Kotaku: Bully

Bully Ads Are A-OK With ASA

Leigh Alexander — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:20:00 MDT

31 complaints against a TV ad for Take-Two's Bully: Scholarship Edition were dismissed by the Advertising Standards Authority. The complainants said that the ads "glorified and trivialized" bullying, but the ASA found that the ads themselves were not in violation of any standards.

According to GamesIndustry, the ASA did find the game distasteful, but was not glorifying violence because of its "comic and exaggerated" nature:

"Although many might find the name and content of the game to be in poor taste, the content of the ad was unlikely to cause serious or widespread offence," it said.

ASA dismisses Bully advertising complaints [GamesIndustry.biz]

Judge Says Jack Thompson Guilty Of Misconduct During GTA, Bully Trials

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 20 May 2008 18:20:03 MDT

According to a report from GamePolitics, the judge who presided over Miami lawyer Jack Thompson's Bar trial has recommended to the Florida Supreme Court that he be found guilty on 27 of 31 charges of professional misconduct. Of the 27 recommendations of guilt, twenty-one are from a suit related to Grand Theft Auto and four are from an attempt by Thompson to have Rockstar's Bully declared a public nuisance.

The Bar trial judge, Dava Tunis, found the violent video game activist guilty of misconduct such as "Engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation." The state Supreme Court will have to make a ruling based on those recommendations, with a disciplinary hearing planned for the first week of June.

Jack Thompson Guilty on 27 of 31 Misconduct Charges, Says Bar Trial Judge... FL Supreme Court Must Now Rule [GamePolitics]

Brazil Gets The Memo, Bans Bully

Luke Plunkett — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 23:30:00 MDT

Judge Flavio Rabello has barred the sale of Bully in Brazil, following requests for its banning from a youth centre in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. State prosecutor Alcindo Bastos says the reason for the game's banning stems from the fact "the aggravating factor is that everything in the game takes place inside a school", which is apparently "not acceptable" considering how much fisticuffs feature in the game. Distributors and retailers have 30 days to comply with the order.
Brazil judge bans 'Bully' [globeandmail]

Rockstar Acquires Mad Doc Software, Turns Them Into Rockstar New England

Michael McWhertor — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:20:00 MDT

Rockstar Games has snapped up Mad Doc Software, the team that handled development duties on Bully: Scholarship Edition for Xbox 360 and Wii. Guess that buggy 360 version didn't leave too sour a taste in the Rockstar family mouth. Based in Andover, Massachusetts the studio will now be known as Rockstar New England, making it the fourth North American arm of the Take-Two publishing label. The new Rockstar New England is said to have "a particular focus on artificial intelligence and networking", potentially good news for online offerings from the pub. Congrats to the ladies and gentlemen in Andover. The full press release, with a bit more info, is right after this short break.

Rockstar Games Acquires Mad Doc Software
New York, NY - April 4, 2008 - Rockstar Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), announced today the formation of Rockstar New England through the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Andover, MA-based Mad Doc Software, one of the premier independent development studios in North America.

"The team at Mad Doc Software is extremely talented," said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. "Bringing them within the Rockstar Games family will enhance our core technology and further support our commitment to creating progressive and innovative gaming experiences."

Established in 1999 by Dr. Ian Lane Davis, Mad Doc Software has led development on and provided contracting services for triple-A titles, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence and networking. The studio most recently worked with Rockstar Games on the Xbox 360 version of the critically acclaimed Bully: Scholarship Edition.

"To be a part of Rockstar Games is an amazing opportunity for everyone here," said Dr. Davis, Studio Head of the new Rockstar New England. "We're eager to bring our expertise to bear in the character-driven, open-world stories that make Rockstar Games titles so uniquely compelling."

About Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.

Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., is a global developer, marketer, distributor and publisher of interactive entertainment software games for the PC, PLAYSTATION®3 and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment systems, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, Xbox 360® and Xbox® video game and entertainment systems from Microsoft, Wii™, Nintendo GameCube™, Nintendo DS™ and Game Boy® Advance. The Company publishes and develops products through its wholly owned labels Rockstar Games, 2K Games, 2K Sports and 2K Play, and distributes software, hardware and accessories in North America through its Jack of All Games subsidiary. Take-Two's common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at www.take2games.com

Bully Patch Needs Patch?

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:20:00 MDT

Before I go on, we haven't heard squat about this from any of you, but others have, so who knows (UPDATE: Ok, we've now heard from plenty of you experiencing these problems). Commenters on Larry Hryb's Microsoft blog have been complaining that the update intended to fix a bunch of serious issues with the 360 version of Bully instead leaves many of the game's glitches unaffected, and some users have even reported it's made things worse. Shame, really. Feel free to post below how it's all gone for you.
Thursday news 'n stuff [Microsoft, via Eurogamer]

Bully 360 Patch Arrives

fdemarco — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:40:00 MDT

Rockstar's promised patch for those experiencing issues with the 360 version of Bully has finally arrived. It's a fairly small update and will fix all those frame rate, audio and other petty annoyances. And now if you'll excuse me I have some boys to kiss. In the game, not in real life. Well maybe in real life to, who knows. I'm feeling saucy today.

Bully Patch News Coming Tomorrow Rockstar, ...

Brian Crecente — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:29:41 MDT

Bully Patch News Coming Tomorrow Rockstar, who said two weeks ago that they were "working around the clock to rectify" the framerate issues and freezes that plagued older Xbox 360s playing Bully, told us today that they plan to update everyone on the patch tomorrow. Why not today? Not so sure.

Rockstar Readying 360 Bully Patch

Mike Fahey — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 10:20:23 MST

Rockstar's Bully: Scholarship Edition came out of the oven a little half-baked, with frequent lock-ups, audio glitches, and a generally poor frame rate severely ticking off gamers and downright horrifying the developers. Thankfully Rockstar was able to overcome the horror and get to working on a fix.

