Remember all the outrage back in 2005 when it was revealed that—if you knew where to find the third-party software modifications—you could unlock hidden sex scenes in pixelated shoot-'em-up Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas? Videogame creator Rockstar, under pressure, agreed to a settle a class-action lawsuit for the deeply offended purchasers of the game. How many of the millions who bought San Andreas availed themselves of their right to compensation of $5 to $35 bucks?

Less than 3,000, according to plaintiffs' attorneys (who, in what has to be seen as an attempt to make tort reform even more popular, are currently seeking their own massive payouts for bringing the case). It's a fairly clear indication that the suit was more or less without merit, but coverage in today's New York Times yields this absolute gem, which pretty much puts almost everything in perspective:

While adults who bought the game for children said they were upset over the sex scenes that they did not know about (and had not seen), interviews conducted by lawyers showed the adults also did not know basic characteristics of the game.

For example, Brenda Stanhouse, who bought the game for her son, 15 years old at the time, said in a deposition that she did not know that a player in the game could "stomp to death innocent pedestrians."

She also did not know that the game included prostitutes, that players could kill policemen or that "a player in the game can kill innocent pedestrians and steal money from them."

"I'm aware that there is killing in the game," Ms. Stanhouse said in the deposition. "I wasn't aware of the stealing."

Ms. Stanhouse was asked whether she would knowingly buy for her son a game that allowed him to kill police officers.

"Well, I think he does have games with violence," Ms. Stanhouse said, adding that she would "possibly" buy such a game—though not one that contained sex scenes like those in San Andreas.

Anybody out there find this surprising?

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