The Chicago Transit Authority has pulled a series of bus ads for Grand Theft Auto IV, citing the games M-rated violent video game status. Comparing an M-Rating (which is an R rating for those of you unaware) to a X-rated film, and apparently the CTA doesn’t advertise those type of flicks.
The ads were inoffensive, featuring characters from the upcoming video game in a line up similar to the film “The Usual Suspects.”
A call shame on the whole Chicago Transit Authority. There is nothing wrong with these advertisements, they paid for them, just as any Rated-R film would have. The amount of misconception about video games seriously makes me sick to my stomach on this Tuesday morning. Well city of Chicago, I’ll be sure never to support your public transportation system until you open up your viewpoints.
This isn’t the first time this has happened, GTA: Vice City Stories ads were pulled back in 2004. Also in 2003, a group called “Change the Climate,” sued the CTA for viewpoint discrimination, they won.