We are very aware of the problems some people have been experiencing with the Xbox 360 version of Bully: Scholarship Edition and have been doing everything within our powers to resolve these issues as quickly as possible. We will be releasing a title update through Xbox Live within the next week that we are confident will rectify the problem. We apologize wholeheartedly for the inconvenience that this matter has caused some owners of the game.

While I'm sure we all appreciate the rapid response, next time try to make sure your game works before selling it to people, 'kay?

Rockstar "Horrified" By Xbox 360 Bully: Scholarship Edition Issues

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:00:59 MST

We wrote earlier today of the issues surrounding the Xbox 360 version of Bully: Scholarship Edition, hoping to get a statement from Rockstar Games on the status of either a fix or a replacement plan for those affected. For those not up to speed, the 360 port is reportedly plagued with freezing issues and audio glitches in addition to a less than solid frame rate. Rockstar issued a statement tonight, saying the staff was "devastated" to learn of the issues surrounding the Bully port, something they say didn't come up in the QA process.

Their full statement follows.

We have just become aware of the issues people are having with Bully Scholarship Edition on Xbox 360. It appears that some older 360s are experiencing framerate issues, freezes and other problems. You have our word that we never experienced any of this in QA - in any of our offices or at Microsoft. I am horrified, and we are now working around the clock to rectify this situation. Thanks to Neo-Gaf for bringing this matter to our attention. We love our games and put a huge amount of energy and care into making them all that they can be. We would never shove anything out the door - we never have and never will. We apologise to everyone affected for the inconvenience. Respectfully, Sam Houser

We'll let you know of any future developments on the Xbox 360 edition of Bully: Scholarship Edition and hope that Rockstar Games and Microsoft will do their best to address fan concerns swiftly.

Bully: Scholarship Edition Sounds Like It Should've Been Held Back [UPDATE]

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:40:00 MST

Canis canum edit? More like caveat emptor, kids. We're hearing the Xbox 360 version of Rockstar Games' Bully: Scholarship Edition could stand a few more weeks in the lab, according to reports of bugginess from unsatisfied owners of the game. Reports of game killing lock-ups and audio glitches abound at message boards across the internet, with a handful of readers writing in to vent about their own issues.

Word from the official Xbox forums indicate frequent freezing, resulting in lost gameplay time, amid bouts of skipping audio. Add to that a choppy framerate for the PlayStation 2 port and you have a bunch of unhappy customers. Kotaku reader Matt was plenty pissed to have lost a good portion of his own progress when the game locked up, forcing a reset.

We've contacted Rockstar reps for clarification, but haven't heard back as of publish time.

UPDATE: We received a statement from Rockstar Games, which can be seen here.

R*'s PATHETIC port job: Bully 360 freezing (among other glitches) [NeoGAF - thanks, Matt!]

Teachers Still Demanding Bully Ban

Mike Fahey — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 08:20:31 MST

Haven't we been over this already? A year and a half after the release of the original game, a coalition of teachers' unions in the U.S., Canada, Britain, Australia, South Korea and the Caribbean are urging retailers to ban Bully: Scholarship Edition from store shelves.

"We're asking retailers to be responsible," Emily Noble, president of the Canadian Teachers' Federation, said yesterday. "Yes, they can sell it and make a buck out of this, but is this the kind of marketing that they want to be [doing], selling games that glorify violence?"

I'd daresay that's exactly the sort of marketing that video game retailers want to be doing. This reborn ban Bully movement is possibly a result of the huge outbreak of violent bullying that completely failed to occur after the release of the original game, despite prognostication of doom, gloom, and wet-willies.

Teachers demand ban on bullying video game [globeandmail.com]

Bully Valentine's Day Trailer Celebrates Love Lost

Mark Wilson — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 13:40:52 MST

It's Valentine's Day, and while many of you are planning romantic dinners, expensive flowers and early bedtimes, Rockstar is putting together highlight reals of nut shots and face slaps to promote their upcoming Bully: Scholarship Edition for Xbox 360 and Wii.

Trailers like this remind us that maybe the most overlooked talent at Rockstar is its video editing crew, and that love ain't always chocolates and perfume...unless chocolates have evolved to crack their own nuts...in which case we are all doomed.

Bully: Scholarship Edition Trailer Debuts

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 17:20:00 MST

The high school hijinx of Rockstar Games' Bully is about to get a resolution boost and loads of additional content for those in the Wii and Xbox 360 console camps. It may not be the prettiest game pressed on a 360 disc, but don't let that deter you from enjoying the open world experience of reliving high school without all the real-world beatings. Bully: Scholarship Edition is due to ship March 4 for anyone who's interested. Pixel-nitpickers may want to eyeball the hi-def version over at GameTrailers for a better idea of what the current-gen port will bring.

Bully Scholarship Edition HD [GameTrailers]

Britain Beating the Bully Horse

fdemarco — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 16:00:00 MST

British publication Telegraph.co.uk has published an article warning parents about the dangers of a "new" violent video game called Bully. Wait, haven't we heard all this before? Yes, we have. We heard this same outcry when the original version of the game came out for the PS2 in the UK and Rockstar had to change the name to Canis Canem Edit. Well, it seems that with the re-release of the game in its Wii and 360 form, Rockstar is pulling no punches and changing the name back to Bully. This move has of course caused yet another burst of concern from parents and anti-bullying groups. Two UK chains, PC World and Currys, have already refused to carry the game and if the protesters have their way, more will follow. But, will they really be able to completely quash the sales of a game that has already gotten through the gates once before?

Video game glorifies bullying, say critics [Telegraph.co.uk]

Rumor Confirmed: Bully Scholarship Edition Hits Early March

fdemarco — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 14:00:00 MST

Although the date wasn't exactly on target, it seems that GoNintendo's speculation that the Bully Scholarship Edition would hit in early March (based on a listing at Gamestop) was right on the money. Rockstar has announced that the school year at Bullworth Academy will begin in the US on March 5th and March 7th in the UK with all the crotch kicking, swirlies, hiding in lockers, stealing and boy kissing you can handle. As previously stated, I will be picking up the 360 version post haste because as much as I hate to admit it, I am becoming quite the unapologetic achievement whore.

