Some U.K. Retailers Turn Their Backs on "Bully"
Some U.K. Retailers Turn Their Backs on "Bully"
October 18, 2006
A major British retailer has decided not to carry Rockstar's controversial Bully, which is being sold under the name ("Dog Eat Dog") in the U.K.As reported by GamesIndustry.Biz, U.K. retailer Currys won't stock the game, which is rated for players 15 and older by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC).
The decision also encompasses PC World and Dixons. All three retailers are owned by parent company DSG International. A corporate statement on the decision read in part:
"We're fully aware people will be able to buy this game elsewhere, but we feel this game is not appropriate for Currys' family-friendly image."
"We have a good relationship with the game's producers Rockstar, and look forward to working with them going forward."
Indeed, the stores are accepting pre-order for GTA Vice City Stories and GTA4. Gamers can also pick up Scarface: The World is Yours, all of which are rated "18" by the BBFC.
-Reporting from Canada, GP Correspondent Colin "Jabrwock" McInnes
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Posted 03/18/10 at 08:04pm
Flamespeak: I never understood why someone should work hard to get a lot of money, just to be punished with more taxes for doing so.
Flamespeak: I never understood why someone should work hard to get a lot of money, just to be punished with more taxes for doing so.
Posted 03/18/10 at 06:44pm
hayabusa75: Isn't the upper class supposed to be footing most of this bill?
hayabusa75: Isn't the upper class supposed to be footing most of this bill?
Posted 03/18/10 at 06:05pm
Austin_Lewis: Of course, that ignores the fact that for the next 4 years, the people will be taxed without 'benefit' from the bill.
Austin_Lewis: Of course, that ignores the fact that for the next 4 years, the people will be taxed without 'benefit' from the bill.
Posted 03/18/10 at 06:04pm
Austin_Lewis: If we go by the CBO's past estimation failures, they're about 300% short on the actual cost.
Austin_Lewis: If we go by the CBO's past estimation failures, they're about 300% short on the actual cost.
Posted 03/18/10 at 05:21pm
ZippyDSMlee: *punt*Roll call, whos on and how are you doing?
ZippyDSMlee: *punt*Roll call, whos on and how are you doing?
Posted 03/18/10 at 12:07pm
JDKJ: No, I did you the favor and said it for you.
JDKJ: No, I did you the favor and said it for you.
Posted 03/18/10 at 12:06pm
Valdearg: What I said was while I may have implied long term accuraccy, and that might have been incorrect, my greater point that the CBO report calculated reduced deficits, expanded coverage, and lower costs is still 100% accurate. :D
Valdearg: What I said was while I may have implied long term accuraccy, and that might have been incorrect, my greater point that the CBO report calculated reduced deficits, expanded coverage, and lower costs is still 100% accurate. :D
Posted 03/18/10 at 12:06pm
Valdearg: Like any good politician, I don't believe I said "I was incorrect." :P
Valdearg: Like any good politician, I don't believe I said "I was incorrect." :P
Posted 03/18/10 at 12:02pm
JDKJ: If you'd said "I was incorrect" 10 shouts ago, I'd have quit twisting your arm to get you see the obvious 10 shouts ago.
JDKJ: If you'd said "I was incorrect" 10 shouts ago, I'd have quit twisting your arm to get you see the obvious 10 shouts ago.
Posted 03/18/10 at 12:00pm
JDKJ: You were they one assuming 100% accuracy. In all caps, no less.
JDKJ: You were they one assuming 100% accuracy. In all caps, no less.
Posted 03/18/10 at 11:59am
Valdearg: Yes, my implication that the long term estimates were facts was incorrect, but the short term calculations are absolutely facts, and even the long term estimates are still useful in attempting to determine exactly what will happen with the bill.
Valdearg: Yes, my implication that the long term estimates were facts was incorrect, but the short term calculations are absolutely facts, and even the long term estimates are still useful in attempting to determine exactly what will happen with the bill.
Posted 03/18/10 at 11:58am
Valdearg: I do. The Short term costs are actually calculated facts. The long term estimates aren't necessarily 100% accurate, but to assume that they can't possibly be accurate because someone said they might not be 100% accurate is also wrong.
Valdearg: I do. The Short term costs are actually calculated facts. The long term estimates aren't necessarily 100% accurate, but to assume that they can't possibly be accurate because someone said they might not be 100% accurate is also wrong.
Posted 03/18/10 at 11:57am
JDKJ: When someone says, "I could be wrong but, as best as I can tell, X," X ain't a fact.
JDKJ: When someone says, "I could be wrong but, as best as I can tell, X," X ain't a fact.
Posted 03/18/10 at 11:53am
JDKJ: It's too early in the morning for you to be deaf, blind, and dumb drunk. A "my best guestimate" can't be a fact. Don't you understand the difference between the two?
JDKJ: It's too early in the morning for you to be deaf, blind, and dumb drunk. A "my best guestimate" can't be a fact. Don't you understand the difference between the two?
Posted 03/18/10 at 11:41am
Valdearg: By how much depends on variables that can't necessarily be predicted at this point in time. And yes, those Facts are accurate only so far into the future, but those estimates can certainly be used to support this measure.
Valdearg: By how much depends on variables that can't necessarily be predicted at this point in time. And yes, those Facts are accurate only so far into the future, but those estimates can certainly be used to support this measure.
Posted 03/18/10 at 11:40am
Valdearg: And I'm saying, as far as the CBO report goes, the facts that it does put forward are deficit reduction, reducing costs, and expanding costs. Those ARE facts.
