Because of "depictions of violence against women"
https://twitter.com/Targetaus/status/540075306535497728 (has link to press release PDF)
Their loss on this one for listening to a vocal minority full of crazies.
Target has removed GTA5 from their shelves
twig on 04/12/2014 - 00:52
Last edited 04/12/2014 - 00:53
Last edited 04/12/2014 - 00:53
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So in short: violence against men is ok then… there is a portion of a game where you have to torture a man to get information out of him. That wasn't mentioned in the petition.
The petition shows a screenshot of the player character looking at a unimportant (non story related) NPC, they can either be men, women or animal NPC's but it's obvious they saw something wrong with women being depicted as victims of violence. TIL it's Ok for dead men to exist in a game but wrong as hell if there are dead women to be shown
Being opposed to violence against women is not being pro violence, or indifferent about violence, against men. This is a sort of reddit style oversimplification.
The problem with this petition is that it is dishonest and abandons context in favour of sensational hysterics.
GTA doesn't encourage you to be violent against women.
GTA doesn't reward you for being violent against women. Or anyone, really.
GTA doesn't have any option for you to commit sexual violence. You can solicit prostitutes, but whether or not you consider that sexual violence is perspective. I take George Carlin's view: "Selling is legal, (profanity) is legal. So why isn't selling (profanity) legal?"
And it removes all context of GTA being an open world game where the player chooses what kind of actions they want to take. You can solicit a hooker and then kill her, or mow down a group of people, or shoot everything in sight, but all of those actions result in the consequence of having the law chase you around. You don't earn points, or health, or words of encouragement after doing that stuff.
Finally, this is a game only available to adults. The same parents signing this petition are no doubt the kind of parents who completely ignore what kind of games they usually buy their kids until some busybody creates a petition online to tell them of the horrors of the content of the games they buy.
In FSX you can fly a 737 into a skyscraper.
FSX PROMOTES TERRORISM, RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE!!!
It was bill hicks who said that not George Carlin.
Incorrect:
I don't understand why prostitution is illegal. Selling is legal. (profanity) is legal. Why isn't selling (profanity) legal? You know, why should it be illegal to sell something that's perfectly legal to give away? I can't follow the logic on that one at all! Of all the things you can do, giving someone an orgasm is hardly the worst thing in the world. In the army they give you a medal for spraying napalm on people! In civilian life you go to jail for giving someone an orgasm! Maybe I'm not supposed to understand it…
-Napalm and Silly Putty (book) Parental Advisory Explicit Lyrics (CD)
It's a Carlin quote. I don't know if Hicks ever made the same or similar joke, although I am pretty familiar with his routines and I don't recall him making that joke.
Health points blunder aside…the game doesn't encourage violence to women…it just encourages good old fashions violence to everyone.
#IfYouPromoteEqualityAndWantToBeTakenSeriouslyThenYouCan'tClaimRidiculousThingsLikeThisGiiiiiirl
True Ozbargainer. I love you guys
Why is the world full of kiddy, baby whiners?
As far as I'm concerned the "worst" part of the game is the torture sequence… Which is perpetrated against a male!
GTA V is a work of art. Its caricature of The American Dream is equally beautiful as it is disturbing. If it's not your cup of tea, give it a miss. I will personally be avoiding the 50 Shades of Grey movie like the plague. I will not be starting a "Please somebody think of the children!" petition.
I've been playing videogames for about two decades and have never killed or raped anyone. Not even once.
THERE IS NO CAUSAL LINK BETWEEN VIDEOGAME VIOLENCE AND REAL WORLD VIOLENCE.
THERE IS NO CAUSAL LINK BETWEEN VIDEOGAME VIOLENCE AND REAL WORLD VIOLENCE.
Not really. Whenever I see a micro transaction in a game, I tend to want to punch the developer in the face.
But anyway… another win for Anita Sarkeesian.
Another win for the devil
Anita Sarkeesian, devil; tomato potato.
Of course in the interest of protecting my hobby and ass I wish no ill will to Anita, I just disagree with her actions and comments regarding my hobby.
It's odd only Target was .. targeted. Why not call on all retailers who carry this game to pull it off the shelves? They probably knew that wasn't possible.
I believe it was because Target was actively promoting it as a great gift idea for Christmas.
After the anxiety and exhaustion Xmas creates, perhaps a little crazy mayhem only GTA V can provide is just what the Dr. ordered. ;)
But I have seen other store have GTA V bundles, why don;t they harass EB Games?
They probably know they have no leverage with EB Games.
