Bully Slammed by Major Retailer

Lawmakers have given the new teen-rated Rockstar game the OK, but it seems that is not enough for one UK retail chain.

Notorious anti-game lawyer Jack Thompson failed this week in his bid to have Bully kept out of stores in the US by the strong arm of the law, but in the UK one retailer is doing that job all on its own.

Retail chain Currys and its parent company DSG have decided against stocking the game, telling The Sun, "We're a family-friendly retailer. We don't think this game is appropriate for our stores and have decided not to stock it."

It would seem, though, that Currys has fallen afoul of the misinformation spread about the game, which will be sold in the UK under the title Canis Canim Edit - Latin for the phrase "dog eat dog".

Canis Canem Edit has taken flack ever since the barebones premise was released. The game stars a troubled kid named Jimmy who lands in a strict private boarding school, where he must fend for himself among the terrible cliques that dominate his new home.

The game was recently rated as suitable for players 15-years-old and above and for 13-years-old and above in the US - well below the 18-rating of stable mate series Grand Theft Auto, which Currys incidentally does stock.

In a decision this week in a Florida court, Judge Ronald Friedman admitted that while the game is violent, it's "less than we see on television every night," according to a BBC report.

Critics are lauding Canis Canem Edit for its fresh approach to storytelling and rich, interactive world. The game will be out in the UK on 27 October. Find out more about it in our new hands-on preview.

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo