Australia bans GTA: San Andreas

By Tom Bramwell Published 1 August, 2005

Bloody Nora!

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is no longer available to buy or rent in Australia after the country's Office of Film and Literature Classification got wind of the increasingly notorious hidden sex-mini-game known as "Hot Coffee".

The game had previously been rated MA15+, which allowed retailers to sell it to people over that age, but Hot Coffee has apparently seen to that. The Aussie office has now revoked the certificate, effectively banning the game from sale, as the OFLC doesn't do a UK-style "18" rating.

"Businesses that sell or hire computer games should remove existing stocks of this game from their shelves immediately," said Des Clark, director of the OFLC. "Parents are strongly advised to exercise caution in allowing children continued access to the game, particularly if they might have access to the 'Hot Coffee' modification."

Clark went on to not bother advising parents that most children have seen graphic sex scenes on television by the age of 15 and probably know far more about human reproduction than anybody else on the planet at this point.

GTA has fallen foul of the OFLC before, of course (unsurprisingly). Grand Theft Auto III, which we thought was rather tame by comparison, was banned outright following its release, and Vice City had to be heavily edited before it was released in the territory. Reminds us of the days of green blood in the SNES version of Mortal Kombat.

In an effort to keep abreast of breaking news surrounding the Hot Coffee "scandal", we've resurrected an old email address to deal with content submissions. Anybody with a Hot Tip as to who or what's going on in the world of Hot Coffee should direct their information to recyclebin@eurogamer.net.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (40) Latest comment 7 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Lothar Hex #1 7 years ago

    Not surprising really, what was more surprising is that they let SA go on sale in the first place, considering GTA3 was banned and VC had to be heavily edited to get a release. I bet import sales of it will skyrocket now mind.

    Thing is, I think the censors in the U.S.A and Australia are being retarded. The game is NOT ALLOWED TO BE SOLD TO KIDS IN BOTH COUNTRIES. Yet instead of blaming the fuckhead parents who buy the game for the kids, they blame the people who make it.

    Rockstar is partly at fault here, because it lied about the "mod" not being an actual part of the game. It turns out that the scenes in question can be accessed on the PS2 and Xbox versions of the game by enterting a code using third party cheat devices. So instead of removing it from the game entirely, they disabled access to it. Then lied. If they had simply removed the sequences from the game, none of this would have happened.

    Still, here in the UK the game has a BBFC rating of 18, and it is actually illegal to sell to anyone under that age, if I did so at work (I workpart time in for a large chain of game stores) I would get a 3 grand fine and possibly a year long prison sentence (maybe more). The BBFC's response to the sex mini-games? "Meh". They haven't changed the rating as an 18 rating is given to media items that contain large amounts of sex and/or violence anyway, so there really is no point in changing the rating or banning the game.
    Edited by 3 at 01/08/05 @ 10:38

  • Huntcjna #2 7 years ago

    all that will do is force more selling of european originals to australian residents on ebay, muppets

  • Bezzy #3 7 years ago

    Hahahaha.

    What the hell is going on, man? Seriously. This is craaaazy!

  • Kiigan #4 7 years ago

    This is just... too mental for words. Are sex scenes in movies banned in Australia too?

  • LFace #5 7 years ago

    MK on SNES had grey blood/sweat not green just for nitpicking purposes...

  • Blerk #6 7 years ago

    So they've banned even the console versions where the game is nigh-on impossible to access? o_O

  • Inspirius #7 7 years ago

    I think the problem in Australia is that they don't have an 18 rating for games. So any game that would be 18 rated is banned instead. This is what they need to sort out, some games simply aren't suitable for children but adults only.

  • teabagger #8 7 years ago

    Much as I think the Oz/US censors are way oversensitive I haven't got a huge amount of sympathy for Rockstar; increasingly I feel that they are no longer making great games with sex/violence being part of it, but beginning to make average games where that is the ONLY part of it, thus making money of the back of their own notoriety. I'm not saying they should be prevented from doing this, and hell if it brings the dollars in... but as a discerning gamer I think they are offering less and less in the way of excellent gaming experiences and more in the way of cheap sensationalist rubbish.