Valdearg: And I'm saying, as far as the CBO report goes, the facts that it does put forward are deficit reduction, reducing costs, and expanding costs. Those ARE facts.
Posted 03/18/10 at 11:30am
JDKJ: You were the one championing a qualified estimate as an indisputable fact. I'm merely pointing out that it's far from indisputable. So says the estimator.
JDKJ: You were the one championing a qualified estimate as an indisputable fact. I'm merely pointing out that it's far from indisputable. So says the estimator.
Posted 03/18/10 at 11:27am
Valdearg: Or are you only breaking that argument out because the CBO says that this bill is a good thing for our deficit?
Valdearg: Or are you only breaking that argument out because the CBO says that this bill is a good thing for our deficit?
Posted 03/18/10 at 11:27am
JDKJ: The CBO says that, to the extent it is possible to accurately predict defict reduction over the long term, it is likely to reduce the deficit. That's your idea of "a fact that don't lie?"
JDKJ: The CBO says that, to the extent it is possible to accurately predict defict reduction over the long term, it is likely to reduce the deficit. That's your idea of "a fact that don't lie?"
Posted 03/18/10 at 11:26am
Valdearg: Would you be singing the same tune if the CBO came back saying that the bill will likely double the deficit in 20 years??
Valdearg: Would you be singing the same tune if the CBO came back saying that the bill will likely double the deficit in 20 years??
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Comments
The double-standard between stocking GTA and not Bully is ridiculous, especially if their only justification is to defend their "family-friendly" image.
Who the hell buys games from any of the stores anyway?
None of the above are major game stockers so I can not see what impact this will have on sales of vthe game anyway
Talk about a lame excuse.
I know this may sound strange but it actually reminds me a little of harry potter.
BUT HARRY POTTER IS CORUPTING THE YOUTH! IT IS TEACHING THEM WITCHCRAFT AND ALL SORTS OF DEVILISH THINGS!
I'm not 100% sure what Wal-Mart is like but Curry's is basically a standard electrical goods store, focusing mainly on kitchen and domestic stuff. They only really have games as an extra, kinda like how they have Cadbury's Cream Eggs by the checkout desks in supermarkets. Basically you go there for a new vacuum not a game.
http://www.currys.co.uk/
No, Currys is an electrical appliance retailer. No one goes there for games anyway and their selection of games is pretty small. You go there if you want a TV or washing machine, not a game.
That sounds very much like Wal-Mart. In case you don't know, WM is just a giant retail store where you can find ANYTHING. To it, games are just another one of those items. My question partly had to do with the fact that Wal-Mart also has a history of not selling controvesial products (like birth control), mainly for the same reason Curry's is stating for not carrying Bully. They don't want to piss off the small-town conservative demograph that makes up most of their customers. Has Curry's done something like that before now?
Not that I'm aware of and like I say games there are really an aside, theres only a few available and normally in rotten condition if my local Curry's is anything to go on.
Well yes they have actually. They happily stocked Manhunt and then when that teenager killed his friend, Manhunt was used as a scapegoat. So Curry's then chose to take it off their shelves. Out of repect they said.
Anyway, the fact that they won't stock it wont hurt sales particularly - the people who want it will go to specialist games stores.
It's mostly consumer electronics and household appliances, with some small PC components, and limited console stuff.
To be honest, my initial plan was to avoid Bully completely. I thought that Rockstar was most likely deliberately making the game controversial in order to get loads of free publicity. After reading the reviews, I'm gonna have to pick it up, or at least rent it, although not any time soon. My stack of "to play" games is big enough as it is.
I wouldn't expect this decision to affect sales of the game even one tiny fraction in the UK.
Walmart own ASDA over here which is a big chain of supermarkets. The range is much different though as, whilst they do sell a limited range of clothes, electrical goods, etc ASDA's main focus is food.
Curry's is completely different. It is there to sell white goods. Games, DVDs, CDs etc are an afterthought and thus anyone who went there to buy them would be paying full price. The only time they were any good was when they decided to stop stocking Gamecube stuff and sold their Wavebird controllers at under half price. Thats the first and only bargain I've ever had there (promptly bought 4 :D)
Ahh yes. Hypocricy at work. Gotta love it.
Ah, now I see. Thanks for pointing this out for me, guys. Oh, and it's pitiful that they banned Manhunt, since that game was owned by the victim, not the killer.
I knew you could.
"Won't you be, please won't you be, my neighbour"
By the way Dixon's got rebranded a few of months back and no longer exists. see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4878438.stm
Note the last comment:
"It is due to be released on 27 October and anyone wanting to get their hands on the title will not have too much difficulty as other UK stores including Game, HMV and Woolworths, will all stock it."
Most people know of the TV Show Top of the Pops, however, there was this strange ability the show had. For example, Lulu released a song called 'Let's get physical', it was only actually 'raunchy' if you really really tried to think of it as such, but Top of the Pops refused to air it.
Instant Hit.
The same can be said for several other bands, Guns'n'Roses, Xtreme and others were all bought out of the limelight in a lot of ways by the media's refusal to play their songs. If Dixons really want to push money into the hands of their competitors whilst giving Bully free advertising, it's their funeral really.
I think Dixons is the name of the parent company of Curryies, PC world and Curryies digital.
Although I did pick up Jet Set Radio for £1.50 and some other game for a £5.00
Currys is part of the same group as PC World - and the staff there often have not the slightest scooby-doo about anything. What else can you expect?
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