Bully: Scholarship Edition Screens Show That Rockstar's Still Got It

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:20:00 MST

It's doubtful that almost anyone was, at any point, visually blown away by Rockstar Games' Bully on the PlayStation 2. Oh, it's a fantastic title, one that appropriates Grand Theft Auto gameplay in a remarkably natural way. It's just that graphically, we're underwhelmed. That proud tradition of solid gameplay and "meh" graphics will continue on the Wii and Xbox 360 this year, as Bully: Scholarship Edition forces current gen gamers to come to terms with their inner graphics whores. Easy on the eyes it's not. At least the Bully port should give GameTrailers an opportunity to have its first Wii vs. Xbox 360 comparison video.

Bully: Scholarship Edition Details

fdemarco — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 15:00:00 MST

Although there is some confusion as to the release date (Gamestop says March 3, IGN says March 11, Rockstar says there is no firm date yet) some details on the new version of Bully are starting to surface. It looks like there will be added content and (for the 360 version) achievements. New content includes four new classes (Biology, Music, Math and Geography), eight new missions, new items, more wardrobe choices, two-player minigames (offline) and new awards. I'm glad to see Rockstar making an effort to improve and add on their already great game unlike some publishers who seem to be happy re-releasing the same games a year or two later on another system with no extras. I'm not going to mention any names, but you know who you are. By the way, Rockstar, I'm still pulling for that boy kissing achievement.

Bully's Scholarly Additions [IGN]

Rumor: Bully Wii Dated for March

Brian Crecente — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 08:00:38 MST

Go Nintendo is reporting that the Scholarship Edition of Bully for the Wii has a firm release date now on Gamestop's website, which lists it as hitting on March 3.

Contacted for comment last night, Rockstar officials said they have yet to confirm any hard street date for the game, but that an announcement is coming soon. If I had to guess I'd say that the March date is probably not that far off. I do know that Rockstar is starting to show the game around to press, which is usually a good sign that a date announcement is in the tubes.

Bully looks to have a firm release date [Go Nintendo]

Guitar Hero III Achievements Revealed

fdemarco — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 08:00:55 MDT

Even the crushing fun of PAX can't keep the boys from Xbox360Achievements from digging up the latest in achievements for your favorite 360 games. This time they bring us the achievements for Guitar Hero III of which there are 59 equaling a total of 1000 points. Some highlights include:

Hendrix Reborn - Complete Career Lefty and Righty - 10pts

Streak Master - Earn a 1000 note streak in Career or Quick Play - 20pts

Now That's Impressive - score 750,000 on a song - 20pts

Living Legends - 5 Star all Co-op songs on Expert - 75pts

I love seeing these and it makes me wonder what the achievements will be for Bully. Personally, I'm hoping for some points for Ballbuster - Successfully kick someone in the balls, Grand Theft Bicycle- Steal at least ten bikes and Bi-Curious - Kiss your first boy. Rockstar, if you're listening, PLEASE include that last one. And the ball kicking.

To see the entire list of all 59 GH III, check out Xbox360achievements.org.

Bully To Repeat Classes On Wii, Xbox 360

Michael McWhertor — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 18:20:26 MDT

Rockstar Games is on a porting tear lately, following on news that the company is bringing Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis to the Wii. Not long after that release, the developer plans to re-release its high school adventure Bully for the Wii and Xbox 360. The new version, dubbed Bully: Scholarship Edition, as we know it features little in the way of Wii and Xbox 360 exclusive features—obviously, there's going to be some waggle involved as well as achievements—but we're sure Rockstar will come up with something for the double dip.

Say, I just realized something. If this is the "Scholarship Edition" that must mean it's free! Thanks, Rockstar! Full press release on the world's most dangerous game follows.

Rockstar Games Announces Bully: Scholarship Edition for the Xbox 360 and Wii

NEW YORK—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Rockstar Games is proud to announce that Bully: Scholarship Edition is coming to the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the Wii home video game system from Nintendo this Winter.

Both the Wii and Xbox 360 versions will retain the wit and deep gameplay of the previously released PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system title and will boast additional new content. Bully: Scholarship Edition takes place in the fictional New England boarding school of Bullworth Academy, and tells the story of 15-year-old Jimmy Hopkins as he experiences the highs and lows of adjusting to a new school. Capturing the hilarity and awkwardness of adolescence perfectly, Bully: Scholarship Edition pulls the player into its cinematic and engrossing world. Universally acclaimed upon first release, Bully: Scholarship Edition is a genre-crossing action game with a warmth and pathos that is unrivaled.

Bully received a perfect "10/10" from Electronic Gaming Monthly and 1up.com and was heralded as "a great, well-crafted action game that has one of the best senses of humor around" by IGN.com. USA Today called it "a fantastic debut title by Rockstar Vancouver." The San Francisco Chronicle wrote "Bully has no shortage of creative energy, offering an immersive boarding school experience that is imaginative, funny and filled with surprises."

Come and explore the zealous joy, mirth, and torment of youth with Jimmy Hopkins and Bully: Scholarship Edition when enrollment commences this Winter.

For more information about Bully: Scholarship Edition please visit www.rockstargames.com/bully.

GTA IV Special Expensive Edition Revealed

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 21 May 2007 17:20:53 MDT

Rockstar Games announced today that they would be shipping a "Special Edition" of their upcoming Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 sequel Grand Theft Auto IV for a cool $90. That's not a typo, that's $90. Ninety. Dollars. While that may sound to some like a complaint, it's merely sticker shock. As someone who's a fan of limited edition packaging, the collector's version actually sounds like a quality, appropriately imagined product, perfect for the game's hinted-at smuggling theme.

The GTA IV Special Edition package will contain the videogame, naturally, an exclusive soundtrack CD, official art book, plus a Rockstar-branded duffel bag and keychain, all shipped in a metal safety deposit box. Sure, it's $30 more than the regular version, but this sounds cool. Even better than the Bully premium boxed set from last year.

