Grand Theft Auto's Pornographic "Easter Egg"

As reported by Web3DNews in March, game studios have been careful not to cross into forbidden territory with new game titles -- inflicting violence on children, mixing sex and violence, et cetera. Steering away from these themes avoids inciting a public and regulatory backlash, which can have a direct impact on companies' bottom lines.

However, companies have gone right up to the line with certain violent titles, some of which allow and even encourage murder and random acts of violence. Additionally, programmers and designers have delighted in adding "Easter Eggs" to games -- special levels, unusual messages, or other tricks that can only be accessed via secret or hidden methods. Unlike cheat codes, which are usually planned into the gaming environment, Easter Eggs are created independently without approval from corporate HQ.

In the case of Take-Two Interactive Software's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, a secret scene has resulted in more than egg all over the company's face. The 3D game already has a reputation for violence (drive-by shootings, picking up prostitutes, theft, and other felonies are encouraged) but the "Hot Coffee" scene has caused big problems for Take Two and its subsidiary, Rockstar Games. Even though the sex scene can only be accessed by downloading an unauthorized "patch" from the Internet, the game's U.S. rating has been reclassified as for adults only, which has resulted it being pulled from family-oriented stores such as Wal-Mart. Government regulators in the United States are investigating, Australia has banned the game outright, media organizations are piling on the bad publicity, and even senior citizens are getting involved -- an 85-year-old grandmother says she is suing the company.

The moral of the story? Developing 3D video games can be fun, but it shouldn't be regarded as a game. Easter Eggs and other tricks that go outside of the project specs can lead to serious legal and financial implications, and can result in people getting fired. Take Two is already in damage control mode, but with powerful people in Washington rolling up their sleeves, the implications for the rest of the videogame industry could be significant.