Another reason to hate GTA

The Boston Globe reports that a Dutch "modder" by the name of Patrick Wildenborg claims to have discovered an "Easter egg" hidden inside the latest release of the Grand Theft Auto series, San Andreas. In case you don't know what a modder is, they are basically computer savvy geeks that use "software tools to modify the look and feel of [their] favorite games." Many of these modders have succeeded in creating sexually explicit versions of such favorites as The Sims, which is perfectly legal (they actually help boost sales, according to computer game companies). However, this Wildenborg character claims that he has unlocked a hidden code buried inside San Andreas that, when activated, plays a pornographic cutscene. As if GTA wasn't infamous enough for the violence.

It's no big deal if a Dutchman creates a pornographic version of GTA. But Wildenborg said he and his buddies did no such thing. He said the porn movie was built into the game at the factory and his mod simply revealed it. He claims a million people have downloaded ''Hot Coffee" since it was posted on the Internet a month ago.

Wildenborg insists that every bit of sex revealed by his mod is built into the game, rather than added by his crew of modders. Take 2 Interactive, which makes the GTA game series, could clarify the matter in a minute, but it won't. A company spokesman said Take 2 never comments on the activities of the modder community. Of course, the question isn't about the modder community at all. The question is whether Take 2 built a mini porn movie into its game in the first place. And the company refuses to answer.

The article goes on to talk about what could possibly happen if the company admits that the movie is part of the game's programming. Most likely it would land the game an AO (Adults Only) rating and get it pulled from the shelves or shoved under the front desk at your local GameStop. In any case, I definitely think it's a bit suspicious how Take 2 Interactive didn't come right out and deny Wildenborg's claim... that is, if they really are innocent as charged.