Rockstar Ceases Manufacturing Of GTA: San Andreas

[Homerboy]

actually the point that the ESRB is making is that ROckstar PUT the content into the disks and printed them with it knowing it was there. Not only that, but when submitting the game for rating they did not inform the ESRB of the content.

While I agree the whole debacle is retard, it starts with Rockstars stupidity....

Edit: and yes its MUCH different than mods for SIMS etc. The content was 100% created by RS... not a 3rd party. They made it, included it and didn't disclose it.

 

[imported_Pipes]

Any idea when they're going to pull this from the shelves? Best Buy specifically? I was waiting for the price to drop, but now I'm ready to buy this tomorrow.

 

[Auryg]

Originally posted by: Homerboy
actually the point that the ESRB is making is that ROckstar PUT the content into the disks and printed them with it knowing it was there. Not only that, but when submitting the game for rating they did not inform the ESRB of the content.

While I agree the whole debacle is retard, it starts with Rockstars stupidity....

Edit: and yes its MUCH different than mods for SIMS etc. The content was 100% created by RS... not a 3rd party. They made it, included it and didn't disclose it.

How is it different? In the sims, sims have sex. You need to unlock a patch to make it nude.

For SA, you NEED a patch to make the sex scenes. Yes, in SA it was actually coded in, but that's like saying we should outlaw guns because you can kill people with them. Or heck, TV's shouldn't be sold to minors because porn can be viewed on them!

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Auryg

Originally posted by: Homerboy
actually the point that the ESRB is making is that ROckstar PUT the content into the disks and printed them with it knowing it was there. Not only that, but when submitting the game for rating they did not inform the ESRB of the content.

While I agree the whole debacle is retard, it starts with Rockstars stupidity....

Edit: and yes its MUCH different than mods for SIMS etc. The content was 100% created by RS... not a 3rd party. They made it, included it and didn't disclose it.

How is it different? In the sims, sims have sex. You need to unlock a patch to make it nude.

For SA, you NEED a patch to make the sex scenes. Yes, in SA it was actually coded in, but that's like saying we should outlaw guns because you can kill people with them. Or heck, TV's shouldn't be sold to minors because porn can be viewed on them!

Guns are outlawed for minors. Porn channels are scrambled to keep kids from viewing. 😉

RockStar knew this unlockable sex scene would be hard-coded into the PC and PS2 versions - they did NOT bother to tell the ERSB about it . . . THAT's the "problem". 😉
:thumbsdown:

What a stupid "Easter Egg" idea . . . somebody's getting fired at RockStar. 😉
[justifyably]

 

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: warcrow

Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Announces Conclusion of ESRB Investigation
Wednesday July 20, 4:02 pm ET

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 20, 2005--Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO - News):

* ESRB assigns "Adults Only 18+" (AO) rating for current version of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas due to unauthorized third party "Hot Coffee" modification
* Rockstar Games to cease manufacture of current version of title and offer a downloadable patch to prevent modification of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas for PC
* Company lowers third quarter and fiscal year guidance to reflect the expected negative impact on the title's retail performance

Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO - News) announced today that the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has changed the rating of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on all platforms from "Mature 17+" (M) to "Adults Only 18+" (AO) because of the so-called "hot coffee mod," an unauthorized third party modification that alters the retail version of the game. Take-Two cooperated fully with the ESRB's investigation.

Rockstar Games has ceased manufacturing of the current version of the title and will begin working on a version of the game with enhanced security to prevent the "hot coffee" modifications. This version will retain the original ESRB M-rating and is expected to be available during the Company's fourth fiscal quarter. Rockstar Games will be providing AO labels for retailers who wish to continue to sell the current version of the title.

As a result of the re-rating of the game, Take-Two is lowering guidance for the third fiscal quarter ending July 31, 2005 to $160 to $170 million in net sales and a net loss per share of $(0.40) to $(0.45) to provide reserves for the value of the title's current North American retail inventory. Accordingly, guidance for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2005 is also being lowered to $1.26 to $1.31 billion in net sales and $1.05 to $1.12 in diluted earnings per share.

"Take-Two and Rockstar Games have always worked to keep mature-themed video game content out of the hands of children and we will continue to work closely with the ESRB and community leaders to improve and better promote a reliable rating system to help consumers make informed choices about which video games are appropriate for each individual," said Paul Eibeler, Take-Two's President and Chief Executive Officer. "The ESRB's decision to re-rate a game based on an unauthorized third party modification presents a new challenge for parents, the interactive entertainment industry and anyone who distributes or consumes digital content. Rockstar Games is pleased that the investigation is now settled and they look forward to returning their focus to making innovative and groundbreaking video games for a mature audience."

