GTA Re-Release Due Next Week
The re-release of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is due next Tuesday, according to the Web sites of gaming retailers. GameStop lists the title as being available September 13, roughly two months after it stopped selling GTA due to the "Hot Coffee" modification, which allows the game's main character to engage in sex acts.
Every major retailer has pulled the game from their shelves, and Take Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games vowed at the time to have a new version of GTA: San Andreas available minus the "Hot Coffee" scenes within "six to eight weeks."
Take-Two reported on Wednesday its quarterly financial data for the three months ending July 31, which showed the company had indeed paid a financial price for the gaffe that it reluctantly admitted was partially its own fault.
The company reported a $28.8 million loss, twice that of the year ago quarter. This actually came as the software maker increased sales by 6 percent year over year. Take Two has also lowered profit expectations for the year to 85 to 90 cents a share versus their original forecast of $1.13 per share.
There also remains the possibility that even when the cleaned up version of Grand Theft Auto is re-released, some retail stores may choose not to stock the game due to its controversial nature.