Game Politics

BREAKING NEWS: Another Hot Coffee Lawsuit

Here we go again...

The Madison Record is reporting that a "concerned mother" has filed a class action suit in St. Clair County, Illinois over the infamous Hot Coffee content in GTA: San Andreas.

Plaintiff Brenda Stanhouse claims that she purchased the game for her teenagers fully aware of its "M" (17 and older) rating. However she was distressed when she learned of the Hot Coffee content and the ESRB's subsequent decision to re-rate the game as "AO" (18 and older). She claims that she took GTA:SA away from her kids after it was declared AO.

Her suit alleges that Take-two Interactive, publisher of the game and developer Rockstar "failed to disclose to consumers material facts about the sexually explicit content of GTA and provided misleading and deceptive information that GTA was an 'M' rated game, rather than an 'AO'...The unlawful method, act or practice has caused economic loss and damage to plaintiff, and, upon information and belief, has caused similar injury to millions of other persons who purchased the deceptively rated game...Defendants, as a result of their unfair and deceptive marketing of GTA, profited at the expense of Stanhouse and the class."

Stanhouse is represented by attorneys John Steward and Lance Harke of the Nester and Constance firm in Belleville.

Harke is no stranger to class action suits. He is known to have served as plaintiff's counsel against the likes of AOL and Coca Cola.

Ms. Stanhouse' suit is the second San Andreas class action. GP reported on the earlier case here.