The scenes depicted in the "hot coffee" modification are not playable in the retail version of the game unless the user downloads and/or installs unauthorized software that alters the content of the original retail version of the title, representing a violation of Take-Two and Rockstar's end user license agreement (EULA) and intellectual property rights. "We are deeply concerned that the publicity surrounding these unauthorized modifications has caused the game to be misrepresented to the public and has detracted from the creative merits of this award winning product," said Mr. Eibeler. Take-Two is exploring its legal options as it relates to companies that profited from creating and distributing tools for altering the content of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

Rockstar Games will be making available shortly a downloadable software patch to render Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas for PC impervious to the "hot coffee" modification. Rockstar encourages parent groups and political leaders to assist with distribution of the patch to prevent the content of the modification from spreading further.

About Take-Two Interactive Software

Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO - News) is an integrated global developer, marketer, distributor and publisher of interactive entertainment software games and accessories for the PC, PlayStation® game console, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PSP(TM) (PlayStation®Portable) system, the Xbox® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the Xbox 360(TM) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Nintendo GameCube(TM), Nintendo DS(TM) and Game Boy® Advance. The Company publishes and develops products through its wholly owned labels Rockstar Games, 2K Games, 2K Sports and Global Star Software; and distributes products in North America through its Jack of All Games subsidiary. Take-Two also manufactures and markets video game accessories in Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific region through its Joytech subsidiary. The Company maintains sales and marketing offices in Cincinnati, New York, Toronto, London, Paris, Munich, Madrid, Vienna, Milan, Sydney, Breda (Netherlands) and Auckland. Take-Two's common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at www.take2games.com.

All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Reform Act of 1995: This press release contains forward-looking statements made in reliance upon the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The statements contained herein which are not historical facts are considered forward-looking statements under federal securities laws. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of our management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to them. The Company has no obligation to update such forward-looking statements. Actual results may vary significantly from these forward-looking statements based on a variety of factors. These important factors are described in the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended April 30, 2005 in the section entitled "Cautionary Statement and Risk Factors".

This is fvcking rediculous!

I'll second that. Those of you in NY should vote out Hillary next term. :|

 

[randumb]

I agree that this is ridiculous, but why is Rockstar increasing security to prevent the mod from working when they could just remove the sex part of the game?

 

[Auryg]

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: Auryg

Originally posted by: Homerboy
actually the point that the ESRB is making is that ROckstar PUT the content into the disks and printed them with it knowing it was there. Not only that, but when submitting the game for rating they did not inform the ESRB of the content.

While I agree the whole debacle is retard, it starts with Rockstars stupidity....

Edit: and yes its MUCH different than mods for SIMS etc. The content was 100% created by RS... not a 3rd party. They made it, included it and didn't disclose it.

How is it different? In the sims, sims have sex. You need to unlock a patch to make it nude.

For SA, you NEED a patch to make the sex scenes. Yes, in SA it was actually coded in, but that's like saying we should outlaw guns because you can kill people with them. Or heck, TV's shouldn't be sold to minors because porn can be viewed on them!

Guns are outlawed for minors. Porn channels are scrambled to keep kids from viewing. 😉

RockStar knew this unlockable sex scene would be hard-coded into the PC and PS2 versions - they did NOT bother to tell the ERSB about it . . . THAT's the "problem". 😉
:thumbsdown:

What a stupid "Easter Egg" idea . . . somebody's getting fired at RockStar. 😉
[justifyably]

Guns aren't outlawed from minors in all states. Last time I checked HBO and Cinemax both had nipplage also. Parents can control that by way of v-chip, and they can also control what their kids are playing.

There's no way that adding sex scenes that's less realistic than those on daytime soap operas and pg rated movies should somehow move the rating from M to AO. Maybe it was wrong to not tell the ESRB, but last I remembered participating in the ESRB rating system was completely optional by itself.

 

[imported_Frallan]

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: Auryg

Originally posted by: Homerboy
actually the point that the ESRB is making is that ROckstar PUT the content into the disks and printed them with it knowing it was there. Not only that, but when submitting the game for rating they did not inform the ESRB of the content.

While I agree the whole debacle is retard, it starts with Rockstars stupidity....

Edit: and yes its MUCH different than mods for SIMS etc. The content was 100% created by RS... not a 3rd party. They made it, included it and didn't disclose it.

How is it different? In the sims, sims have sex. You need to unlock a patch to make it nude.

For SA, you NEED a patch to make the sex scenes. Yes, in SA it was actually coded in, but that's like saying we should outlaw guns because you can kill people with them. Or heck, TV's shouldn't be sold to minors because porn can be viewed on them!