Obviously, it's not for everyone. Me? I'll be looking down my nose at you regular version types come October. For now, I'm off to the yacht club! See ya! (Psst. Press release down there.) Michael McWhertor

Rockstar Games announces Grand Theft Auto IV Special Edition

NEW YORK—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Rockstar Games is proud to announce that Grand Theft Auto IV will be available as a special edition on October 16 in North America and October 19 in Europe, the same day as the regular edition of Grand Theft Auto IV.

The Grand Theft Auto IV Special Edition will be presented in a customized Grand Theft Auto metal safety deposit box. The box will contain:

* Grand Theft Auto IV on the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system or the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, both with special packaging
* The Grand Theft Auto IV Art Book, featuring never-before-seen production artwork from Grand Theft Auto IV
* Selected soundtrack CD from Grand Theft Auto IV, featuring new material from top artists, only available on this release
* An exclusive Rockstar keychain for the safety deposit box keys
* Completing the collection is a limited edition Rockstar duffel bag

All of the items have been created with the utmost attention to detail to create a unique Grand Theft Auto IV experience for any fan of the series. The Grand Theft Auto IV Special Edition is available for pre-orders today and will retail for $89.99 in North America.

For more information about Grand Theft Auto IV, please visit www.rockstargames.com/IV.

Rockstar Games is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

About Take-Two Interactive Software

Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a global developer, marketer, distributor and publisher of interactive entertainment software games for the PC, PlayStation® game console, PlayStation®2 and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment systems, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, Xbox® and Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment systems from Microsoft, Wii™, Nintendo GameCube™, Nintendo DS™ and Game Boy® Advance. The Company publishes and develops products through its wholly owned labels Rockstar Games, 2K and 2K Sports, and Global Star Software; and distributes software, hardware and accessories in North America through its Jack of All Games subsidiary. Take-Two's common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at www.take2games.com.

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

Michael McWhertor — Fri, 04 May 2007 15:40:01 MDT

With four hours of airline travel ahead of me this weekend, I knew that I'd need to equip myself with my Nintendo DS to stave off the boredom. Normally, listening to the person next to me breathe, counting every inhalation, is enough to keep me occupied, but I decided to get some gaming in. Therefore, I packed a ton of games, including Dragon Quest Heroes Rocket Slime, Elite Beat Agents, Mario Kart DS and Rhythm Tengoku.

Too bad I forgot to pack my DS!

So, in addition to revisiting Bully and Super Paper Mario this weekend, I'll be dusting off Brain Age. Something's definitely out of whack with my memory and only Dr. Ryuta Kawashima can help.

But enough about me, what are you playing this weekend? To the comments with you! Michael McWhertor

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

Michael McWhertor — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 15:40:18 MDT

After finally completing my Ninja Gaiden Sigma demo download (some 7 hours in the making), I burned through it, unlocking hard mode and Rachel's missions. I'll most likely spend a good portion of my free time re-playing the demo—in hard mode, natch—until I've run through it with every available weapon, bested my previous karma records, and carefully studied Rachel's various animations.

I've also got Bully and Super Paper Mario firmly stored in the disc trays of my on-standby consoles, both of which I'll slog through this weekend.

Tell us your gaming plans for your relaxing Saturday and Sunday, then prepare for a week of slower than normal news, as Japan celebrates Golden Week. Michael McWhertor

Rockstar Promotes Bully With New Contest

fdemarco — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 15:00:00 MST

With all the Bully bruhaha behind us and the controversial game taking a backseat to newer titles, Rockstar has decided to eek out a bit more life out of it by holding a new contest. The Harrington House Fraternal Society Initiation Rites Sweepstakes (damn, that's a mouthful) is fairly simple to enter and if you are one of the five winners, you'll be the recipient of a huge package of Bully branded goodies. The prizes include:

Cricket bat

Six Buttons (or badges if you prefer)

Skateboard deck

Dodgeball

Notebook

Paperweight

Pencils

Bullworth Academy rugby jersey

Slingshot

Bumper stickers

Bully T-shirt

That is some pretty sweet swag right there! I just wonder what the initiation rites are? Something tells me it probably involves secretly kissing boys and getting the crap beat out of you with that cricket bat.

You can check out pics of all the available prizes on the sweepstakes entry page. Flynn De Marco

The Harrington House Fraternal Society Initiation Rites Sweepstakes [Rockstar Games - thanks, packratshow]

NYC Video Game Ads

Brian Crecente — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 11:00:50 MST

Sure New York has the giant Playstation Portable video billboard, and that's cool and all, but it's not routine. These images of video game ads are.

It's kinda cool to see the likes of Bully and Lost Planet advertising getting slapped up on buildings like they are ads for movies or perfume. I think it kinda shows just how mainstream gaming has become. Brian Crecente

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

Michael McWhertor — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 16:20:53 MST

I know what my plans are—finally take the shrinkwrap off Bully, wrap up God Hand and maybe download the ACE: The WTCC Game free trial from Steam. Yeah, free gaming! Steam owners with a cheap ass streak may want to check out the details here. You only have until Sunday to play gratis, so don't sleep on this.

Other than that, I may fire up some MAME and brush up on a few classic games in anticipation of our visit to Barcade next week. I'm ready to take on you Brooklyn based chumps in some old school arcade games, with shots of bourbon on the line. Kotaku pays! I also may re-familiarize myself with The Warriors in anticipation of something undisclosed and will probably hit up the local brick and mortars for a Wii.

So what's up, gaming weekend warriors? What electronic burdens will you shoulder during your scheduled down time? Let us know in the comments. Michael McWhertor

Pachter Changes Mind; Bully Is A Hit

fdemarco — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 09:00:34 MST

Wedbush-Morgan analyst, Michael Pachter, was recently quoted as saying he didn't believe that Rockstar Games' controversial Bully was selling as well as expected and that based on numbers, there would be no chance for a sequel.

It takes a big man to admit he's wrong, and Pachter has done just that. Based on Bully's strong sales numbers over the holiday season, Pachter has reversed his decision and issued a formal apology to Take Two.

