UK Newspaper Pays Substantial Grand Theft Raoul Moat Libel Damages
Daily Star pays out over lie
The UK's The Daily Star tabloid has been forced to follow-up on its earlier retraction and apology for running a totally baseless GTA Rothbury Raoul Moat-based game story by paying Rockstar games 'substantial damages'.
The newspaper had already been forced into a humiliating climbdown over the story that Rockstar was to produced a GTA game based on the exploits of murderer Raoul Moat.
The Guardian now reports that "the solicitor for Take 2 Inc (Rockstar Games), Melanie Hart, told high court judge Mr Justice Tugendhat that the paper published its false story without contacting the company first.
"She said that the newspaper solicited and published quotes from third parties, including one from a grieving relative of a victim of Moat, in which the alleged plan to create such a game was described as 'sick' and deplored in the strongest terms."
Stating that Express Newspapers, the parent company of the Star,"...now accepts that Rockstar Games never had any intention to create such a video game at any time. The story was entirely false."
Undisclosed but substantial damages are due to be paid.
The newspaper had already been forced into a humiliating climbdown over the story that Rockstar was to produced a GTA game based on the exploits of murderer Raoul Moat.
The Guardian now reports that "the solicitor for Take 2 Inc (Rockstar Games), Melanie Hart, told high court judge Mr Justice Tugendhat that the paper published its false story without contacting the company first.
"She said that the newspaper solicited and published quotes from third parties, including one from a grieving relative of a victim of Moat, in which the alleged plan to create such a game was described as 'sick' and deplored in the strongest terms."
Stating that Express Newspapers, the parent company of the Star,"...now accepts that Rockstar Games never had any intention to create such a video game at any time. The story was entirely false."
Undisclosed but substantial damages are due to be paid.
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Comments
deleted 4 Oct 2010 16:23
1/5
Grand Theft Rothbury I am S`huper S`herial Guys! Derp!
+1 Games Industry
+1 Games Industry
gingineer 4 Oct 2010 18:22
2/5
great news for rockstar and the games industry.
wonder if small world the board game will get the same treatment after the daily mails article.
wonder if small world the board game will get the same treatment after the daily mails article.
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JoesoMelono 4 Oct 2010 19:48
3/5
Its a good way to fund game development. Pick a stupid tabloid, send in a fake story of your failing game i.e. "THE NEW SPYRO THE DRAGON GAME HAS A DRAGON THAT RAPES KIDS" then sit back and let the compo money roll in.
Honeyman 5 Oct 2010 09:02
4/5
Do Rockstar ever get any press than takes away from sales of their games? It seems that press, whether supportive or damning their titles to Hell just helps to promote Rockstar's titles and give them more exposure.
Still, tabloids should be careful with the tricks they get up to. There's selling papers and then outright making up the news to let people hear what they think is going on. I prefer the former (or the net even but that's a whole other can of worms right there).
Still, tabloids should be careful with the tricks they get up to. There's selling papers and then outright making up the news to let people hear what they think is going on. I prefer the former (or the net even but that's a whole other can of worms right there).
deleted 5 Oct 2010 14:50
5/5
@Honeyman
This story originally came from the tinternet, it looks like the Star just read a forum post by a nobody and obviously was good enough for them.
This story originally came from the tinternet, it looks like the Star just read a forum post by a nobody and obviously was good enough for them.