Hot Coffee Finally History? Take-Two Pays $20 Million To Investors

from the hot-coffee-is-now-cold dept

I have to admit that I never quite understood the complaints about the "Hot Coffee" mod in Grand Theft Auto. First, it involved proactively modifying the software to unlock certain levels -- and those levels included scenes of consensual sex. Remember, this is a game that purposely is based on stealing cars, killing people, drug dealing and other sorts of illegal activity... and suddenly people got upset because of a hidden level that included a bit of consensual sex? Yet, lawsuits came flying from all directions. The company eventually tried to settle a class action lawsuit from users -- though most members of that "class" didn't even bother to make a claim, and the court eventually realized that the whole lawsuit was filed incorrectly, and ended up busting up the settlement.

But that wasn't the only lawsuit. Another lawsuit involved shareholders, who claimed that the company was trying to mislead shareholders about Hot Coffee. A judge dismissed that claim, but apparently the shareholders kept suing, and the new management at Take-Two decided it would be best to just settle the lawsuit, fork over $20 million (much of it paid for by insurance) and just be done with the whole thing. In some ways, this is really too bad. It's difficult to see how having an easter egg in a bit of software could possibly be seen as being misleading to shareholders, and this settlement will only encourage other similar lawsuits.

Filed Under: class action, grand theft auto, hot coffee

Court Unravels Grand Theft Auto Sex Scene Settlement

from the go-get-some-hot-coffee-and-try-again dept

We still can't understand how someone who bought a game where the focus of game play includes stealing cars, killing people, prostitution and drugs could possibly be offended to later find out that if you applied a special mod to the software you could also experience some consensual adult sex. Yet, some folks (mainly lawyers and politicians) got all uptight about the so-called "Hot Coffee" mod, and a class action lawsuit quickly followed -- supposedly to help reimburse those poor souls traumatized by the discovery (actively, after applying the mod) that the carjacking game they were playing had consensual sex. And, of course, the lawyers won. They reached a settlement where the lawyers made over a million dollars, and those of you traumatized by the hot coffee mod got $5.

It turns out, though, that not too many people were actually traumatized by this. Very few people have actually bothered to file the forms to join the class... and it all might not matter any way. A federal judge has just realized (it took this long?) that the "class" in the class action suit doesn't actually qualify as a "class." You see, the whole thing was filed under the idea that the Hot Coffee mod violated consumer protection laws... which just so happen to be handled at the state level. So the idea of lumping everyone from across the country into the same class is problematic -- since different state laws cover the issue at hand.

Filed Under: class action, grand theft auto, hot coffee

Consensual Sex Mod In GTA Not Disturbing Enough To Get Many To File For Settlement Payment

from the really-not-so-bad dept

For years, we've been mystified by the "scandal" surrounding the "Hot Coffee" mod in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Here was a game that very overtly included all sorts of violence, killing, carjacking, drugs, robbery, prostitution and general mayhem. And, then someone slips in a modification that adds in some consensual sex? How dare they! Yet, it became a big issue for politicians and lawyers, who eventually worked out a settlement that gives those offended $5. The lawyers, in the meantime, stand to take home $1.3 million. And, now, it turns out that not very many people cared enough to join the settlement. There are probably two reasons for this: (1) most people really weren't particularly offended and (2) $5? ($35 if you actually kept the receipt) Not worth the time. So, once again, we have a situation where a class action lawsuit basically just moves a bunch of money to some lawyers, rather than doing anything useful.

Filed Under: class action, consensual sex, grand theft auto, hot coffee, mods, video games
Companies: take two interactive

Judge Decides That Grand Theft Auto's Hot Coffee Mod Didn't Deceive Shareholders

from the easter-eggs-remain-legal dept

Hidden "easter eggs" are quite common. These are little things hidden within software, often for the amusement of the programmers. In video games, it's often fun to try to find these hidden parts. It's really kind of a tradition for some. However, folks who didn't quite understand this freaked out a few years back, when the "Hot Coffee" mod/hidden content was revealed within the game Grand Theft Auto. This was a special modification to the game that would unlock a hidden part of the game allowing players to (gasp!) participate in consensual intercourse. It was such a big deal that various Senators proposed laws to prevent such a thing from ever happening again. And, there was even a class action for all those people "damaged" by this mod. And, because no moral outrage directed at companies is complete without a shareholder class action lawsuit, there was one of those as well -- accusing the company of somehow "misleading shareholders" with Hot Coffee. Luckily a judge has realized how ridiculous this is and has dismissed that particular claim in the shareholder lawsuit. Phew. Now software developers will be able to keep adding easter eggs and hidden content without a special explanation for all shareholders.

Filed Under: grand theft auto, hot coffee, shareholders
Companies: take two

Lawyers Work Hard To Protect Us From Grand Theft Auto's Hot Coffee Mod. Your Cut? $5.

from the grand-theft-lawyer dept

Over two years ago, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas got into a bit of hot water over the "Hot Coffee" mod that allowed players to unlock a hidden mini-game that would then show characters engaging in (gasp!) consensual sex. Considering that the rest of the game was completely awash in acts of violence, which garnered it the appropriate "M" rating, all of the hubbub that arose over the mod seemed overblown, ultimately culminating in a class-action lawsuit against the game's publisher, Take-Two. Consumerist points to the recently released details of the settlement. What do you get? $5, if you don't have the receipt for the game -- for those that are more diligent about filing away their 2 year old video game receipts, $35. The lawyers' take? A cool million. In any case, here's some free advice for the much-anticipated next release in the Grand Theft Auto series, avoid lawsuits and don't hide the sex in the game this time.

Filed Under: class action, grand theft auto, hot coffee
Companies: take-two