Yesterday it was predicted the drug dealing minigame announced for Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars would cause something of a media frenzy, and it came true, though maybe a little sooner than expected.

Tabloid journalism outlet The Sun has posted something on their website which features charities blasting the game, and cites "experts" (editors?) who say the final version will be less explicit than stated (despite Rockstar saying Nintendo is fine with it, and they will not be softening the game).

The Chinatown Wars adventure for the family-friendly Nintendo DS console lets players earn cash by learning where to sell six types of drug.

The plans for the game were blasted by charities.

Darren Gold of charity Drugsline said: “Anything using drug-dealing as entertainment is sending out the wrong message.

“Glamorisation doesn’t help our work trying to educate kids of the dangers of substance misuse.”

The game has not yet got a release date or been put before censors.

Experts predict the final edition is unlikely to feature explicit criminality.

But Dan Houser, chief of game developer Rockstar, told the new issue of Edge magazine: “It can’t be softened to make it family-friendly — that’s not the game we’re making.”

chautemoc via thesun.co.uk »