Guns are outlawed for minors. Porn channels are scrambled to keep kids from viewing. 😉

RockStar knew this unlockable sex scene would be hard-coded into the PC and PS2 versions - they did NOT bother to tell the ERSB about it . . . THAT's the "problem". 😉
:thumbsdown:

What a stupid "Easter Egg" idea . . . somebody's getting fired at RockStar. 😉
[justifyably]

LoL It was acctually removed... Now it wasn't deleted from the game but removed and the theres a patch that brings it bac... Well Rockstar should have said that it was in all versions as soon as it was unearthed but...

Whats the big deal here - US-American dual moral standards at work again.

And btw Pr0n channels arn't scrambeled to keep kids away they're scrambeled to make ppl pay for them.

And as for not telling about something normaly not availebel??? Whats your beef there?

I may agree that GTA3 should have a A.O rating but not bc of the sexual contents.

 

[skace]

Gotta disagree with Apoppin here. The only way I'd ever believe Rockstar was to blame is if it was discovered that the content was unlocked by pushing a series of keys such as up, up, down, down, select, start or something of that nature. But the second it REQUIRES a 3rd party HACK to bring the content into existence then it loses all credibility.

This sets the implication that it doesn't matter how you've coded the game, you are now responsible for any and all reverse engineering that can be done to your game. Every piece of content you include can now be abused and you held responsible.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: skace
Gotta disagree with Apoppin here. The only way I'd ever believe Rockstar was to blame is if it was discovered that the content was unlocked by pushing a series of keys such as up, up, down, down, select, start or something of that nature. But the second it REQUIRES a 3rd party HACK to bring the content into existence then it loses all credibility.

This sets the implication that it doesn't matter how you've coded the game, you are now responsible for any and all reverse engineering that can be done to your game. Every piece of content you include can now be abused and you held responsible.

reverse engineering? WHAT reverse engineering? 😛 . . . That scene in hard-coded into the PC game and PS2 just like any other "easter egg". 😉

a 3rd party hack? Where do you think it came from and how do you think it was "discovered"?
:roll:

the sex scene is RockStar's Easter Egg . . . and childish and in poor "taste" . . . like they don't know the political situation in this country.
:roll:

Somebody there at RS pretty stupid - they brought this down on themselves [and the rest of the game industry]. :Q

 

[skace]

When you say easter egg you refer to something that is unlocked without the use of any 3rd party program. THIS IS NOT AN EASTER EGG.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: skace
When you say easter egg you refer to something that is unlocked without the use of any 3rd party program. THIS IS NOT AN EASTER EGG.

it is the equivalent of an Easter Egg - something that is HIDDEN that can be UNlocked. 😉

Video game's rating changed as creator admits sex scenes built-in

Rockstar?s parent company, New York-based Take Two Interactive Software Inc., also admitted for the first time that the sex scenes had been built into the retail version of that game ? not just the PC version but also those written for Xbox and PlayStation2 consoles.

How do you think it was "discovered"? :Q

:roll:

 

[Homerboy]

Im with apoppin here. If RS woulda have been UPFRONT about the content from day 1 that it was submitted to ESRB ratings, it would have A) gotten a stiffer rating or B) actually REMOVED the content and not just coded the direct access to it out. It is 100% RS fault for not disclosing everything that was coded on the disk and then printing it in MILLIONS. RS are not idiots... they KNEW that somebody would rip it apart and find the Easter Egg sitting there and the easy way to unlock it.

I don't question the content at all... hell there are 100% pure sex video games, but they are disclosed as so and rated as so. RS dropped the ball no question

 

[skace]

it is the equivalent of an Easter Egg - something that is HIDDEN that can be UNlocked.

Oversimplifying. How is it unlocked? Through NORMAL operation of the product it will never be unlocked, only with 3rd party assistance. Your kid can't go in hit abba and start having sex.

Again, the sims. Nude models are in the game. They are censored. Having them uncensored isn't an "easter egg" it is a HACK.

 

[Homerboy]

If I recall EA didn't hide the blurred/naked images from ESRB rating did they? No they didn't. Hence its RS that F'ed up ROYALLY. While it is somewhat the content in question I think ESRB's beef is that RS obviously tried to pull a fast one and get the content out there knowing that it would be easily hacked. NC-17 or whatever rating doesnt get their game into the WalMarts of the world so thats A LOT less items sold. I'm SURE the scape goats at RS are being handed boxes for their personal belongings as we speak.

Let me point out I have NO problem with the content of the GTA series and whatever RS or anyone else puts in their games. But I don have a problem with not disclosing what is on the disk.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Homerboy
Im with apoppin here. If RS woulda have been UPFRONT about the content from day 1 that it was submitted to ESRB ratings, it would have A) gotten a stiffer rating or B) actually REMOVED the content and not just coded the direct access to it out. It is 100% RS fault for not disclosing everything that was coded on the disk and then printing it in MILLIONS. RS are not idiots... they KNEW that somebody would rip it apart and find the Easter Egg sitting there and the easy way to unlock it.

