Game-makers face axe call after murder

Published on Monday 11 August 2008 10:53

CONTROVERSIAL computer game Grand Theft Auto IV could be banned in Spain and Malaysia, after being linked to a murder in Thailand.

A Thai teenager was arrested on suspicion of murdering a taxi driver last week, and after he claimed to have been inspired by GTA, the game was pulled from shelves.

Now the Catalan Taxi Federation has asked the Spanish government to do the same, citing the Thai murder case.

And it has been reported that the Consumers Association of Malaysia has also called for his country to ban the game.

The game, created by Edinburgh firm Rockstar North, is the latest in the long-running franchise which sees gamers run around lavishly created virtual cities carrying out all manner of criminal activities.

This latest instalment has earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for the highest revenue generated by an entertainment product in 24 hours.

In its first day on release the game sold 3.6 million copies and earned more than 150 million.