I have been consistently wrong about this title. I thought it would be stupid, and it was fun; I thought it would get poor reviews, and it got solid 90s; and I thought it would bomb, while it now appears to be a million unit seller. As a result, I did not expect a sequel, while now I have to acknowledge that a sequel is a possibility. I never hesitate to take credit when I'm right, and I never hide from my mistakes.

Well done Mr. Pachter, you're a real mensch.

Analyst Reverses Course On Bully Sequel, Says "Sorry" to Take Two [GamePolitics]

Analyst: No Bully 2

Brian Crecente — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 16:00:40 MST

Dennis McCauley, over at Game Politics, points us to an analyst report saying that the chances of a Bully sequel are slight to nill.

Bully sales trailed off pretty dramatically in November. In October, the regular edition of the game sold 125,000 units (I think that the collector's edition sold another 30,000 units...) in the U.S., so we should assume it sold a combined 250,000 worldwide.
In November, Bully sold 105,000 units... My guess is that the game did NOT sell particularly well at holiday, so probably another 150,000 units worldwide in December. We expect it to sell another 200,000 or so units over the next few months, and to disappear from retail shelves.

Those estimates total 800,000 units at an average wholesale price of around $30, so it will likely generate around $24 million in revenues. Since the game took three years to develop, it likely cost Take-Two close to $15 million in R&D, and my guess is that the company did no better than to break even. I would NOT expect a sequel.

I agree with Wedbush Morgan Securities' Michael Pachter, but for a different reason. Simply put, Bully was built on the Grand Theft Auto engine and, as I said in my otherwise positive review of the game, that engine is starting to chug.

The premise for Bully was brilliant and for the most part it was carried off quite well, but if there will be another Bully it would require so much work that it might as well have an entirely new name. Brian Crecente

Bully 2 ??? Industry Analyst Says No [Game Politics]

Clip: Bully Gets All Christmassy

Brian Crecente — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 17:00:28 MST

Man, I need to go back and finish Bully. I forgot how much fun it was. Brian Crecente

Scarface Sells A Million Copies...

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 16:40:59 MST

Almost more depressing than seeing that Wal-Mart "Customer Choice" bundle being sold out so quickly to the masses begging for a bundle screwjob is seeing this bulleted list from the "October 2006 Video Game Software Sales" report from the NPD :

* Scarface: The World Is Yours was the #1 Game in America
* Scarface: The World Is Yours was the #1 Console Game in America
* Scarface: The World Is Yours was the #1 PlayStation 2 Game in America
* Scarface: The World Is Yours was the #1 Xbox Game in America
* Scarface: Money. Power. Respect. was the #1 PSP Game in America

People! What happened? In case you forgot, both God Hand and Bully came out in the same month. And yet you bought this much Scarface?

At least Vivendi is happy about it. Fully heart sinking press release after the jump. Michael McWhertor

1 Million Gamers Worldwide Say Hello to Sierra Entertainment's Scarface: The World Is Yours

Tony Montana's Epic Return to Miami Was the #1 Game in North America for the Month of October

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 28 — Vivendi Games' Sierra Entertainment division is proud to announce that Scarface: The World Is Yours, the blockbuster video game based on the 1983 classic film from Universal Pictures, has sold more than 1 million copies worldwide at retail stores.

Scarface: The World Is Yours was created through a licensing agreement with Universal Studios Consumer Products Group.

"We are very appreciative of the outstanding retail and gaming community support in North America, Europe and Australia," said Pascal Brochier, president, global retail, Vivendi Games. "This support pushed the game to #1 in North America while exceeding our expectations in Europe and beyond."

In the month of October, the world was truly Tony's. In addition to the success of Scarface: The World Is Yours, Tony's game for the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system, Scarface: Money. Power. Respect., claimed the top spot on the PSP system in North America. According to sales data from The NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service, during the month of October:

* Scarface: The World Is Yours was the #1 Game in America
* Scarface: The World Is Yours was the #1 Console Game in America
* Scarface: The World Is Yours was the #1 PlayStation 2 Game in America
* Scarface: The World Is Yours was the #1 Xbox Game in America
* Scarface: Money. Power. Respect. was the #1 PSP Game in America

Source: October 2006 Video Game Software Sales. The NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service

"We are thrilled with the fantastic response to Scarface: The World Is Yours," said Bill Kispert, VP Interactive, Universal Studios Consumer Product Group. "We know that the character, the mythos, and the brand of Scarface is one that fans are extremely passionate about. The teams at Sierra Entertainment and Radical Entertainment took that to heart — showing immense respect for both the nuances and the explosive elements of the source material, while also adding to the license's mythology. This is a great example of how interactive entertainment can extend a franchise, and we love that fans feel the game has done Tony proud."

Scarface: The World Is Yours presents a sequel storyline that asks "What if Tony Montana survived the mansion shootout?" The game plunges players deep into the seedy underbelly of 1980s Miami as the one-and-only Tony Montana. Players are challenged to re-enact the climactic mansion shoot-out from the original film, but in the game the player has the opportunity to help Tony fight his way out of the mansion and survive. As Tony, the player must then rebuild his fallen empire and seize vengeance on his enemies.

Video game critics have praised Scarface: The World Is Yours for its thrilling gameplay, the authenticity to the classic Scarface film and the game's Hollywood-level production values.

* " ... the best open-world game to date." — Vibe Magazine
* " ... it nails down the movie's atmosphere and Tony's attitude
perfectly." — AOL Games
* "Scarface does Montana right." — Washington Post

Scarface: The World Is Yours is now available worldwide for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, Xbox video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC. Scarface: Money. Power. Respect., a unique game designed specifically for the PSP system that combines turn-based strategy gameplay with real-time combat, is also now available.

For more information about Scarface: The World Is Yours, please visit the game's official Web site at www.scarfacegame.com.

About Universal Studios Consumer Products Group

Universal Studios Consumer Products Group (USCPG) is responsible for global licensing and retail strategies as well as building brand recognition of the extensive catalogue of NBC Universal properties. Universal Studios Consumer Products Group is a unit of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric and 20% owned by Vivendi.

