Elliott C. Back: Technology FTW!

GTA Rating Sex Scandal

Posted in Law by Elliott Back on July 9th, 2005.

For some people, the recent Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas sex scandal is a big deal, getting the ESRB and Politicians riled up about game ratings. Buttonmashing presents a counter-opinion–namely, the sex-simulation game mode was stripped from the release branch, so the game as-shipped wasn’t Adults Only (AO). Unlocking those features was additional work–that modification is the end-users responsibility, not Rockstar’s. Therefore, there shouldn’t be any fuss at all over what individual gamers are doing in their homes.

Here are some explicit (adult) images of what the GTA fuss is all about. If you can stomach pixellated chunky sex, examine these:

Grand Theft Auto (GTA) Sex ModeGrand Theft Auto (GTA) Sex ModeGrand Theft Auto (GTA) Sex ModeGrand Theft Auto (GTA) Sex Mode

Grand Theft Auto (GTA) Sex ModeGrand Theft Auto (GTA) Sex ModeGrand Theft Auto (GTA) Sex ModeGrand Theft Auto (GTA) Sex Mode

The sex depicted in these screenshots is cartoonish, unrealistic, and parody of real-life sexual acts. As such, it should be treated more along the lines of an explicit cartoon than hardcore porn.

Update:

Rockstar has issued the following (weak) official statement:

“In violation of the software user agreement, hackers created the ‘hot coffee’ modification by disassembling and then combining, recompiling and altering the game’s source code. Since the ‘hot coffee’ scenes cannot be created without intentional and significant technical modifications and reverse engineering of the game’s source code, we are currently investigating ways that we can increase the security protection of the source code and prevent the game from being altered by the ‘hot coffee’ modification.”

Ars technica has their analysis.

Update 2:

Bill Clinton steps into the GTA uproar, saying:

“We should all be deeply disturbed that a game which now permits the simulation of lewd sexual acts in an interactive format with highly realistic graphics has fallen into the hands of young people across the country”

Ars technica again has the sexy scoop!

Update 3:

After the first five comments or so, I lose all faith in my readers to be mature.

Update 4:

The best website in the universe has something to say about this. I’m not sure if this is the best page or anything, though, on the best website in the universe.

Update 5:

I’ve removed a bunch of racist and otherwise annoying comments. If you feel like talking like a 5 year old on crack, please visit google.com and find a better forum. If you have something intelligent to whisper on my site, go ahead.

Update 6:

Video of this simulated sex can now be found here in wma streaming format.

Update 7:

The city of Los Angeles (LA) is suing Take Two interactive for innappropriate marketing of the video game. They seek an undisclosed cut of the profits, the greedy bastards.

Viewing 50 Comments

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    hey does anyone actually know how to access this hot coffee mode? if so, how? i have ps2 gta and cant seem to find a link or information on how to do it. let me know. thanks.
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    dude i need this gta porn otherwise im totally screwed. im only like 11 and i cant buy porn so this is the only way for me to whack off without my mom knowing... can anyone help me find the codes to hook it up? thanks
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    Actually, the material was removed from the game, but it was left on the CD that was distributed with the game data. "Hackers" can access the material by digging into the game's source code. Or so I've heard. Which I personally don't give a shit, but would rather never meet the developers that made such a creepy and perv mini-game. I can forgive them, because Max Payne was cool.
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    What's next ? If this issue isn't adressed and resolved now, you will only be seeing alot more of this crap happening , and to a wider range of kids.
    Stop it before if gets out of hand. and parents , watch what your kids play.
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    is it just me or is everyone all bent out of shape about the wrong shit? this game pretty much shows everything that is wrong with society. gangbangers, drugs, stealin cars, beatin whores....and everyone's getting bent out of shape about some digitized pussy? WHO GIVES A FUCK!!
    if you don't want to see it, don't put in the damn code. if you do, put it in, grab a tissue, and go have fun. just be sure that when you get done, you realize that in the game, you beat people, steal their shit, murder them, and deal with drugs every time you play. sound familiar? if not, locate your nearest ghetto and you will see that this game is an imitation of real shit going on.
    having said all this...i think the game is fun as hell and i'll continue to play it. just because i play it doesn't mean i'll be out on the street corner dealin drugs and doin drive-bys. that's what your brain is for....showing you the difference between right and wrong. if you don't already know what it is, a game isn't going to help or hurt the situation.
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    I only have to read some of the negative posts here to see how ignorant some people still appear to be.
    Calling each other down from behind their monitors...how noble and brave.
    Fighting over some crappy graphics that simulate sex...hmmm
    Well I guess it keeps us off the streets I suppose...
    We still have a long way to go as a species.
    As for the people who see the stupidity of it all..I salute you.
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    One of my readers wrote:

    Hi. First off, I would just like to say that although I'm sure at least some of you are tolerent, intelligent people, many of you are very racist, and very ignorant. Comments like: "OMFG!!!!!! Its friggin sex. So Fucking what. something everyone does unless their homo…" make me sear with rage. Gay people do have sex. They are people too. They aren't creatures. That's not even mentioning the racial battles. I wouldn't care if a new race was found that was orange. I'm sick of the politically correct crap myself, but still, it's inside that counts. Not all white people are trailertrash, not all black people are drug dealers and pimps. I don't care if people call me a name or something personally. I can take it. I'm not a baby. I grew up. My point is, as others have already stated, to get over yourselves, and get over your intolerence, and be intelligent, functional citizens of our global society. I'm just sick of all the intolerant shit that goes on. Cut it the hell out.

