News: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas publisher settles lawsuit.
The infamous Hot Coffee Modification from GTA: San Andreas is going to cost Rockstar Games’ parent company at least $1.025 million in settlement benefits.
Take-Two Interactive announced today that all U.S. consumer class action lawsuits relating to the third-party modification program that “altered the content of San Andreas” (read: allowed you to have sex with hookers) have been settled. According to the company's statement, the actual value of all cash payments under the settlement will depend on the number of class members that apply for benefits.
The press releases goes on to say that "the settlement generally caps the defendants' out-of-pocket costs at no more than $2.75 million, in addition to the costs of providing notice to class members and paying a fee to plaintiffs' counsel. The Company previously established a reserve sufficient to substantially cover the expected cost of the settlement and related expenses. The full settlement terms will be described in the parties' Settlement Agreement, which the plaintiffs are expected to file with the Court in mid-November when they seek preliminary approval for the settlement."
Here are the hoops you have to jump through in order to get an exchange or get back $35:
Under the settlement terms, class members will be able to claim benefits if they swear that they: (a) bought a copy of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas before July 20, 2005; (b) were offended and upset by the ability of consumers to modify and alter the game's content using the third-party Hot Coffee modification; (c ) would not have bought the game had they known that consumers could modify and alter the game's content using the third-party Hot Coffee modification; and (d) would have returned the game, upon learning the game could be modified and altered, if they thought this possible. Settlement class members who attest to these facts may apply for benefits that range from an exchange of the game disk for an edited copy of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas to a cash payment of up to $35 for consumers who submit detailed proofs of purchase.
"If the case had continued, we believe the court would have agreed that Take-Two was not liable for consumers acting independently to modify their games with third-party hardware and software to access normally inaccessible content," said Ben Feder, Chief Executive Officer of Take-Two. "Nonetheless, we believe it is in the best interest of the Company to avoid protracted and costly litigation to prove our case and to finally put this matter behind us."
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