Yes, you read that right. Rockstar Games, makers of the Grand Theft Auto series -- a franchise famed for its merciless parodies and satire -- apparently complained to Electronic Arts about The Simpsons Game and its Grand Theft Scratchy level. Game designer Greg Rizzer said that elements of the level had to be removed because of Rockstar, as surprising as that sounds:
"I was always under the impression that when you do parody, it's a sign of respect... If we make fun of Grand Theft Auto, we're not going to hurt the sales of Grand Theft Auto... But yeah, we've definitely had some reactions - we've had to pull stuff from the game"
Who knew that the most controversial games developer in America could dish it out but couldn't take it? Perhaps it should tone down the amount of mockery in the GTA series if parody suddenly isn't cool anymore. Whether it actually was someone within the company or just a heartless lawyer, we're not sure, but at least Harmonix has a sense of humor:
"I don't know if you've seen Sitar Hero? We did Apu playing this 60-button controller and songs like Pour Some Curry On Me - we made this wonderful parody poster and the guys from Harmonix loved it and we sent them 20 copies of the poster. They just loved it so much."
Rockstar either needs to grow a set, or fire the whiny jerk who griped. Either way, it reflects very badly on Rockstar that the Manhunt and GTA creators stomped its feet over harmless parody. That developer, of all developers, knows what it's like to have to cut material from a title.
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53 comments + 73450 views
Blah, how dissapointing. Grow up Rockstar.
I'll whould have bought this if it was for real
GAH!
You suck rockstar.
I'm not buyin' your cheap energy drinks anymore.
talk about a joy kill.
Parody falls under fair use of copyrighted material, and therefore is perfectly legal. Put it back in.
my respect-o-meter just dropped like 30 points for Rockstar... thats totally lame... almost as lame as the last 8 seasons of the simpsons
Suck it up cockstar.
Thats... fucking ridiculous
Wasn't FOX the one ruining projects all through the late 90s?
http://www.student.nada.kth.se/~nv91-gta/quake/
What a bunch of crybaby douchebags. Apparently, no one at Rockstar understands the definition of irony.
C'mon, Rockstar, don't you have more important things to do? Like maybe polishing that mission where you kill a lawyer who hates video games or something?
I doubt this is Rockstar's fault, probably take two or too hasty lawyers (as what happened with Epic). They want to 'protect' their reputation after all the hot coffee debacle lol.
To think I actually felt a little respect for Rockstar but jesus christ take a joke you two faced pussies.
I don't know the whole story, but this does look bad for the company. I hope that Rockstar isn't truly filled with hypocrites.
Who knows what was pulled, maybe Rockstar had a real reason to do it but I think it's a bit harsh calling them pussy's when we don't even know what happened.
Kaikara:
Yeah, I think I'm in denial, too.
Rockstar has GOT to have a bigger sense of humor than this.
I agree that maybe something just hit too close to home. We may never know, so whatever. Still won't play the Simpson's game anyway.
For Rockstar to be gay at someone who has not been gay to them is well...GAY!
What a bunch of bitches.
Hopefully teh internets will respond appropriately with an obscene amount of unauthorized youtube and flash-based parodies.
oh, and pirating.
Didn't see this coming. Stupid move on Rockstar's part.
Comeone ya winy whore, Rockstar! If you can create games like Red Dead revolver and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, surely ya can take a joke pussies!
Wow, this really makes me lose a lot of respect for Rockstar. They can give it, but they can't take it. Pussies. Grow a set indeed.
Respect level -17
thats very contradictory however im also dissapointed that its not Grand Theft Walrus instead
stupid...
So wait-- a game that is a parody, based on parodies of action movies, 80s movies (Scarface and Miami Vice); with a soundtrack of parody songs, busts the chops of a parody? Pussies indeed.
rockstar is just upset that they had to delay their game, and now they are going to take it out on whoever
wankers
My guess? The simpsons game parodys some sections of the GTA IV that nobody is supposed to know about yet, hence the wording "elements of the level had to be removed", not "remove the entire level". Perhaps the simpsons game treads too close to what they actually plan to do in GTA IV. Shit I dunno.
It just seems odd for Rockstar to do this. I guess they could just be a whiney bunch of pussies.
Hmm, I think the source was a little bit misleading. Rizzer doesn't actually say that they had to remove GTA references specifically. The only thing he mentions is having to take down the Grand Theft Scratchy poster at Leipzig, something he attributed to the actions of "some lawyer".
In any case, it's probably a mistake to lump the motivations of the game's creative team in with the bloodsucking corporate legal team. Lawyers, as everyone knows, lack anything resembling a sense of humor. It's a biological fact.
what a fucking bitch i hope they get there ass banned from the ratings board
I have lost respect in those bastards.
I was gonna make a comment regarding the lowered amount of respect I now have for Rockstar, but I forgot all about it because I’m pissing myself laughing about “Pour Some Curry On Me”. Sitar Hero FTW!
Walking, talking, vaginas!
Respect points gone down.
Two-faced cry babies.
They need to get a hold of Total Overdose. That is a parody for sure if not a blatant rip off.
Most likely a lawyer...or the EA dev is just saying crap.
With luck, it'll still be hidden in the disk, which can be unlocked with the help of a "Hot Donut Mod".
This is a perfectly reasonable reaction. The Simpsons is pure garbage, and i wouldn't want my brand name associated with that trashed either.
Funny, many people say the same thing about GTA...
If something is legally defined as parody, as The Simpsons no doubt is, they don't need permission from Rock Star to begin with. The fact that they've chosen to complain about this makes them look pathetic and hypocritical.
Idiots.
This is pretty lame. More than likely it was the blood-drinking baby-eating lawyers that put this in motion, or at least I hope it was, if it came from Rockstar's execs I think this would show some major douchiness. Douchiness is a new word I created, just now. With no assistance. I know, it's cool.
fuck you Rockstar.
-1 GTA IV