    In regards to the game itself, it's a fun game. I have no quarrel with it. Again, as others have said, if it offends you, don't play it. All the blood, and violence, and murder, and drugs, and gangs; and society gets it's collective pair of panties in a knot when someone goes out of their way to expose a little flesh. Who honestly cares? Young people have to learn eventually. You can't keep them pure forever.

    He was anonymous, and I accidentally deleted the comment in moderation. For some reason, it got flagged with a bunch of weird spam, and I just nuked it all...
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    Get a real girl and forget about animated pussy!!
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    what i want to know is what the big deal really is anyway? are they really up in arms that some teenage boys might spend all night rigging their system to see animated porn when they could find some in 30 seconds on the internet, or is the problem really that it's a black guy fucking a white girl? if you're going to object to something at least be honest about why you're doing it. it's ok for you to run around killing people and doing drive-bys and killing cops but it's not ok to show a little jungle fever. i love the gta series and me and my 5 year old son have a blast playing. i don't think he's going to go to school and kill people, he knows it's just a game and we enjoy it thoroughly. if you have nothing else better to do than try to "protect" the world from the evils of the playstation then i might suggest getting laid.
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    i dont understand how a video game could insite so many people to riot. so there is sex in the game so what. the rating on the box says "mature" and obviously some people have a lower maturity level than others and to turn this into a racial debate shows immaturity and the inability to follow one train of thought. the fact that this game has or supposidly has what some are calling lude or offensive matterial. the responsibility falls on the indevidual that purchased the game, not the programmers. we arent talking about disney movies like the lion king or little mermaid which have subliminal messages drawn into the movies. we are talking about a game designed for adults. everyone needs to let it go. if you are offended you shouldn't be buying a game called GRAND THEFT AUTO because chances are your a right wing bastard and find it offensive that cars are stolen in the game, people are killed, sex toys are used as weapons, walls get graffitied, and foul language is all that is heard from pedestrians.
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    The main point behind the displeasure against Rockstar is that they willingly violated the ESRB rating system, and by doing so is selfishly risking the entire video game industry.

    We -need- the ESRB rating system because it puts the responsibility of who plays what game where it belongs. The truth is that the guidelines used by the ESRB rating system are rather leniant. Is it really -that- difficult to follow these guidelines?

    Rockstar probably left the so-called 'Hot Coffee' in GTA:SA as some sort of premeditated publicity stunt. Suffice it to say, it was spectacularly stupid and selfish, and Rockstar (and Rockstar alone, not the rest of the video game industry) deserves whatever the damages 'Hot Coffee' will cause them. This is something they brought upon themselves.

    Sure, the 'Hot Coffee' may seem trivial and silly compared to the killing and thuggery that is widely accepted in GTA, but GTA:SA's 'M' rating was not sufficient for the sex scenes exhibited in the game, and Rockstar broke (fairly simple) rules. Unfortunately for all of you people who insist that the 'M' rating was appropriate, keep in mind that ESRB delegates that games with 'graphic' sex scenes need an 'AO' rating.
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    Ya ... god forbid the sex... who cares about the throat slitting and shooting of cops!
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    Rated M means 17+. Now please show me a 17-year-old who hasn't heard/seen/had sex. Please. If younger people are buying and playing this game, that has nothing to do with Rockstar. That has to do with idiot parents and irresponsible game store clerks.
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    This sounds really stupid. I mean there are more things to life than sex.
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    sex is sex, who gives a fuck? its not like over half the population hasnt seen it or had it. critics say that animated sex is inappropriate, when later in their life, the people playing this game are going to experience the real thing. they're not mentioning at all the blood, the killing of cops, drive - bys, murdering, etc. not nearly as many people are going to do these, so why the fuck do they care? i mean honestly, its not like some 11 year old is going to go up to some random whore and start raping her. these critics opinions will not change people's mind sets, and some parents like the game themselves. if you dont want the violence and sex in your home, then dont buy the game, leave others to make their own choices, they really are capable. leave it up to the parents to decide what they do or dont want their child playing, they have control when everything comes to its end.
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    I find this whole fuzz about GTA stupid... I mean, it's just SEX... Parents are worried about their kids watching this kind of stuff, or in this case, playing them, when kids can just turn on the tv and find some guy beating the hell out of a woman, and then raping her... And hey! Games, just like movies, are RATED, I think parents should first LOOK at the rating of the game, and then think if it's appropiate to buy it to their kids... Come on, not because it's a game, it means that it's suitable for every age... Parents should learn how to pick stuff before they buy it... You wouldn't let your 5 year old child go to the cinema to watch an adult movie, would you?... The same happens with games... Simple as that...
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    How do you get the cheat to work because i want to see it.
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    I mean iam only 15 and i think that shit is all some bullshit ot just sex i mean if kids real want to watch some porn i think yeah would rather go on the internet and see real pussy rather than some animated shit

    and why are parents geting all bent out of shape about sex rather than the killing stealing gun shit like that i mean if i was a parent i would rather my kid learn about sex than guns killing and all that shit beacuse there going to have sex weather you like it or not

    and if teens want to look at porn they can if it not ilegal the consitution say that all men have equal right no were does it say any thing about age and i think that cencorship sucks and is ilegal
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    heck. why is everyone so stressed about it? dont want the sex dont use the source, dont want the game dont fucking buy it then
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    you know whats funny is that in this game you can chop a cops head off with a chainsaw run him down with a car light him on fire blow his brains out with assorted weaponry but which is all pretty illegal in the real world but if you watch animated sex which isnt illegal you get tons of controversy that just boggles my mind if you dont want your kd to watch this dont buy the game for him or her the rating Mature should stop most parents from buying it but if they do buy it its there own fault not Rockstars
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    I played the game and loved it.parents can FUCK-OFF!!! if ya don't like it don't let us buy it.
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