmission.com/irule2.html
Warning, if you are at work, you will laugh out loud.
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