Rockstar, makers of the contentious "Grand Theft Auto" game have come up with another title that is sure to raise the same level of controversy. "Bully" will hit the shelves of stores in October, and has the theme of a 15-year-old schoolboy defending himself against schoolyard bullies, armed with baseball bats, marbles and other offensive weapons. Nerds, jocks and authoritarian prefects are some of the opponents that central character Jimmy Hopkins will face as he prowls around fictional U.S. boarding school Bullworth Academy.
"We think the school environment is a universal experience that so many people relate to," company spokesman Rodney Walker, who added that criticism of "Bully" is unique in that it had preceded the release of the game, which has been kept under tight wraps.
Already, a school board in Florida has requested that retailers not sell the game to minors, and many critics of the game have already surfaced, despite the fact that the game has as yet not been released or properly previewed. However, a recent demonstration of "Bully" showed that the game did not include blood or result in the death of characters. This may not be enough, however, to stop the game from getting a bad name and ultimately perhaps being banned in certain parts of the world.