About Vivendi Games

Vivendi Games (www.vivendigames.com) is a global developer, publisher and distributor of multi-platform interactive entertainment. The company is the leader in the subscription-based massively multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPG) category, holds leading positions in the PC, console, handheld and mobile games markets, and is an emerging player in casual online games. Vivendi Games' two principal studios and publishing labels include Blizzard Entertainment, headquartered in Irvine, CA, the creator of World of Warcraft , Diablo , StarCraft , and Warcraft ; and Sierra Entertainment, headquartered in Los Angeles, which includes Radical Entertainment, Swordfish Studios, High Moon Studios, and Massive Entertainment. Sierra's IPs include Crash Bandicoot , Spyro The Dragon , Empire Earth , SWAT , Darkwatch(TM), Timeshift(TM), Ground Control and Leisure Suit Larry . Vivendi Games is also home to Vivendi Games Mobile, publishing games for the mobile market, and Sierra Online, dedicated to publishing casual games for online play and distribution on all platforms. Vivendi Games maintains strategic relationships with industry leading content partners, including Universal Music Group, NBC Universal, Twentieth Century Fox, and Ludlum Entertainment. The company has 16 offices around the world conducting business in 75 countries.

"Scarface: The World Is Yours" interactive game 2006 Vivendi Games, Inc. Scarface is a trademark and copyright of Universal Studios. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLLP. All Rights Reserved. "PlayStation", "PS" Family logo and "PSP" are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Memory Stick Duo(TM) may be required (sold separately). Microsoft, Xbox and the Xbox logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or in other countries and are used under license from Microsoft. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Canadian Teens Call for Bully Ban

Mike Fahey — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 15:17:12 MST

A couple of teenagers in Ontario Canada have started a petition to get Rockstar's Bully banned from store shelves. Katie Neu, 14, and 17 year old Robert Frenette met after he discovered the girl had written a book on bullying. Bonding over their personal experiences being picked on, the two decided to join forces against a common foe - a video game neither of them have played.

Neu, who admits she hasn't played the game, said she has seen reviews and the game's website and heard from Frenette, who played the game online, about its content. "From what I've heard, it's was extremely graphic and violent and not appropriate," she said.

That's correct, Frenette played the non-online game online, and Neu read several reviews and surfed a website. Junior Jack Thompsons in the making there.

Having received the support of many parents, written letters to government leaders, and set up an online petition, experts in bullying agree that they are now at least 150% more fun to push around than before. Michael Fahey

Area teen fights for ban on Bully video game [The Record, via GamePolitics]

Jack and Jimmy Make (Out)Up

Brian Crecente — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 11:40:42 MST

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha.

(breath)

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha

(breath)

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha

Can't breath... need to.... lay down. Brian Crecente

Jimmy and Jack Make Up [Gay Gamer]

Jack Bitches About Bully's "Gay Sex"

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 08:22:03 MST

When asked how babies are made, a typical childhood response is kissing. Professional lawyer and idiot Jack Thompson still thinks this. Why? Because he is a child. Rockstar's Bully features two male characters smooching, which is enough for Thompson to go into bonkers mode. In a typically off-mark email to the company's CEO Paul Eiberler, Thompson cites the game's "gay sex" as "harmful to minors." Because, Jack wouldn't want a rash of boys unknowingly impregnating other boys by lip-locking. His characteristically small and bitter logic after the jump. Brian Ashcraft

Re: Gay Sex in Bully Video Game; Retail Sale of Sexual Material Harmful to Minors
It turns out that the school violence simulation game Bully also contains homosexual activity between the game's hero, Jimmy Hopkins, and other male students.

It is my legal opinion that the sale of this game to minors, which is presently occurring at your stores in Florida, violates Florida's "Sexual Material Harmful to Minors Statute," Florida Statute 847.102. Each such sale to a minor constitutes a separate felony. Such sales are occurring to children of all ages because of the game's wholly inappropriate "Teen" rating, as opposed to the "Mature" rating it deserves. A recent Reuters story indicates that parental concern about this is growing, as reportage of this new video game industry scandal is making headlines today around the world.

I already have pending a Florida lawsuit to stop the sale of Bully to minors, and now that we know that it contains not only high levels of unpunished violence but also homosexual acts the lawsuit will be amended to proceed against it and some of you who are defendants therein on these dual grounds.

I suggest strongly that all of you cease and desist all such sales in the United States immediately. Neither the game's maker, Take-Two, nor the Entertainment Software Rating Board, told you of this homosexual content, which constitutes a fraudulent and deceptive trade practice, in my opinion, on their parts, and I have alerted the Federal Trade Commission to this.

However, now each of you knows, and from now on, from this minute forward, you are all on the hook.

First guns, now gays and always games. There's only one thing Jack Thompson doesn't hate, and that's himself. Pitiful. Brian Ashcraft

Read Toots' Thoughtful Post [GayGamer]

Mainstream Press Praise of Bully

egauger — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 19:00:41 MDT

I told you I was going to be the Bully flagbearer, and so I am. A tip from reader Matt points to this San Francisco Chronicle article on the game, titled "Bully a Far Cry From Columbine":

Even if you agree that video games are too violent, focusing energy on Bully is like trying to raid a crack house and accidentally smashing in the door of the doughnut franchise across the street. Bully may have been the game CNN's Lou Dobbs was getting apoplectic about, but I can name 50 other titles released this year that featured far more gratuitous blood and mayhem.

The article also mentions that "lessons are being learned", a phrase that clicked with me. Bully seems like Rockstar's revenge. Eliza Gauger

Bully is a far cry from Columbine
Controversial game takes place at school, but creative energy, fun characters rule [SFGate]

Jack to Crecente: You Are a Hypocrite, Curious

Brian Crecente — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 12:17:19 MDT

Facing a contempt hearing in a few hours, Jack Thompson sent out a letter to the press explaining how he is the one being bullied over the game Bully.