  • captain-future #9 7 years ago

    are Kylie Minogue vids in Down Under rated 15+ too?

    my only serious comment: *LOL* and sorry for the developers.

  • smelly #10 7 years ago

    "If they had simply removed the sequences from the game, none of this would have happened. "

    If you knew anything about games making, you'd know that sometimes removing large bits of code/data/scripts can be problematic. My guess is it was in until the last minute when the realised it wasnt very fun, and they removed it.

    I dont see why a part of the game which is only openable by downloading a mod makes a difference? You could mod most games to make them do naughty stuff.

    This just stinks of people not knowing what they're talking about getting up on their high horses. They misunderstand that "unlockable sex game" means that anyone can see it, but they cant, they STILL need to DOWNLOAD a mod. Mod's are available to make lara croft nude, or doa-volley ball players nude. See?

  • Teeth #11 7 years ago

    I think the problem is that in Australia, they're all fucking completely mental.

  • #12 7 years ago

    Popularity for GTA will increase.

    V. Clever Rockstar.

    V. Stoopaid America and Australia. You're 'banning' the game will almost certainly ensure it's sucess...

  • Xerx3s #13 7 years ago

    Meh. You can expect them yanks to be overhyping hypocrits, but now the ppl from aussieland are going down the same lane. What a load of bs. As if they children by the age of 15 dont know what sex is and how it works. Parents in aussieland clearly shield them from tv, newspapers, magazines,etc. all day long and never let them go outside.

    "I think the problem is that in Australia, they're all fucking completely mental."

    Thats why we kicked 'em to that remote part of the world ;p
    Edited by 2 at 01/08/05 @ 10:51

  • smelly #14 7 years ago

    fully clothed sex at that...

  • Totoriko #15 7 years ago

    "You are banned from playing this game kiddo, now go back to your room and surf the net!"
    /goes back to room
    /downloads p0rn

  • el_pollo_diablo #16 7 years ago

    Totoriko is right.

    And what was it doing with a 15 certificate before anyway?

    I suspect what upset the religious right in the USA was the fact that the sex was interracial, but I'm very surprised by the reaction in oz.

  • smelly #17 7 years ago

    yeah.. but you need to go online and download this mod..

    if the kid is un-monitored online, then there are a hell of a lot worse things to download online.

  • Psi #18 7 years ago

    If there are any american's reading this, please get a handgun walk into a shop. Hold the gun to the Clerk's head and ask them to give you all the money in the register and 1 copy of Grand Theft Auto.

    Let's see if gun crime is reported as the problem or a computer game.

    This whole GTA saga is insulting to the intelligence. How this has gotten this far I'll never know.

  • Creedy #19 7 years ago

    You guys are fucked, I'm actually getting really offended by some of your comments.
    You have no fucking clue about Australia so shut up.
    Come live here and then comment you morons. We aren't shielded from sex and violence here. It's just our ratings board, half of them want an R18+ added and half of them don't. It has to be a yes from everyone. Idiots are using rules and regulations from back in 1994, really is time to update.

  • smelliot #20 7 years ago

    Looks like I won't be emmigrating any time soon them.

  • statix101 #21 7 years ago

    "You guys are fucked, I'm actually getting really offended by some of your comments.
    You have no fucking clue about Australia so shut up."

    If you dont want to read ignorant comments, dont read a European web site....
    I'm sure if i visited plenty of Aussie web sites i'd find the usual slagging off of Europe and the UK in paticular...cus u lot just dont like us anymore, (if you ever did)....just a consequence of trying to immitate an American lifestyle i guess.


  • Teeth #22 7 years ago

    Creedy - lighten up, personally I was kidding. Clearly the problem is the lack of an 18 cert, if there were one then the game would have had it and everyone would be happy - the Oz ratings board is always in the news for being completely arse bonkers. Nothing new there.

  • MrGrumpy.au #23 7 years ago

    Our ratings system doesn't work anyway, and I'm not really a fan of this game but this story was quite interesting (at least I think it is).

