Grandmother sues maker of 'Grand Theft Auto - San Andreas'

[Jome]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8728577/

Grandmother sues maker of 'Grand Theft Auto'
Woman upset that game contains hidden, sexually explicit scenes

NEW YORK - 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-N.Y., 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.

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Only in, sing it with me now... 

[Don Seer]

*COUGH*

BANDWAGON!

*COUGH*

[Denial! Is Actively Joinin The Revolution]

Do people read these tings cus im sure my copy said strictly for over 18's the company shud sue her for bein a stupid dumbass!!!!

[Diabolical]

What a load of piss flaps!

[Wild_Elmo]

Why is everyone crying? Isn't that hidden shit only on the PC version?? And don't you have to add a mod?

[Don Seer]

^ its on all versions.. and its not a mod..

with ps2 u can activate it with action replay codes.

basically although the content wasn't activate in the game that was given the original rating someone hacked so it did

[No Compute]

That old bitch should be put down.

[Suffice]

That old bitch should be put down.

i bet the Kid hates his grandma now

[Javier]

"saying the company should give up its profits from the game for what amounted to false advertising, consumer deception and unfair business practices"





Shes right this game looks like its filled with rainbows, chocolated covered buildings, and gummi bears walking around a city called HappyLand!

[Low Key]

Yes, Rockstar did deceive the rating system, but there isn't much of a step from M to AO. So instead of 17 year olds being able to buy it, now only 18 year olds and up can. And she bought the game for her 14 year old grandson, who should be playing it in the first place because he isn't old enough to buy it himself. Talk about shotty principles.

I think this whole thing is a farce anyways. I mean, I can go to downtown Los Santos and kill everyone in sight with my double tech 9s, but the game turns contraversial when I unlock the sex scenes. 

[Sikotic™]

Ah for the love of friggin God throw the fuckin game away. God damn Americans are so sue-happy.

[Ðøšïå]

judge will laugh at her

[TuKer Says: Angeles Records is the truth!!]

Ah for the love of friggin God throw the fuckin game away. God damn Americans are so sue-happy.

[Bramsterdam (see ya)]

fuckin bitch

[Bramsterdam (see ya)]

fuckin bitch

lol ^