Livo Posted December 11, 2003 http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/grandtheftautovicecity/news_6085346.html Pressure from Haitian-American groups and New York City's mayor causes Rockstar Games' parent to edit its controversial best seller. More than a year after its release, controversial best seller Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is still stirring up controversy. Most recently, various Haitian-American groups leveled charges of racism at the game and at Take-Two Interactive, parent of Vice City's publisher, Rockstar Games. At issue was the part of the game where Tommy Vercetti, its criminal protagonist, is hired by the Cuban gang to take out their rivals, the Haitians. At the beginning of the level, a title card appears that urges Vercetti to "Kill all the Haitians!" Shortly afterward, a group of heavily armed Haitians attack him en masse, forcing him to respond with a fusillade of bullets. Rockstar has repeatedly insisted the statement should be taken within the context of the game, which is rife with violence toward every ethnic group. However, New York City's Haitian-American community, which has seen several of its members shot by police in recent years, appealed to Mayor Michael Bloomberg to take action against Take-Two, which is headquartered in the city. Yesterday, Bloomberg threatened the company with legal action if the phrase was not removed. "If I don't get a decent response, we are going to do everything we possibly can," said Bloomberg. Today, Bloomberg got his response. Take-Two issued a statement this afternoon promising to "remove the objectionable statements from future copies of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City." It did not mention the millions of copies of Vice City already on the market that already contain the statement. The publisher also apologized for the "hurt and anger" the statement had caused Haitian-Americans and hoped the move would "mend" relations between the two groups. It blamed a recent media frenzy for creating the controversy, noting the game was released in October 2002. Take-Two also defended its right to create a "realistic" game for an adult audience. The statement reminded the public that the game was rated "M" for mature, saying, "it must be recognized that video games have evolved as an adult medium, not unlike literature, movies and music." Damn retards, massacring everyone but Haitians is fine >:-/ Secondly, what else are the Cubans supposed to say? "Kill the bad people"? 0 Share this post Link to post
Manc Posted December 11, 2003 This type of shit is totally ridiculous. It's been out for over a fucking year, and NOW they want something removed? Please. Utter bullshit. 0 Share this post Link to post
darknation Posted December 11, 2003 I noticed that the term 'kill frenzy' has been removed. And the Hare Krishna's. 0 Share this post Link to post
Amaster Posted December 11, 2003 Completely ridiculous and unjustified. 0 Share this post Link to post
Ultraviolet Posted December 11, 2003 FUCK ALL MODERN RACIAL INTEREST GROUPS I have NEVER heard of a JUSTIFIED case against "racism" in/against the media/entertainment industry. You know what? As an American, I am ALLOWED to say "I fucking hate those kike dreidl-heads," (I don't mean it, by the way, this is an example -- and there's another thing, having to attach a motherfucking disclaimer on everything) and the law must motherfucking uphold my goddamn right to say it, whether it is right or not. It is not ANY government's right to moderate ANY sort of discussion or portrayals unless there is a direct threat to national security and human life... not economy, not minor political situations... Today, we eliminate "bigotry." Tomorrow we pull out all the stops and eliminate free speech, and then opinion altogether! 0 Share this post Link to post
Sharessa Posted December 11, 2003 The GTA games are full of all kinds of Racist, sexist, etc. slurs, and for a good reason. The games basicaly are a take on all the action/crime movies out there. Watch just a few of those and you'll see, they're FULL of stereotypes. It's always some organization from a foreign country the good guys are up against, or its one of thos emovies about 'the mob', or everyone curses like a sailor and people are calling each other 'nigger' and 'mick' and that sort of thing. So I say GTA has every right to do this, because its art imitating art or something. Thats my zwei pfennig. 0 Share this post Link to post
Lord FlatHead Posted December 11, 2003 Ultraviolet said:FUCK ALL MODERN RACIAL INTEREST GROUPS Quite. For a country that's big on 'freedom of speech', this ruling makes no sense whatsoever. 0 Share this post Link to post
Doom Fanatic Posted December 11, 2003 Mancubus II said:This type of shit is totally ridiculous. It's been out for over a fucking year, and NOW they want something removed? Please. Utter bullshit. I comepletely agree, why in the hell are they conplaining now? Why didn't they complain when the game was available? Attention whores will do anything to get their precious 15 minutes of fame. 0 Share this post Link to post
Sharessa Posted December 11, 2003 It's like when they talk about violent games and point to Doom. I think now, GTA3/Vice City have kind of taken the 'violent game' mantle, but it was Doom for the longest time. 0 Share this post Link to post
Job Posted December 11, 2003 Well, I don't want to buy the game and risk getting an edited copy. : / 0 Share this post Link to post