In the letter, written in the royal third-person, he claims that he is being persecuted for his beliefs about Bully and that now his First Amendement rights are being trampled.

Interesting. So I called him. First at his office and then on his cell.

Only to be hung up on twice, ranted at for a good three minutes, called a hypocrite and "curious" and told I had to "listen to him for a change."

We did chat for a few seconds before Jack went into rant mode. He said he was honored to speak with me. I laughed and accused him playfully of being sarcastic and he asked if I had played the game yet. I have, about 10 percent. Then he started down the familiar road of the hypocritcal media, the violence in Bully. Yada, yada, yada.

I did manage to ask him one question. What is the basis for the claims in this contempt charge.

To summerize, Jack says that the judge wants to hold him in contempt for appealing the case and that it has nothing to do with the rambling, and insulting letter he sent the judge after losing his bid to stop the sale of Bully in Florida.

Good luck with that argument, Jack. Make sure to smile for your booking mug. Brian Crecente

Ps. Hit the jump for Jack's letter.

Immediate News Release - October 25, 2006

Is Miami Attorney and Video Game Critic Going to Jail Today for Contempt?

Take-Two, the makers of Grand Theft Auto games and the Columbine simulation game Bully, are the great defenders of their "First Amendment right" to market and sell mature video games to children. Bully, for example, according to the world's leading authority on the harm caused by violent games to kids—Dr. David Walsh of the Institute on Media and the Family—has weighed in on Bully and stated, categorically, that this game has been incorrectly rated by the ESRB and should have been rated "Mature." As a result of this fraud, Bully is being sold to children as young as ten around the country. Walsh says this game clearly teaches kids to be violent in response to bullying. Columbine's Klebold and Harris would be proud.

Two weeks ago, Miami attorney Jack Thompson, the nation's leading critic of the sale of violent video games to children, sought an injunction in Florida courts preventing the sale of Bully under existing nuisance laws. It turns out, now that experts have played the game, that it is even more violent than Thompson knew. The game routinely rewards the use of explosives, slingshots point blank to the face, and the crushing of craniums with baseball bats and metal fire extinguishers. All of this rewarded violence is by the game's hero "Jimmy Hopkins." Take-Two has lied about what is in the game, and now the lies have been proven. Thompson will be back in court to secure the injunction he sought earlier, and he will now get it.

However, there is first something going on in a court room today. The Miami Judge who unleashed Bully on America's children is Ronald M. Friedman, who had promised and ordered a full review of the game to its conclusion. He violated that order. He allowed paid employees of Take-Two to take him on a guided tour of the game, with no cross-examination by Thompson, in which they falsely told the Judge how nonviolent the game was and that violence is uniformly punished in the game. All lies. Finally, the judge violated his own order by publicly and falsely describing the content of the game before its public release. The judge violated another order by refusing to conduct a hearing on all this, as he had promised on October 12.

As a result of the Judge's multiple errors and violations of his own orders, Thompson took an appeal of his flawed decision and explained to the appellate court and to the media what really happened. As a result, Take-Two has asked this same Judge Friedman to fine Thompson or throw him in jail for being "disrespectful" of this Judge.

This Judge is apparently delighted by the prospect of throwing into jail the party who blew the whistle on his judicial misconduct. Today, at 4pm, on the 13th floor of the Dade County Courthouse, Jack Thompson is being asked to explain to Judge Friedman why he should not be held in contempt and thrown into jail.

The Take-Two lawyers asking for this are the delightful folks at Blank Rome who are a) the registered lobbyists in the US Senate and House for Take-Two, and b) the largest bundlers of campaign cash contributions to President Bush. This is the same President Bush who invited Jack Thompson to his Presidential School Violence Summit two weeks ago because of Thompson's expertise on the link between violent games like Bully and school massacres.

What this Judge is doing violates 18 USC 241, which prohibits any state official from using his authority to infringe upon the Constitutional rights of a citizen.

Jack Thompson may be going to jail today upon the request of people who claim the First Amendment protects the sale of pornography to children but does not protect public debate about that distribution.

By the way, Bully contains homosexual activities between Jimmy Hopkins and other male students. Is this a great country or what?

Florian Buys Bully

brownlee2 — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 07:42:38 MDT

Today, I went down to GAME on Dawson Street to pick up a copy of Bully, which has been released over in Ireland under the far inferior title Canis Canem Edit, because, as you all know, only the ancient tongue of philosophers and kings can accurately capture the spirit of a game about stink bombs, swirlies and atomic wedgies.

Everything was fine: I found Bully easily enough, brought it up to the counter and whipped out my credit card. But then the young whipper snapper scrutinized me.

"I need to see some ID, sir" he demanded. I considered grasping him by the lapels and swinging my hand back and forth in a devastating, sweeping arc across the pimply jowls of his blubbery face, shaking him awake again when he was on the verge of passing out. A Mike Hammer style bitch slap, as it were. But I quickly calmed down.

"I don't carry ID," I responded, truthfully.

"You don't carry ID?"

"I don't carry ID," I reaffirmed.

He couldn't believe it. "You don't carry ID?"

I started to repeat myself for a third time, then suddenly wheeled about in a bewildered double take. This freaked him out.

"Sir? Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I think so: I just appear to have fallen through a rent in the fabric of time that sucked me back two seconds into the past," I explained. "I felt like I was endlessly repeating a conversation there for a moment. No worries. I seem to have escaped. Anyway, no, I don't have any ID on me: I don't have a license, and I left my passport at home."

He became apologetic. "Well, I'm sorry, sir, but I can't sell you this game without some identification. It's for ages 15 and older."

"Buddy, look at me: I'm practically 15 twice over."

"Well, looks can be deceiving, and this game has content not suitable for minors."

I was confused. "But just last week, I bought San Andreas from you guys. Then I took it home, ordered a hooker to blow me, and blew her head off with a sawed-off shotgun after she stepped out of the car . Then I took the car, drove it at a 100mph into a hospital, jumped out right before collision and shot the car with a bazooka for good measure. You didn't card me. What could Bully offer that's worse than that?"

