Activist bullies video game sellers

An opponent of violent video games has sued retailers to prevent distribution of the upcoming Bully game.

August 18, 2005
Miami Herald
By Christina Hoag

Coral Gables activist Jack Thompson on Wednesday sued a host of big-box retailers to prevent them from distributing the yet-to-be-released Bully video game that he alleges could incite youngsters to violence.

Thompson, a lawyer who is known for fighting radio obscenity and violent video games, sued Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Target, Circuit City, GameStop and Toys 'R' Us, seeking an order to bar the game's release on Oct. 5.

The spate of school shootings is unsettling and to have a game that glamorizes and in fact rehearses kids in violence is reprehensible and dangerous,'' he said.

Players of the game, which is expected to receive an ''M'' rating for ''mature'' audiences, take on the role of bullied school children who fight back by becoming bullies, inflicting violence as revenge on classmates and teachers who annoy them.

Thompson said his attention was drawn to the game after he received a call earlier this year from an employee of the game manufacturer Rockstar, a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software, who alerted him of the violent content in the upcoming Bully.

Take-Two is the maker of the popular Grand Theft Auto games, also known for their violent content.

A spokesman for New York-based Take-Two did not return a call for comment.

Circuit City and Wal-Mart do not comment on pending litigation, spokespersons said.

Representatives of the other retailers did not return calls.