GTA San Andreas pulled from shelves

A number of US retailers are refusing to sell after another twist in the controversial game's tale, resulting in the American game rating body upgrading the title to 'Adults Only' and developer Rockstar promising to start work on a new version.

These dramatic moves come as a response to the discovery of a cheat mode in both the PS2 and PC versions that reveals explicit scenes of CJ making the beast with two polygonal backs - the so called 'Hot Coffee' modification.

Rockstar has been keen to point out that using the cheat is an "unauthorised modification that alters the retail version of the game" and it maintains that it never intended to for gamers to see any of the sprite-on-sprite sauciness.

Nonetheless it has still moved to cease manufacturing the current version of the title and will begin working on "a version of the game with enhanced security".

In the meantime, PC owners will be able to download a patch to block the modification and the company will provide 'Adults Only' stickers for any US shops that still wish to sell the game.

At the time of going to press there was no one from Rockstar UK available to comment on whether similar moves will be made in the UK. Similarly, ELSPA, the British body responsible for age ratings in the UK, was not available to comment on any possibility of a change in the game's age rating over here.

Update
[21/07/05 11:58]

We have now spoken with Roger Bennett, director general of ELSPA, who has confirmed that GTA San Andreas will retain its 18+ rating in the UK for the foreseeable future.

He added that the position might change, as his organisation will "wait to here what (Rockstar's) investigation throws up".

GTA San Andreas is already on sale for Xbox, PC and PS2