Grimm Posted December 11, 2003 FUCK BLOOMBERG. FUCK ALL MODERN RACIAL INTEREST GROUPS I have NEVER heard of a JUSTIFIED case against "racism" in/against the media/entertainment industry. You know what? As an American, I am ALLOWED to say "I fucking hate those kike dreidl-heads," (I don't mean it, by the way, this is an example -- and there's another thing, having to attach a motherfucking disclaimer on everything) and the law must motherfucking uphold my goddamn right to say it, whether it is right or not. It is not ANY government's right to moderate ANY sort of discussion or portrayals unless there is a direct threat to national security and human life... not economy, not minor political situations... Fuck yeah, AMEN. 0 Share this post Link to post
Scabbed Angel Posted December 11, 2003 "Welcome to the US, the only free country in the world." Fuck that. 0 Share this post Link to post
mewse Posted December 11, 2003 STINKING HAITIANS! WE'RE GONNA KILL'EM ALL! 0 Share this post Link to post
insertwackynamehere Posted December 11, 2003 Why do they always edit everything?! Everything isn't always a racial assault!!! 0 Share this post Link to post
Lizardcommando Posted December 11, 2003 Heh, I was just reading this. I find this to be really pathetic and really sad. It's almost as retarded as the time the victims of Columbine tried to sue Id Software because they thought Doom made those two teens kill everyone. I mean, so the Haitians are bitching because VC has some lines in the game that supposedly promotes killing Haitians?!? Well, there's stuff in Medal of Honor: Rising Sun that promotes killing "Japs", (Well, that's not exactly a good example...) but to get to my point, just because a game, such as MoH:RS, has you killing a specific group of people, you shouldn't be bitching about it. It's only a goddamned video game! Live with it! IT'S FICTIONAL!!! (VC that is...) 0 Share this post Link to post
Livo Posted December 12, 2003 Hell, if the Japanese have no problem with MoH: Rising Sun and it's on sale in Japan (apparently it's selling fairly well, considering the market), what's the Haitian community's problem? 0 Share this post Link to post
Job Posted December 12, 2003 Livo said:...what's the Haitian community's problem? They're bitches, is all. Hey, plenty of caucasians get shot to pieces and absolutely mangled in that game, but you don't see me whining about it. 0 Share this post Link to post
Sephiroth Posted December 12, 2003 postal 2 is the same way. however the game is ment to be offensive.. just like south park it is a 100% complete satire of stuff in america. i think games like GTA and postal 2 are a kind of protest of censorship. they make them because it is their right. though children should not play these games they still should not be banned. ironicly best buy carries GTA 3 and vice city but refuses to carry postal 2, postal 2 is violent and full of strong language. that it however. 0 Share this post Link to post
insertwackynamehere Posted December 12, 2003 Job said:They're bitches, is all. Hey, plenty of caucasians get shot to pieces and absolutely mangled in that game, but you don't see me whining about it. Heh. My school has Asian, and African-American clubs, but if there was a white club, think of how it would be interpretted. In other words, there's your answer :-) 0 Share this post Link to post
Ultraviolet Posted December 12, 2003 Job said:Hey, plenty of caucasians get shot to pieces and absolutely mangled in that gameOMG NO! THAT'S ALMOST LIKE KILLING BABIES OR KITTENS OR BABY KITTENS OR BABY JESUS! UNACCEPTABLE! 0 Share this post Link to post
Cyb Posted December 12, 2003 man if I could kill baby kittens or baby jesus or even regular babies in vice city, that would make it EVEN BETTER 0 Share this post Link to post
Sephiroth Posted December 12, 2003 insertwackynamehere said:Heh. My school has Asian, and African-American clubs, but if there was a white club, think of how it would be interpretted. In other words, there's your answer :-) i would be interested in the asian club, asian women are fucking hot! 0 Share this post Link to post
Job Posted December 12, 2003 Sephiroth said:i would be interested in the asian club, asian women are fucking hot! Heh, are you aware of what's called the "Yellow Cab" phenomenon? Poor Asian guys. Well, in the US, Asian men and women are social marginalists, but in Japan, African Americans and Caucasians are the king's left buttock. I too, however, am victim to Asian women's appeal. 0 Share this post Link to post
Sephiroth Posted December 12, 2003 Job said:I too, however, am victim to Asian women's appeal. ...I love homosexuals. your title is misleading. just kidding. 0 Share this post Link to post
Sharessa Posted December 13, 2003 You can have your weak, oriental bride. I'll take a strong German-blooded woman over anything else any day. I want a woman who can beat me up, tie me to a chair while seductively purring "wo's your mommy!". Oh, yeah. 0 Share this post Link to post
SyntherAugustus Posted December 13, 2003 Thank god my friend Adam already owns the game. And why couldn't they wait till the next GTA? 0 Share this post Link to post
insertwackynamehere Posted December 13, 2003 Sephiroth said:i would be interested in the asian club, asian women are fucking hot! Heh one of thier ads is "Lucy Lui is hot! So is ATU (Asian Teen Union)" Meanwhile, I make a poster for the school messageboards, and the principal won't let me hang it up, because she's never heard of the school website before. Gosh, there is a url right ON THE TOP of the page, idiot. ANyway, the principal should know what the official school website is. It's a fucking joke. 0 Share this post Link to post
Ultraviolet Posted December 13, 2003 OMG ASIAN TEENS? How many of you in here have actually had (with all implications) an Asian chick before? *raises hand* 0 Share this post Link to post