Target Australia is removing "Grand Theft Auto
V" from store shelves after more than 40,000
people who say it encourages players to murder
women for entertainment signed an online
petition asking the retailer to stop selling the
mature video game. The decision is the latest in a long line of
controversies sparked by the 17-year-old video
game series that casts players as car-stealing
criminals. "We've been speaking to many customers over
recent days about the game, and there is a
significant level of concern about the game's
content," said Jim Cooper, Target Australia's
general manager of corporate affairs, on
Wednesday. "We've also had customer feedback in support of us selling the game, and we respect
their perspective on the issue." A petition posted Nov. 29 on Change.org called
for Target Australia to stop selling "GTA V"
because it "makes a game of bashing, killing and
horrific violence against women." The latest instalment in Rockstar Games' action-
adventure series centres on a trio of bank
robbers in Los Santos, a tongue-in-cheek
rendition of Los Angeles. The open-world, third-
person game allows players to visit virtual strip
clubs, hire prostitutes and commit violent acts, as well as play tennis, perform yoga and ride a roller
coaster. "GTA V " originally debuted in 2013 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. A new edition for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One released last month adds the ability to play in a first-person
perspective, offering a closer glimpse at
gameplay, including sex acts that were
previously obscured. Strauss Zelnick, chairman and CEO of Rockstar
Games' parent company, Take-Two Interactive
Software Inc., called the Australian retailer's
decision to stop selling the game disappointing. 'Grand Theft Auto V ' explores mature themes and content similar to those found in many other
popular and groundbreaking entertainment
properties," Zelnick said. "Interactive
entertainment is today's most compelling art
form and shares the same creative freedom as
books, television and movies. I stand behind our products, the people who create them, and the
consumers who play them." Cooper said Target Australia would continue to
sell other R-rated DVDs and games. Target Australia operates more than 300 stores
and is owned by Wesfarmers Ltd. Evan Lapiska, a
spokesman for Minneapolis, Minnesota-based
Target Corp., noted that Target Australia is not
operated by the U.S. retail company. The
companies share the same name and logo. "GTA V" will continue to be sold in Target stores
in North America.

they should blame the people playing it.
what more do they expect, the Game name said it all.

Ah Australia, I'm surprised it took them that long, they usually don't waste time in banning games. They only implemented the R18+ games in January 2013. GTA has always had a shaky relationship with Australia since GTA III. I remember when they banned Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure for glorifying graffiti - I really liked that game.