Target has more to lose because one of their main target markets are mothers who might be negatively influenced by keeping GTA V stocked. So as stupid as this whole ordeal is, I guess it makes sense for the petitioners to go after Target.
it was in the catalogue on the same page as peppa pig toys. Someone at Target still thinks video games are for kiddies and doesnt understand what the R rating means.
sunrise was talking about it and how its terrible as kids can play these games…….
its a R rated game…..The issue there is that Target will sell it to kids. My undeage son has never had a problem buying r rated games, which I have promptly returned.
well you should raise that with the classification board and get them fined!
It's funny because I was ID'd buying GTA5 last year when I was 28…. that was in Harvey Norman though.
How the hell are kids getting away with it and I'm getting crap? I was wearing a work shirt/slacks as well lol!
@Deviner: Same, we were ID'd buying GTA V last month.
Good to see some places are making the effort, and helping the R18+ rating actually work.
That's a failure of Target, not the game's creators.
I would have complained to management because as far as the law is concerned it is as illegal to sell R18+ material to minors as it is to buy them smokes or booze.
I saw that and then it was discussed with Koshy's Angels. From what i saw sunrise were pretty cool about the game. The fact that it is available everywhere anyway and so that target's actions are pretty much irrelevant was the main theme from what they were saying.
But yea, people have been mislead about what the game is focussing on. My wife complained that I had pre ordered it for PC and asked why I wanted such a game..
My answer was… I'm only buying it to play golf :)
That's what you get when you're brand icon is a red target :) Haven't played the game so can't comment on the validity though.
As they said, "The peaceful majority is irrelevant"
The incentive is to commit sexual violence against women, then abuse or kill them to proceed or get ‘health’ points
Despite that being incorrect, I don't get the fixation on women. Wouldn't a game that encouraged the killing of only men be sexist? This game doesn't discriminate, it's a sandbox game, it has a living and breathing city full of crime and corruption and you can do what you want. Want to go around only killing women? Sure, I guess you could do that. Want to go around and rid the entire GTA world of men so the powerful women can inherit the world? You could do that too.
Why do these groups try to gender every issue?
Have a problem with violent video games? Fine. (Well, kind of fine, as long as you also have a problem with violent movies, violent CSI-esque television shows - which would mean we'd suddenly have no TV or Movies to watch) But why try to spin a gender angle on everything?
Rhetorical question. The answer is obvious. To disempower anyone who disagrees. Disagree with them? You're a sexist woman hater who condones sexual violence.
I am disgusted by real-life violence in any shape or form. Have never so much as laid a hand on anyone in violence. And I love these video games. They're unadulterated fun, like watching a brainless comedy, you know you're not learning anything and you know what you're viewing is completely devoid from reality…but it's fun. Normal people can very easily distinguish movies, games and TV from real life. Heck I watched Dexter and Breaking Bad and to my knowledge I haven't murdered anyone or manufactured any hard drugs.
They are a group advocating for women. I don't see why they should be obliged to advocate for other demographics (ie. men).
Men (and women) are more than free to object to the violence against men in this game. In this instance, these women are specifically concerned with the ability for players to commit violent acts against prostitutes. A laundry list of complaints about a whole host of different aspects this game would have diluted their intended message.
these women are specifically concerned with the ability for players to commit violent acts against prostitutes
But using that niche view completely removes context. It attempts to create an issue that simply doesn't exist. It's a sandbox game, someone can do quite literally whatever they want. Using your logic every single group in the world could campaign against this game.
Violence against women.
Violence against men.
Violence against short people.
Violence against tall people.
Violence against Hispanics.
Violence against black people.
Violence against Asian people.
Violence against white people.
Dangerous driving.
Handling firearms.
Running red lights.
Violence against authority members.
Stealing vehicles.And all of this comes down to ONE THING. Evidence. Is there any evidence that shows causation between ANY OF THESE THINGS increasing and this game? There is a lot of research, a lot of literature, and all of it points to NO. No causation. None at all.
This is a group of misinformed people who have a hammer and are searching incredibly hard for nails.
They're preventing nothing except people having fun. A wowser group. And they try to demonise anyone who chooses to have fun in a way that they find offensive.
If they don't like the game, don't buy it. But if you're going to push your beliefs onto others you damn well better have some evidence to back up your cause. And of course, they don't. Why not put this energy into a useful cause like working with domestic violence groups, educating themselves on the subject and then educating others who have anger issues on more productive ways of releasing anger and stress that hurt no one (like sport, exercise or video games).
Can we get rid of Barbie dolls then too please? I caught my daughter stuffing her socks under her shirt while playing with her dolls. This creates a false image for women and just as bad as violence against women.
It was sarcasm, much like how playing GTA will make my sons more likely to abuse women. That said, I did catch her with the socks. I laughed, took a photo and left.
Yeah Barbie Dolls and Tonka Trucks are wrong now too according to extremist feminists and The Greens now too. According to them, we must repress our childrens' natural gender identity and this will apparently somehow reduce violence against women.
