In a year filled with bad news and ill fortune for Take-Two Interactive, the game company has finally received some good news. The FCC investigation over the infamous “hot coffee” incident is now officially closed. The issue revolved around a hidden mini-game that was found in the PC version of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas that depicted graphic sexual scenes. Take-Two claimed that the game segment should not have been accessible to the public because the module could only be seen with the use of an unauthorized third party mod.
In response to the FCC dismissal of the “hot coffee” incident, Take-Two said, "All outstanding matters pending before the FTC have been settled and no penalties or fines have been assessed. Among other things, the Consent Order provides that the Company shall not misrepresent a video game’s ratings or content descriptors and that the Company shall implement a system to ensure that all game content is reviewed in connection with submissions to ratings authorities."
Paul Eibeler, CEO of Take-Two breathed a sigh of relief and stated, "We are extremely pleased that the FTC has concluded its very thorough investigation, and that the matter has been resolved. We recognize the importance of maintaining public confidence in the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating system and helping the ESRB educate parents and consumers about the rating system. We look forward to putting this behind us and focusing on what we do best – creating video games."
While the investigation of the hidden sexual content in the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas game is now behind them, the monetary loss incurred by Take-Two serves as a penalty in itself. Estimates figure that the game company lost approximately $25 million to costs resulting from the recall of the game and re-rating GTA:SA from a “M” (mature) rating to a prohibitive “AO” (adults only) status.
The fallout over “hot coffee” has not only embroiled Take-Two and Rockstar in an avalanche of criticism and public outcry, but has also drawn an immense amount of heat over the entire game industry regarding video game content. Although the FCC has finally put “hot coffee” to rest, the shock waves resulting from the initial release of the controversial GTA game continue to reverberate throughout the industry.
