Sept 19, 2007
Anti-games US attorney Jack Thompson has written to publisher Take2 demanding that an early section of Grand Theft Auto IV featuring a lawyer be deleted.
According to GamePolitics, documents filed Monday with a federal court in Florida include a letter penned by Thompson, in which the attorney claims that an anti-games lawyer that is killed in GTA IV's early stages is based on him. Thompson is unhappy with "his" depiction and demands it be withdrawn from the title.
"The showcasing play of the game to Game Informer revealed that the first killing mission of the 'hero' of the game, Niko, is to kill a certain lawyer. When Niko comes into this lawyer's office, having used subterfuge to do so, Niko pulls a gun on the lawyer who says, 'that the firm supports the second amendment' and that 'Guns don't kill people. Videogames do.'"
"This faux quotation, which I have never uttered is nevertheless attributed to me at countless Internet sites..."
"The fact that the lawyer, killed on Niko's first mission, would bring up video games, makes it clearly a reference to me... This is not the first time Rockstar Games and Take2 have targeted me in this fashion. Take2 references to me as a bisexual pedophile on its corporate website..."
Thompson goes on to state his belief that the inclusion of the lawyer segment in the game could lead to copycat killings, essentially threatening his safety, and demands that the content be removed by 5pm, Friday September 21. "Govern yourselves accordingly, or else," he warns.
Article taken fromNext Gen.