The employee at GAME became conspiratorial. He leaned across the counter and, opening his eyes comically wide, whispered: "GAY. KISSING."

I feigned outrage. "What! Well, I never!" I shouted. Then I began walking around in a circle, ejaculating remarks I thought well indicative of moral outrage, such as "I'm calling my member of parliament!" and "There ought to be a law!" As sometimes happens when I go out in public, I suddenly found myself the focal point of a circle of bewildered, incredulously blinking stares.

I calmed down, thought for a second, then went back to talking to the GAME employee. "Look," I said soothingly. "I mean, I think swapping spit, let alone other fluids, with another man is as repugnant as you do. But how is gay kissing not appropriate for a 15 year old? I mean, we were both 15 once: gay kissing your buddies is the only way you get to practice how to kiss a real girl before the pressure's on and you're up at the plate, trying to hit your first homer... or, at the very least, a double. It's like how 12 year old straight girls strip down to their panties and practice cunnilingus and breast fondling on one another: it's just perfectly normal behavior for the staunch, morally upright youth who aspires to hetero excellence."

He couldn't argue with that logic. "Ummmmm...." he said. "Okay. Anyway, if you don't have ID, I still can't sell it to you, no matter how appropriate gay kissing is for kids. It's the policy of management." He raised his hands in the air, to indicate the power had been taken from him.

I didn't believe him; I decided to make one last ditch effort. "Boy!" I shouted in a tone of authoritarian command. "Look at me! In ancient Babylon did I tread; youthful was my gaze when it set upon the Lycean barques of yore. Old was I even when the first beasts writhed from the primordial ooze. Poets I have commanded to look upon my mighty works and despair; kings I have conquered; my wise lips have passed the eulogies of gods. Look upon me! The alpha! The omega! My name? Jehovah!"

I could have gone on like this for quite a while, but by this time the manager had wandered up. "Paudric," he sighed, rolling his eyes at me. "Just sell it to him already. He's like 27."

The point being: Jack Thompson was right. Bully is surprisingly easy for minors to purchase. Florian Eckhardt

Jack Faces Jail Over Bully

Brian Crecente — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 16:28:07 MDT

Take-Two Interactive lawyers have filed a motion to have Jack Thompson declared in contempt of court.

The motion requests that Judge Ronald Friendman, who sat on the hearing overseeing Thompson's failed attempt to have Bully banned, order the Floida lawyer to appear in court and defend himself against the contempt allegation.

If found in contempt, Thompson could face anything from fines, to censure or even jail time.

In his typical style, Thompson reacted with angry emails that he sent to the attorneys and judge and CCed to GamePolitics.

'You want to play hardball...? You want to try to throw me in jail? You have no idea what you are unleashing in doing this. You're at the brink..."
"If this court in any fashion proceeds toward issuing a show cause order, given its utter baselessness and the bad faith goo in which it slithers, then Thompson will add whatever judge should do so as a defendant in the aforementioned federal civil rights action..."

Man, I hope someone gets video of that hearing. HOT, HOT, HOT! Brian Crecente

Bully's Boy/Boy Lovin'

Brian Crecente — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 09:01:59 MDT

Rockstar's Bully's not a fighter, it's a lova.

GayGamer's Fruit Bruit writes that there are at least four guys in the game open to a little hot guy on guy wet-lip action and they have the video to prove it.

After a little talking and a bouquet of flowers he was more than willing to get down to business, and he and our hero Jimmy really seemed to enjoy it. I was shocked later, when I went into the town near the school, to find my blonde hunk holding hands with a red haired jock while waiting in line for the movies. Needless to say, my heart was broken, but I was able to see through my tears long enough to make this little video of the whole make-out experience.

It's interesting that someone at Rockstar decided to build this particular expereince into the game and to do so in a way that isn't in your face. While I've only played about 10 percent of Bully so far, it seems to be very much about experiences. Brian Crecente

Video Proof: Bully's Jimmy Hopkins Likes To Kiss Boys! [Gay Gamer]

Bully Premium Box Set Contents

egauger — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 19:40:47 MDT

Bully came out today, and I leapt out of bed and ran down to Gamestop as fast as my tiny, hairy legs could carry me. Once there, I was presented with a choice by the de-dredded clerk: Bully, just Bully, or fabulous premium box set Bully.

"You get a ball. And a comic book," he said.

I did it for you, sweet readers. All for you.

I secreted that premium box back to my hovel and created photo-documentation of the unwrapping process. There was indeed a ball, a Bully ball, and a comic book with curiously mismatched text and artwork.

I've uploaded a gallery over at our Flickr account, where I will now link you because our onboard galleries seem to be out of commission (surprise).

The game itself is nothing short of delightful, but I've only just started playing. It's agony having to type up posts while it sits next to me, full of fun. Taunting me. Eliza Gauger

Bully Premium Box Set [Flickr]

UK Retailer Won't Stock Bully

kotaku.com — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 07:00:04 MDT

From the Euroweenie department comes this news: UK retailer Curry's has refused to stock Bully. Why? The usual jackassery:

t has been accused by MPs and charities of glamorising bullying in schools with violent and intimidating scenes.
Canis Canem Edit, Latin for 'Dog Eat Dog', invites players to adopt the persona of Jimmy Hopkins.

He is a teenage hoodlum who has been expelled from every school in his area.

Jimmy is made to attend the ultra-strict Bullworth Academy, a reform school, where he falls foul of school gangs, prefects and corrupt teachers.

Points are awarded for beating up other pupils, catapulting eggs, throwing stink bombs, setting off fire alarms and head-butting teachers.

There are points for humiliating other students — such as making them punch themselves or wiping spit on their faces.

Wow, that imaginary game they're talking about there sounds pretty fun. Too bad it doesn't actually describe Bully.

Kotakuite David B. writes: "At Curry's, Grand Theft Auto, Scarface, Metal Gear Solid and other violent games are acceptable. But wedgies are not." Florian Eckhardt

Bully is banned by Currys [The Sun]