    A couple of weeks ago I went to purchase WRC4 and Outlaw Golf 2 (nice games btw) and there was a kid at the head of the line with San Andreas (looked like the PS2 version) bragging about how he couldn't wait to play the "Hot Coffee" mod when he got home. So he went up to the counter paid his money then basically laughed in the persons face that served him saying that he was only 12 years old and they were stooged. (stooged seems to be the new "IN" word here, rollseyes)

    The person serving him said something along the lines of .. "so... I just made another sale". As rediculous as it sounds it happens quite regularly, from others who I've spoken to... (shrugs!)

    If our ratings system actually worked correctly and was implemented in stores which sell games correctly it might not be as much of a mess up like what it is now.

    Cheers

  • kalel #24 7 years ago

    Once again the hypocracy of the censors astounds me. Sex is more offensive then violence? Eh? Right, get a clue you morons.

  • Ninjamagic #25 7 years ago


    If you knew anything about games making, you'd know that sometimes removing large bits of code/data/scripts can be problematic.
    ------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------

    Sorry Smelly,

    If you knew anything about games making, you'd know that sometimes (and mostly) removing large bits of code/data/scripts isn't even an issue with some games even dumping larger areas like Multiplayer, Split Screen, Networking or one section of the game are usually dumped at the last minute (all at the drop of a hat)

    All in the name of to get the game out on time...

    1 pansy little mini script scene (which is all it is) would be a peice of Black Forest Gateux to a Lead Coder/Designer/Producer.

    Finally removing content from games makes games making (generally) easier as it means there is less areas of the game to test.

    ( i did start with sorry smelly didnt i??)

    :))

  • teabagger #26 7 years ago

    Ninja - removing content is often a matter of disabling it rather than physically removing any code or art assets relating to it. Physically removing stuff (as is often done for demo discs) can actually be pretty tricky, so unless doing so is absolutely essential it makes sense not to bother.

    What's your point about the impact of testing? Disabled or removed, either way it doesn't need testing 'cos either way it's not part of the game.
    Edited by 1 at 01/08/05 @ 15:14

  • Ninjamagic #27 7 years ago

    teabagger

    Good point.

    However, whether it has been removed or not a *good* outfit would still make the testers test it in case it didnt crash the code/make them ashamed/someone with a action replay managed to open it.

    However, 99% of the time in my example the code IS removed from the game.

    Totally.

    Cut (and not paste).

    In codewarrior/alienbrain/source safe et all.

    That way you are 100% sure there are NO COMEBACKS.

    I once worked on a project for *** *****.

    Remember Motorhead the racing game on PC?

    The lead *******, once (probably at 2am in the morning on the final days of release) wrote a bit of code.

    (if anyone remembered it was the greek island track with the melody piano music).

    Anyway, if you got to a certain section of track, reversed off the race area and sped over a ramp you would land on a roof.

    If you did it correclty you would get a "Wobbly Amiga pirates text message" you know multicoloured and going across the screen.

    Basically said "it is 2am in the morning and i am xxxx xxxxx in the office and want to go home but i cant, cos SONY the w*****rs want this bit of code removing in the game cos they dont like hidden message cheats on their playstation. Boohoo. Big up the pre 90's Amiga scene etc.. etc..."

    Well funny no doubt you can see.

    However in the final game it HAD TO BE REMOVED, otherwise we would have been in deep trouble with Sony, despite it was hidden and very hard to do and no one would get it unless it was released as a cheat etc... etc...

    In the final game that part of the message is not in (but the text bigging up the amiga scene is).

    Trust me - i know.

    OK my point. Well not arguining about the Australian case but basically Rock Star need a size 9 up their rear end.

    For thinking that they can get away with anything for the *shock* factor and screw the rest of us (geniune guys) reputation in the process.

    Hope they get hung..... i wont be sadistic enough to say quartered but at least a good old hangmans hangining.....

  • Mint #28 7 years ago

    I agree with Ninja, I've had about enough of Rockstars sensationalist shite (Manhunt? What was that piece of crap all about?).

