Take2 sues Chicago Transit Authority over GTA4 ads
The publisher of the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise feels like it got ripped off in Chicago–and it’s suing. Take-Two Interactive Software sued the Chicago Transit Authority on Monday for allegedly pulling its ads promoting the latest version of the action-driving and crime game just days after the ads began appearing, thus violating its free-speech and contractual rights, according to a Reuters report. The suit, which was filed in Manhattan federal court, seeks reinstatement of the ads on buses and display spaces, as well as monetary damages of at least $300,000, the reported value of the contract, according to the report.
The suit claims that ads for the game, which has been criticized as excessively violent, were removed after a television news report questioned why the advertisements were allowed to run following a crime wave in the city, according to the report. This is not the first time the CTA has come under fire for GTA ads. In 2004, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich criticized the transit authority for agreeing to run ads for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, leading the CTA to remove the ads, according to a report in the Chicago Tribune. Take-Two hasn’t yet released the game’s first-week sales figures, but analysts are expecting sales to top last year’s record $300 million first-week sales of Halo 3. The game is expected to sell more than 9 million copies.
Source: CnetÂ
what about the lawsuit to rslog for offer links to pirate copies of his game?
and first
well i think rlslog settled this since its a big ad for the game.
man, if you’ve watched the media for last few days, it’s been one big ad for this game. but gta 4 deserves every percent of it…
yea its a freakin sweet game, but gets bored after a while, somehow… its allways the same
blmae GTA for your ignorant kids, not yourself for not educating them.
man dont the gta publishers get enough money seriously!!!!
@6
They made a contract which Chicago Transit Authority broke so they should get compensated somehow. It’s not like it came as a surprise to anyone what Grand Theft Auto stands for
How stupid and pathetic, I guess they should ban the news now to, lot’s of violence in there. Let’s blame everything else but ourselves for the problems facing society today. So obviously it’s ok to show people being killed in a news broadcast but hint at it in a GAME and you become the tool of the devil. What a pile of crap.
Personally I never understood why age rated products (especially mature) are advertised in public space such as billboards. You don’t see GTA advertisements in kid or teen magazines or during kids shows so why show it where they can more plainly see it, ie on buses? Adverts for mature rated products should remain in the mature space such as lads mags, late night TV and radio etc.
Better yet, teach those kids what the ‘mature rated products’ are and WHY they are rated mature. People are all to willing to push the responsibility onto others. As to rock*, I wish them luck with the suit FTW!! They are protecting our (game devs, among others) rights to produce what we want and still be able to advertise it freely, though I do admit that this is a very extreme case of that…
Violence sells. GTA Sells. You know, it’s the same as asking why R-rated movies have ads around cities. Toronto has plenty of them. Games, comics and movies are escapes from reality. Some find them fun, others don’t. You can’t blame a video game for life’s problems; what about movies and comics? Gonna ban the posters and books, too? Books go into detail when someone dies… Gonna pull them off the shelves? Getting covered by the news brings more publicity to the game. If you don’t like it, don’t look. If you see one on every corner, don’t complain. It’ll be replaced soon enough. Let it be. You can’t blame video games for kids showing violence. Excuses, excuses. They have a choice.
Keep ‘em coming, Take-Two
It’s a lot easier to not advertise then to depend on parents to teach what mature rated products are. It’s hard enough being a parent already in this sorry ass world without Rockstar promoting their shenanigans all over the place. People or companies with power have a responsibility, Rockstar are almost certainly abusing it. There’s enough hype and advertising for this game already for it to be worthwhile for Rockstar
maybe they shouldnt have agreeded to post the ads and then want to take them down. id sue for more. they deserve it.
GTA is a has been game it is no longer fun. The only good thing about san andreas was you got to customize your rides. They need more of that in the game.
I really don’t think that take 2 really care about some dumb ad that no one really pays attention to in the subway. The longer that this game stays on the news, the more money it will make. It’s as simple as that. next week it will be something else, and i think that it’s great publicity.
@12 Companies’ responsibility these days is to $$$. Sure, they may be morally responsible, but since when has morality been a factor in anything, being the war[&violence]-loving humans that we are, that is, until it’s against us. As for not depending on parents, they took the responsibility on themselves when they decided to have a child. They’re only screwing themselves when they don’t teach, and thereby make life harder for, their children, who then end up resenting [or perhaps just not respecting] them.
Problem with GTA games is after the hilarious parody of the 80’s in Vice City, San Andreas and GTA4 take themselves too seriously. Whereas in Vice City it was enjoyable to ride around, listening to all the witty talkback and ads(Degenetron 2000 and Evacuator, the Exploder Part 2 for example !:)), The Mutha Farka talk and all the Gangsta C-Rap in San Andreas just was too dry. Though it would have been a perfect genre to make fun of, the whole early 90’s gansta gang rubbish that continues to this day, it never really was made into anything amusing. Shame that this continues into GTA4.
Moral panic AAHhhh , cant wait for pc vers so i can mod it!