I saw a kid run a barbie doll over with their tonka truck…. BAN TONKA TRUCKS!
Yeah, I heard a GREEN spinning top is the only gender-neutral toy that is allowed.
Been spinning mine for days so far. Lost my job…but SO WORTH IT.
whats next….
ban all games which show killing of animals (hunting games)
ban all games where there is violence against other players, like football games where u can do dangerous tackles and injury players, bowling bouncers in cricket
ban all war games where you shot other players
ban all fighting games, that encourages kids to fightban all movies which show violence against women, shooting animals, smoking, drinking, shooting people
ban everything!
I like your policies. Do you have a group I can join? I have lots of white cardboard and markers to create signs with.
Think of the children! Ban Everything!
Ban banning!
Westboro Baptist Church
The Liberal party is in 100% agreement with you. Take away our freedoms to make us safe. You should add "Ban the internet" to your hit list, since people can use the internet for nefarious purposes like downloading pornography or music.
I've been using wrong all this time!
The Labor party are in agreement with this too. Remember Nicola Roxon and her censorship laws? She was the one who kicked off this data retention stuff in Aus. And Conroy and his gigantic internet filter?
I love how all this oooh aaah is in full blast almost one year after the game's actual release ….and the open world being in their series for decades. :)
But when people (some do, as soon as they learn I work in the gaming industry, they start their moral lectures on how I am part of an industry which is helping in creating psychopaths and murderers) come along looking for an argument or debate around these topics, I just smile…shake my head…and walk past them. Ignoring them infuriates them even more I've noticed :)
I don't like it either but are you going to fight for it?
Then you'll be labelled "sexist", "animalist" or whatever "-ist" label they're gonna throw at you.
If you don't like it, then show your act of defiance.
I'm interested to know whether the people who signed the petition have ever played GTA before.
Definitely have not played. It's just a big game of Chinese whispers, fueled by the ill-informed.
"I heard there's a game called GTA where you can kill prostitutes"
"There's a game called GTA that focuses on killing prostitutes"
"It's is a prostitute killing simulation game! You get bonus points for killing women! Ban it now!"
Does that mean Target should will selling fifty shades of grey? Because that encourages violence against women
Kmart have also pulled it from sale apparently haha
Same parent company.
Woolworths Group 1!
Coles Group 0!
And Woolworths didn't even have to do anything! People looking for GTA V is gonna go Big W instead of Kmart or Target…
Wow feminists, (/whoever is complaining about it this time) you're only raising a concern that literally every moral white knighter has jumped on for the past 18 years with GTA.
10/10, would get trolled by again.
who still goes to target to buy games?
I did for the new sim city when it was $19…
depends if there is a deal on OzBargain. Since the invention of Steam… it is very rare, unless it is Nintendo.
Everyone who signed the petition should be checked by the AFP whether they purchased this game for a minor. Isn't supplying an R18+ game the same as buying alcohol or smokes for kids (where penalties are concerned?). Not 100% sure but cinemas won't let a kid into an R18+ movie, even if chaperoned by parents.
Its all well and good for there to be an r18+ classification, but this is something i think the nanny state would do well out of (win for all) enforcing this area of the law: restrict sales to the numpty parents who are buying it for their kids / allow over 18 year olds full and free access to adult content games.
LOL, someone put up a petition to put it back on the shelves… I've actually also signed it XD
https://www.change.org/p/target-continue-to-sell-grand-theft…
Signed!
More people need to sign this, gamers or not, it's unfair that they can build their success on lies and deceptions, if you like the game or not we just can't allow these lies to continue!
Signed!
done lol
They chose Target because their logo is a target sign which encourages everyone to make them a target for their petitions as proven by the outcome of this petition. See what I did there ?
they should refund all of GTA V purchases in their original price!
So long as they're in original unbroken packaging
You must support violence against women.
I encourage anybody who purchased the game from Target to try this, then buy it at JB for cheaper. There was a successful comment posted on their FB page, which now seems to have been deleted.
I bought the PS3 version last year from Target, it will be awesome if you can refund that full price!
do it
I bought a GTA IV PS3 bundle from Kmart 6 years ago. I wonder if I can return it at full price…. $750ish. I still have all packaging and receipt.
ppl overreacting
Poll on 9News.com.au site:
Do you think Target was right to pull Grand Theft Auto Five from shelves?Yes
56%
3723No
44%
2933…aaaand I've just lost faith in humanity. though I'm not surprised, considering the demographic who reads the site.
edited original post, realised someone already mentioned Kmart also doing this but yeah
That's because the new report didn't get the fact straight, they didn't explain that the original partition was making fault statements
Count has changed a slightly since yesterday :)
30% (4739) - Yes
70% (11023) - No
All this news article has taught me is that I'll soon be able to get an axe in the game. When and where can I get it?