  • Freek #29 7 years ago

    A cheat wich brings up a message that directly insults Sony in a Playstation game is something different then a scrapped mini game.
    What was left in was just two FULLY CLOTHED characters dry humping in a stupid fashion, they woulden't bother with it beyond disabling it because there's nothing there to get upset about. No nudity or real sexcual content, just sometihng stupid.
    You coulden't possibly think it would get out of hand as it has, becuase there's nothing there toget upset about in the first place. Nude skin add on texture packs are something that has been going on for years and years aswell, nobody cared.
    It's all the result of media hype picking up on something silly because it's GTA related. I don't think you can blame Rockstar for that.

  • teabagger #30 7 years ago

    Ninja:

    Easter eggs; the cause of many many P45s I'm sure! My general feeling is pretty similar to yours in that I think Rockstar left it in knowing full well it could be enabled a. They should know better and shouldn't be suprised at the reaction. I also think you're spot on with your point about how it effects the wider development community; as if we don't enough flak already.

    On the last project I was on, a guy wrote an obscenity in Aribic on an oil lamp texture that was used in some cutscenes. Needless to say it was picked up and the shit hit the fan in a big way.
    Edited by 1 at 01/08/05 @ 15:46

  • Genji #31 7 years ago

    They banned my Resident Evil 4 chainsaw controller too. Not the game, though. Excessive violence just obviously isn't enough.

  • Feanor #32 7 years ago

    "If you knew anything about games making, you'd know that sometimes removing large bits of code/data/scripts can be problematic. My guess is it was in until the last minute when the realised it wasnt very fun, and they removed it."

    And if you knew anything about game ratings you'd know there's no way Rockstar was expecting to have a sex mini-game and still get an M rating in the States. So they could and should have completely taken it out months before the game was released. They left it in to get around the censors, IMO.

  • PES_Fanboy #33 7 years ago

    Ninja,

    First of all, you say it's a piece of cake to remove code, then you (rightfully) admit there are logistical / testing potential problems that should be addressed.

    For my day job, I'm a software test consultant, and having worked on a certain 'entertainment' software house's processes in the past year, I was pretty appalled at what I saw throughout the board, no SDP etc in place, 'flexible' approaches to source control etc.

    What you say is true though, I would (and have) advise anyone 'completely cutting the code out', to fully regression test, 'just in case'.

    This is why I believed (in my comment last week) that Rockstar kept the code in the game, albeit hidden, rather than complicate / threaten deadlines by removing it totally.
    Edited by 2 at 01/08/05 @ 16:09

  • Ninjamagic #34 7 years ago

    Teabagger, PES Fanboy, mint and et al.

    Good to see we broadly agree. I guess the point is guys we are all professionals and NOT stupid.

    So Rockstar cant fob us off , were not daily mail or senator sam. No were the guys who are the guys behind the guys making the same games as u.

    Dont make us look liks idiots by denying it and then back tracking.

    OK - this thread has been done before!! Stop!

    its not about the skin texture its about the lying. Now all media think we are peedophiles in anoraks writing code with one hand and doing something else with another (ie> sickos!)!!

  • masterson #35 7 years ago

    Ironic from a nation fathered by criminals... :)

  • Ninjamagic #36 7 years ago

    Now that young man.

    Is being Racialist :)

  • admir #37 7 years ago

    yes ban games but dont u dare to ban guns, smokes and pills which are good for as
    whats the their fucking point well i guess thats freedom

  • Rahul #38 7 years ago

    Here's a dialogue between a videogame journalist and Jack Thompson to read and think on. Results aren't too surprising.

  • zErOb_cOOl #39 7 years ago

    "This is just... too mental for words. Are sex scenes in movies banned in Australia too?"

    EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY.

    Sorry.

  • Creedy #40 7 years ago

    errrr right.
    Sorry for getting annoyed earlier.
    But I frequent three australian based forums, Madman, Hyperactive and Palgn.
    And never have I seen any disrespect to other countries. There are people on our forums from the UK etc.
    You can't go saying Aussies shouldn't come here as it's Europe based, Thats just crazy. A little more thought before typing will do just fine.

    As for caring what the media thinks of us. Who cares what they think. Let them think what they want to. The media and anyone else can think what they like, aslong as my family and friends know who I really am, why should I care about the media?