Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto series is absolutely no stranger to controversy, of course- in fact, at this point, one has to wonder whether Rockstar isn’t counting on there being some sort of controversy around the game, to give it more mainstream visibility, as well as the desirability associated with the forbidden fruit. So, yes, here we are again- in Australia, retail chain Target has gone ahead and pulled all versions of Grand Theft Auto 5 from its store shelves, following repeat customer concerns about its depiction of violence against women.
“We’ve been speaking to many customers over recent days about the game, and there is a significant level of concern about the game’s content,” said Target’s GM of corporate affairs Jim Cooper.
“We’ve also had customer feedback in support of us selling the game, and we respect their perspective on the issue. However, we feel the decision to stop selling GTA5 is in line with the majority view of our customers.”
Target has confirmed, however, that this applies only to GTA5, as it is a highly specific case, and that other violent movies and games should be unaffected.
“While these products often contain imagery that some customers find offensive, in the vast majority of cases, we believe they are appropriate products for us to sell to adult customers,” Cooper explained.
“However, in the case of GTA5, we have listened to the strong feedback from customers that this is not a product they want us to sell.”
Well… I mean, the game is over a year old at this point, guys. All I am saying is, what in the world took you so long?