"Bully" game banned in some UK stores

The controversial video game Bully, in which character defends himself from school bullies, has been banned from some UK shops. The game, known in Britain as Canis Canem Edit, will not retail in either Currys or PC World, with parent company DSG International claiming game was not inkeeping with its "family-friendly image".

Many in the United States have campaigned to have the Rockstar-developed game banned in some areas. Florida lawyer Jack Thompson had argued that Bully was a "Columbine simulator". However a Florida judge decided against a ban earlier this week.

"We took a view that because it touches on a sensitive issue - violence in school - that it is not a product we would stock," said DSG spokesman Hamish Thompson. "We are committed to a good working relationship with Rockstar Games and will continue to stock all of its other titles.".

The title is scheduled for release on 27 October in the UK, and will still stock in other popular retailers such as Game, HMV and Woolworths.

Source:
BBC

Written by: Ben Reid @ 19 Oct 2006 5:30

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16 comments

ZippyDSM

No real surprise here,austraila is lucky it has not been baned yet.

it gives me a headache that most countries don't have a working R rating our M 17+ is more of a upgraded PG13 than a true R,Germany and austrila seem to ban things for no reason...

the ESRB is ok at best but imperfect they should toss the descriptors and break it down to 2 levels to the main 4 age groups to me T and M need 2 tiers badly,E has already evolved to 3 tiers but frankly you have classes of ages young kid,kid teen and adult
this is why each should be split using content and violence as markers

�G� learning and non violent
Early learning
Everyone Non violence (puzzle games and what have you)
��
�PG� cartoon and fantasy type action games
Everyone (games like Zelda)
Everyone 10+ (games with a bit harder content like most 2D FF games)
�-
�PG13″ Games with mild blood and strong themes like Star wars
Teen 13+ No need for change
Teen 16+: knock 17 down to 16 then split the diffrance overly violent and sexy go to 18 the rest go to 16+
��
Games not for kids,because of the distaste the US has for �sex� it needs to be split into 2 category�s so that no game on violance alone can be rated �AO�

Mature 18+:Games that are to gory or strong for �17″
Adults Only:games that have sex and nudity in them.

with this setup you don�t have to �change� or �upgrade� it in the next few years it has room to take ANY game into it.

19.10.2006 06:52 #1

DVD7227

Not this sh!t again,

I swear its the parents who buy there children the games!

They go to the store and it says Rated M, and they still buy it.

Then they blame it on the company for being violent.
Jesus Christ!! Don't blame the company because you can't read the rating below.

There gonna make it harder for us in the future to buy games. tss

19.10.2006 09:30 #2

Lethal_B

Hmmm, Currys and PC World -- two places I'd never shop!

19.10.2006 12:48 #3

ofolion

same lethal_b, they still sell GTA games obviously they have a family-friendly image...

19.10.2006 14:45 #4

ZippyDSM

DVD7227
and this is why some walmarts don't sell games to people with kids with them.

Parents are stupid sadly....they fule the might of the fundies warth ..or was that the church's helfire chilli cook off......ggaaaa the pews were on fire that night.....
0-o

sorry sorry..I will be gladly to remvoe it...but...its so darn funny ;_;

19.10.2006 16:55 #5

Afroninja

aww man i hate when they ban games. Well, hopefully they won't ban the game in Finland.

20.10.2006 11:04 #6

GaMeZrUlE

That sux...oh and zippy what about god of war?? it had nudity but no AO rating

22.10.2006 12:13 #7

ZippyDSM

GaMeZrUlE
GOW got by on the skin of its teeth AUS whos the msot ban happy nation let GOW thruw because the nuidty was based on Greek history and mythos meaning its historical.

Also thats why it gt a M rateing in the states Greek history and the nudity not being in a sexual manner.

Now Luiser Suit Larry:MCL came in 2 flavor the M rated for most systems and PC and the AO version for PC only.

We'er still years away from having a AO game based on sex for console systems,the computer is easier to make and distro it for.

22.10.2006 12:20 #8

gozilla

@ZIppyDSM

there is no AO (R18+) rating for videos games on any platform in australia.

23.10.2006 02:24 #9

ZippyDSM

gozilla
Aus has a half arse R rating for games it stops in around 16 or 17 but is almsot the equal of M17 the ESRB uses however its more like the T16 I have listed where more violent stuff just gets baned,I am still surpised GOW made it passed aus screwed up rating system.
the ESRB is for the US and canada ,but the age groupings are more or less the same,some games just get tread diffrently than others.

23.10.2006 04:06 #10

gozilla

regarding more violent games, Resevor Dogs has apparantly been banned in australia

23.10.2006 17:18 #11

ZippyDSM

gozilla
its stupid is it not?
you can import it and the chances of you getting fined is low but they will take the banned items meaning a 50$ game disspaering is quite annoying.

We need to kick these old incompetent arses out of office where ever they are...

23.10.2006 18:01 #12

gozilla

amen to that

23.10.2006 18:52 #13

ZippyDSM

can soemoen give me a quick comparison of RD and GOW I have a feeling GOW is more bloody yet made it passed soem censors by hiding in a greek theme.

24.10.2006 02:27 #14

sorpaqq

So Rockstar release one of it's most inoffensive games ever and they ban it for not being family friendly enough? Next they'll be banning Harry Potter movies on the same grounds.

16.8.2011 15:28 #15

xboxdvl2

so does this mean the people of uk that want to play the game have to go to some dodgy computer store to get a copy???.

R.I.P. mr 1990 ford falcon.got myself a 1993 toyota corolla seems to run good.computers still going good.

17.8.2011 00:57 #16

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