The ads displayed here in gbg sweden are quite nice, and display no sorts of violence (a few of them may be carrying guns and rifles
) .. Just posters of the various characters you’ll see in the game.. Might try to get me one of those posters xD
“A hooded man queuing to buy the new Grand Theft Auto IV, the notoriously violent computer game, stabbed a passer-by in the head and neck. Up to 100 people witnessed the attack. This adds to more contraversy concerning the GTA series … ” London, England
Soon they’re gonna start blaming terrorist acts on GTA! Oil shortages on GTA! Everytime somebody dies GTA will get the blame. Oh know, he’s driving over the speed limit … BLAME GTA!
XD
Gta is great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Boo i don’t have a PS3 or 369 ;(
GTA RULES
I live in Chicago, and this is all politics. Around two weeks ago more than 30 people were shot or stabbed in one weekend. Around 20 or so kids have been shot and killed since January, caught in gang violence. Your talking knives, handguns, and AK 47’s.
Chicago has in recent years dropped the murder rate, but it appears to be jumping again as the gangs are really escalating the level of violence, event though there appears to be no active gang wars. Th increase in Eastern European organized crime is also a problem.
All of Chicago has caught anti-gang, anti-violence fever, which is to be expected, but sometimes it goes to ridiculous lengths.
Ah thanks pee pants, I understand now.
This whole GTA4 thing is a joke, the media wants to blame something for society so it can make more money itself. It’s not just the game that benefits from the publicity (good or bad) the media does too. They need to write/report about something and nobody wants to hear a story about how a computer game is “a bit violent but it’s just for fun, it’s a good game actually, you should try it”, that doesn’t sell (except in game magazines, of course).
That’s just a part of a big picture though. Of course, they need a scapegoat for society’s problems. Really it’s the fault of every broken home, every drink or drug abusing (I mean abusing, not using) parent, the government, and of course the media doesn’t want to help, just profit.
It’s the parent’s fault. Not Rockstars, not Microsoft’s, the parents. If you can’t say “No” to your child when he/she asks for something, than you are obviously a weak parent. Your the parent. Not your kid. If you don’t feel like getting GTA 4 because you know what the game is like, say no! Don’t go crying to the media because your child stole a car or hurt someone. It’s not the game’s fault. The game doesn’t speak to your kid telling him/her what to do. It’s 100% your fault. If you can’t say “No” to your child, you have failed as a parent.
Good thing I have a daughter.
Now you need to understand some people tend towards thinking having children has to be as easy as having a dog.
Whatever, screw these people! I want to say them just be good parents or don’t have kids, you have the choice.
I was really really disappointed with GTA IV. I mean how can people call this the best game of 2008 when it has had little to no thought put in it.
Been playing this today on PS3 and it just seems so similar to San Andreas that it makes it boring to play.
GTA to GTA3 was a big leap and so was GTA3 to Vice City.
GTA IV brings nothing new to the table and as such is a bore to play. I totally agree with #17.
The Metal Gear series (as an example) creates a completely different game each time. While the very basic gameplay is the same (sneaking, shooting and strangling) each game is completely different.
The original GTA had a very cartoony feel to it and was hilarious to play, mowing down all the elvis impersonators in your fire engine
Vice City was also a hilarious 80s romp that seemed to never grow tiresome.
Now San Andreas and GTA IV have ruined the series for me.
Roll on Metal Gear Solid 4 (and maybe they will remake Metal Gear 1 & 2
)
@ Pilsu & WhyBother
I live in the Chicago-area. A few weekends ago, in the time period of Friday thru Sunday, there were 2 dozen murders in the Chicago city limits. It was just a matter of bad timing. If they kept it up, it would be perceived that the CTA (run directly withing the city government) supports such violence, even if it’s a video game. It was a wise decision, but they still should’ve contacted Take-Two.
@ Armstrong14
I am 100% in support of the media and think that the media is not to blame… but is still influential. The murder victims had a choice, and the CTA was backed into a corner.
—–
I don’t know why Take-Two is complaining, though: it’s going to be the biggest selling game in history, and they’re whining about an ethical decision? Tsk, tsk. If they really cared, they’d show understanding regarding the reasoning behind the pulling. Chicago isn’t the only place the game is being sold.
Even though they have their crutch-like amendments to help them understand, USians just don’t get freedom of speech.
Its about bloody time take two gets to sue somebody. Its ALWAYS the other way around
Talk about censorship in Australia and New Zealand we get a cut down MA (15 years+) version.
The CTA new what they were getting themself into when they took the contract and unless the ads actually breach some standards then they have an obligation to carry that contract out or pay compensation.
To the GTA IV haters, it may seem like you are a taxi driver for the 1st hour but after that the story can branch in so many ways depending on how you develop the different characters you interact with. So if it is a lame game maybe you are just a boring person in real life and this is reflected in the way you build (or dont build) these friendships.
lol at #31
Yes I must be a boring person because I do not like GTA IV!
Or maybe I am just not happy with the fact that the game brings nothing new to the table. I am not saying it is a badly made game but I would not spend the money on it.
It really is just an updated San Andreas. We now have a cover system and an awful new shooting system. WOW!
Wow some of you are special. CTA did the right thing by taking those adds down. Just last weekend 40 people were shot. Thats why are news report made that comment not just because he wants to blame the game for the violence. I do agree that rockstar has the right to sue but its a stupid cause.