Midnight GTAIV sales see stabbing, mugging

Police say one man apparently waiting in line attacked a passerby, while a teenager elsewhere was beaten up for his copy of the game.

By Brendan Sinclair, GameSpot

Midnight launches aren't always the gaming industry's proudest moments. The PlayStation 3 release in particular was riddled with launch-related crimes, including a mugging, a store robbery, a launch line hold-up, and a shooting.

Grand Theft Auto IV went on sale in stores around the world at 12:01 a.m. this morning, and already reports of criminal midnight launch madness are starting to filter in. BBC News is reporting on a pair of incidents, with news of a stabbing outside a Gamestation in Croydon and a mugging by another game store in Lancashire.

According to the news service, a 23-year-old man was attacked by a knife-wielding assailant as he passed a line outside the Gamestation. The victim was treated for several stab wounds and has since been released. The attacker, who police said appeared to be waiting in the line of about 50 to 100 people, was not apprehended.

In the mugging, an 18-year-old was robbed of his copy of the game and beaten as he walked home from the store with a friend. The victim was taken to the hospital with a broken jaw and a broken nose.

Police are asking for witnesses in both cases to step forward.

It happens at every major release these days. D=

I was afraid that was going to happen to me though, walking out of Wal-mart with my head held high, carrying GTAIV, the guidebook, and raisins, especially when I passed by some very mean looking characters.

On 29-Apr-2008 Animefreak said:

It happens at every major release these days. D=

I was afraid that was going to happen to me though, walking out of Wal-mart with my head held high, carrying GTAIV, the guidebook, and raisins, especially when I passed by some very mean looking characters.

That why you go to a midnight launch at blockbuster

People are so stupid when it comes to a major release because they just want to attack people which they could just wait and they will have it...

I live in a small town, of maybe 1000 people, my store had boxes left this morning.

People attack people anyway, why not do it for GTA4? D=

On 29-Apr-2008 Animefreak said:

I live in a small town, of maybe 1000 people, my store had boxes left this morning.

People attack people anyway, why not do it for GTA4? D=

Hmm hell why not it GTA 4 it go's with the game theme lol

It goes with the theme of "GTA made me do it!" too. =P

I went to the midnight launch at my local morrisons.

There ere about 30 people waiting, and I was 4th inline.

Hardly anyone buys the game from supermarkets, so its the best place to get them, even without preordering it.

they put out a big tray thingy with foods on it, and we all eated until they opened =D

Although I was dissapointed after playing the game for 7 hours.

My god...
I have to wait until Saturday to get my copy, but did I give my mate a shiner and nick his?
No.
Only cos' his is 360 version!
Lol.
Joking.
Attacking someone for a game is pathetic.
Very.

If they play games like this, then it's normal that they do these things

Some very terrible stereotyping there.

It's good anyways, they want to reduce world population, so they just found another way of doing it ^^

I'm sure if they were to lift the law of murder, and not have murder as a crime, the worlds population would decline far more rapidly ;)

But hey, GTA works, I guess.

GTA is the best stealth kill solution yeah XD

I also wonder in how many countries this game is banned and how long it will take to be banned in some it isn't yet

As long as it's not in the UK, I'm fine withit =P

It was banned in Australia, for a while, but I think they're allowe it now, due to Rockstar releasing an edited version, with less graphic scenes...

lolz well that sucks for them Aussies XD

Btw...don't you agree it would have been more with style if they hijacked a car and drove into the line of waiting people?

They would have a few extra backups like that to

Or parked cars along the que, and blew up then first, watching the chain reaction.

Then escape with their 3 star wanted level.

Would also be neat ^^

But hey can't forget to take the games of the people who died on the sidewalk though

They haven't got them yet. :P

Steal their ID, and take all copies from inside the store.

Then arrest yourself in vigilante mode.

From those who came OUT of the store with a copy :p

And vigilante mode sucks if it's for good deeds :p

Ive played all of the GTA games and i half to say not once has it made me feel like goin and robbing a car stabbing somone beating them with a baseball bat shooting somone in the face etc. Video games dont reflect back onto the users.. Just stupid ppl makeing stupid decissions.