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Hidden Sex Scenes Cost Grand Theft Auto $20M

Take-Two settles suit over x-rated 'Hot Coffee' uproar

By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 3, 2009 5:07 AM CDT
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(Newser) – The makers of Grand Theft Auto are shelling out $20 million to settle a lawsuit over hidden sex scenes in a version of the popular video game, reports Gawker. The suit by investors claims Take-Two Interactive Software officials knew about the x-rated "Hot Coffee" minigame inserted by programmers before shipping out the San Andreas version of the game in 2004. Take-Two has just released the trailer for The Ballad of Gay Tony, its latest Grand Theft game.

This scene is taken from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which is the version of the game that was shipped out with hidden sex scenes.
This scene is taken from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which is the version of the game that was shipped out with hidden sex scenes.   (iSharks80)
This is a scene from The Ballad of Gay Tony, the latest version of Grand Theft Auto.
This is a scene from "The Ballad of Gay Tony," the latest version of Grand Theft Auto.   (Demokrator86)
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Trailer for "The Ballad of Gay Tony," the latest version of Grand Theft Auto, which will be released in October.   (RockstarNorth69)

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 9 comments
MarkFL
Sep 4, 2009 1:06 AM CDT
Northeast, exceedingly cruel... yet... I am LMAO
Timinator2K
Sep 3, 2009 12:53 PM CDT
And it got them $40M worth of FREE advertising.
Timinator2K
Sep 3, 2009 12:28 PM CDT
It will be interesting to see how far down the road games like these will look as primitive as Pong did over time. 5 years? 10? By Christmas?

Take-Two announces settlement
Press release

Take-Two releases new trailer
Associated Press

Background on 'Hot Coffee' controversy
Los Angeles Times

 
computer programming • lawsuit • settlement • Take-Two Interactive Software • Grand Theft Auto • sexually explicit • Hot Coffee • minigame • x-rated • sex scenes

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