This game is rated R18+. Get real outrage merchants.
I heard somewhere (Facebook?) K-Mart has removed it too apparent? Is that right?
same parent company
This is the same argument they use every time a GTA game is released and no proof is provided that it 'MADE' a player preform any act in relation to 'abuse' of women and/or 'female' sex workers.
That was a player deciding to do it….. not a linear path or a one way street. Besides if they can't enforce the R18+ Classification than they should be held culpable…..
This news actually made me go and get GTA5 just to see what the fuss is about.
Target have made the right decision. Women would make up the majority of their customer base, they're on the cautious side & want to avoid any public backlash down the track. No big loss, plenty of specialized stores for games.
but it was still a decision made on lies and deceptions, I can't support that
Losers. To busy worrying about women clothes.
Ah uh, tarJ
Alot of things are illegal.. like hunting endangered animals is illegal.. We better ban all hunting games incase we all suddenly have an urge to fly to Africa to hunt rhinos and elephants. Games that depict hunting dinosaurs are event worse. If we wanted all wanted to hunt dinosaurs they would go extinct, if they weren't already.
Things like running on the streets and jumping over speeding cars sounds pretty illegal. We have kids playing these game we better ban them fast otherwise kids will end up being run over tying to jump over cars on our roads.
GGWP whingers…
Now go whinge about Krispy Kreme being deadly and causing obesity in kids, go whinge about how Barbie doll reinforce stereotype females, go whinge …… blah blah
I am sure if they whinge enough we all be living in a bright white box with nothing but oats and water to eat and drink.
What happened to freedom of speech and your own damn free will.
There will always be sickos out there removing a game off the shelf will do nothing to stop them.
Target if you read this such fail and please let us know how many customers did your executive speak to?
“Games like this are grooming yet another generation of boys to tolerate violence against women,” the petition on Change.org says.
This is a R18+ Game
This is a R18+ Game
This is a R18+ GameWtf Feminists.
You are certainly right that this is an adult game so the idea that it is "grooming" boys is false, but a larger problem is that people think pulling works of fiction encourages larger change in society. I think there is a serious problem with violence against women and children in society. It makes my stomach turn to think of all of those women out there who are suffering at the hands of a drunk or drug-addicted spouse, or some scum-bag bully.
What I almost hate more is slacktavists like the authors of this petition who think harassing a retailer into removing a video game title will somehow have any effect on these societal problems. You're taking the moral high-ground without earning it through action.
Lobby the government to increase funds to deal with domestic violence. Demand more money to help women fleeing abusive relationships. You want to stop negative attitudes towards women? Stop the cycle of abuse which we know influences young men's attitudes towards women. Video games aren't the enemy, the unbroken cycle of abuse in the enemy.
/rant
1 in 3 victims of domestic violence are male.
Take a stance against domestic violence, not for excluding men from the list of victims.
haha brilliant PR, pulling out a game with almost 2 BILLION dollars in sales because a bunch loonies complained about it. I'm sure half the people who signed the petition have to be misinformed people who have no clue what they signed. Anyway JB HIFI you've got a new customer
The problem with this, is that xbox one / PS4 target was onto something good over the past month or two. All latest release games have been $59… while JB Hifi and EB's are a staggering $99. At the end of the day, i already have strict personal boycots in place for any store trying to fleece me of $99 when i know the game is half that price overseas.
So its annoying that right when Target was building my appreciation of pushing for great prices for latest release games, they go do something like this.
JB Hifi sells it for $69 and another 20% off would be $55. I don't think any store sells it for $59, only the new release Wii U games seem to be at $59 (Eg Smash for Wii U)
well target did have GTA5 for $59 :) i bought destiny for xbox 360 for that, then went back a week later and got for xbox one for $59. (sold used destiny xbox 360 for $61 on ebay!
http://www.target.com/p/destiny-xbox-one/-/A-14640487
They DID have GTA5 for that price also till it was rudely removed from self
@zelda707: Damn you right the AUS Target is back to $89 (sorry about the US link). But Yes I'm sure, I'd know i bought it in store (twice) at $59! it lasted at least 2 weeks at $59 though. I bought for x360, decided to get a XBone, sold the 360 for $170 on ebay, went back and bought the xbone version and sold my old destiny x360 copy for more than i Paid!
@wired00: Yep true its usually overpriced at JB/EB but as zelda707 mentioned with the discount it comes down to $55. As for other games I think I will stick to ozgameshop, no chance of me going back to target.
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They are getting pretty hammered on Twitter. This seems to be another example of the squeaking wheel getting the oil.
Good to see the authors of the petition were so honest about the content of the game. /s
The game doesn't encourage violent acts, nor does it reward it for "health" points.
Well, Target is off my Xmas shopping list.