I don't question the content at all... hell there are 100% pure sex video games, but they are disclosed as so and rated as so. RS dropped the ball no question

thank-you

i'd actually like to go a step further . . . most "Easter Eggs" [of which this is a variant] are NOT discovered by gamers - SOMEONE at RockStar "leaked" this. 😉

incredibly STUPID in this time of "political correctness"

personally, i have no trouble with that sex scene [i have it playing on Win Media player - "Oh yeah, you da' man" - someone here posted that link :Q]. . . however, i wouldn't let 'my kid' play that game anyway . . .

 

[skace]

knowing that it would be easily hacked

Doesn't matter, it still requires it to be hacked. Little Billy isn't going to trip, fall down the stairs and magically unlock sexmode2000 in GTA:SA.

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: skace

knowing that it would be easily hacked

Doesn't matter, it still requires it to be hacked. Little Billy isn't going to trip, fall down the stairs and magically unlock sexmode2000 in GTA:SA.

Ok only argue the points you can.
Did you see what I wrote in the FIRST paragraph? RS F'ed up by NOT disclosing what was on the disk... lets say it wasn't a in-game hack. Lets say it was a porn video or a website link buried somewhere deep in the disk that you had to search for manually edit/rename whatever to access. Is that ok for RS to do and NOT tell the ESRB about? Hell lets say it was password protected even... but it WAS THERE and "somehow" that password was cracked or leaked and now little Johnny or even big Johnny had full access to hard-core sex that the ESRB, WalMart, the Publisher, the buyer etc had NO IDEA it was there? Nope it's not right.

RS scrwed up (intentionall or unintentionally I don't care) but not disclosing EXACTLY what was on the disk.

I'm not bashing the game (I do personally think its stupid and of bad taste though 😉) but I am bashing what RS did. They have all the right in the world to put whatever they want on a disk and sell it... but they have to tell people whats on the disk!

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: skace

knowing that it would be easily hacked

Doesn't matter, it still requires it to be hacked. Little Billy isn't going to trip, fall down the stairs and magically unlock sexmode2000 in GTA:SA.

let me try just one more time: RockStar coded the sex scene into the game and then LEAKED 'how to' unlock it

S-T-U-P-I-D . . . and it'll cost them [good]

UNfortunately it will cost all of us and hurt the gaming industry 😉

 

[rise]

as much as it pains me to agree with appoppin due to his blatant overuse of emoticons 😛 it is RS that f'ed themselves with this. frankly i'm stunned they left it in there. and its obvious it was leaked by them alone.

 

[imported_Pipes]

Any news of stores taking the games of their shelves?

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: rise4310
as much as it pains me to agree with appoppin due to his blatant overuse of emoticons 😛 it is RS that f'ed themselves with this. frankly i'm stunned they left it in there. and its obvious it was leaked by them alone.

you're a wise man

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: rise4310
as much as it pains me to agree with appoppin due to his blatant overuse of emoticons 😛 it is RS that f'ed themselves with this. frankly i'm stunned they left it in there. and its obvious it was leaked by them alone.

Hey, i'm averaging LESS than TWO emoticons per post - over my last 4!
============================================

Originally posted by: Pipes
Any news of stores taking the games of their shelves?

From that MSN link i posted:

retailers reacted swiftly ? Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Target Corp. and Best Buy Co. said they would immediately pull all copies from their store shelves nationwide.

 

[skace]

Originally posted by: apoppin
let me try just one more time: RockStar coded the sex scene into the game and then LEAKED 'how to' unlock it

S-T-U-P-I-D . . . and it'll cost them [good]

UNfortunately it will cost all of us and hurt the gaming industry 😉

Incase you hadn't realized, I understand this. They coded this part of the game and then decided not to use it, probably due to how it would hurt the rating. Newflash, developers do this all the time. I'm not surprised. Many mods are created using code and models that were already developed.

But whether or not they leaked how to unlock it is an assumption on your part. Yes, it is very possible that someone at Rockstar leaked how to unlock it, but it is not fact, unless I missed where that information was posted. You cannot simply state it as fact simply because similar scenarios have occured in the past.

And the thing you continue to leave out of your posts is the fact that a hack is still required to unlock this content. It is not part of the original game and how it was intended to be played

 

[skace]

Oh and I'm deffinitely not stunned that Rockstar left it in there. It could possibly have been an overlooked mistake, but I'd rather believe Rockstar did it on purpose. I mean, hell, this is the company that created manhunt, a game far worse than this sexual scene simply as an attack on media gaming hype.

Rockstar makes money off this kind of publicity and although they have updated their earnings to reflect this set back, it will keep them on the edge of gaming enough so that their next game will sell through the roof once again.

My main concern is how other companies will be affected by this, when they now have to worry about how someone hacks their content in mods since it could possibly reflect back on them as a loss.