UPDATE: Gamestation officially distances its launch event from violence in South London
A Gamestation source has responded to reports that a customer was stabbed as he waited in a queue to buy GTA IV in Croydon on Monday – claiming that the victim had “categorically not pre-ordered the game”.
According to the source, the incident was likely to have been caused by drinkers in a local South London pub, which kicked its punters out as gamers stood in line.
The source added that the stabbing did not actually take place near the GameStation store, but nearly a quarter of a mile away in the area of East Croydon Station.
Yesterday’s Daily Mail reported: ‘The launch of the ultra-violent Grand Theft Auto IV video game descended into real-life horror when a man was stabbed repeatedly in a queue of fans waiting to buy it…
‘… It took place outside the Gamestation store in Croydon, South London, one of 40 stores which opened at midnight to sell the new game.’
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The story was repeated in Metro and The Sun this morning.
The Gamestation source told GamesRadar: "The victim had categorically not pre-ordered the game – and GameStation is confident that he was not a GameStation customer; neither was he a part of the queue outside the Croydon store.”
UPDATE: A Gamestation spokesperson told MCV:
"Your story is an accurate depiction of what happened. There were two groups of people involved, neither of which were part of our queue. One group had come out of the pub and were verbally attacking people in the queue.
"The people in the queue were a bit bemused. Another group then came out of the same pub. An argument took place and the violence took place between these two groups.
"We had a memeber of staff outside who witnessed the whole thing and we have given a statement."
PIC: THE SUN
Comments
What lies!!
love the way Gamestation have changed there story to it wasquarter of a mile away when stabbing took place.. when all the perople in the queue waiting saw the attack thinking it was part of an act by Rockatar/gamestation? Gamestation are obviously trying to cover it up and increase sales of GTA 4!! Shocking!!
Re: What lies!!
never believe anything you read in the rags....especially the Daily Mail...
Re: What lies!!
Another attempt by the press to whip up a frenzy as the games industry takes another kicking.
Another slow news day. You'd think an Austrian 70 year old with a prison in his cellar is a little more newsworthy.
Lets hope Rock* don't get any ideas
Re: What lies!!
how can you increase sales of something that has pretty much completely sold out! mentalist.
Re: What lies!!
Surely any crime committed on the 29/04/08 can and probably will be linked to GTA IV?!
With games getting such a hard time about things as always, I was not surprised when I read this.
Funny thing is, where I live, on the 29th, the streets were almost dead for the whole day and night. It was really weird....?!
It was like when a really big football match is on and everywhere seems really quiet because loads of people are indoors or at pubs watching the match.
Thats what it was like in my area yesterday. I'm pretty sure it was down to GTAIV. I bet if you did some research, the police would report the lowest crime figures ever for the 29/04/08.
Well, maybe.......
Re: What lies!!
Sorry, that should have been 'on' the 29/04/08 not 'for' the 29/04/08. Obviously, it would be impossible for 29/04/08 to have happened before the 29/04/08.
o_O;
Thanks.
Re: What lies!!
... but by the today everyone is going to be running round shooting people and stealing cars. Watch yerself today people :P
Re: What lies!!
Sorry to appear blatantly open-minded here, but unless you were there, how on Earth can you know who is telling the truth about this sorry incident?
Re: What lies!!
I hope Rockstar sue the daily mail and co for slander - tho i doubt they'll bother - shame because it means these stories will keep coming and the press will never be held to account the stories which they report.
Re: What lies!!
this story was on the bbc news site, who said that it happened across from the queue of people, who just happened to see the incident.
But alot of people actually do believe what they read in the papers and most of them watch Trisha!
I live in Croydon. It DID happen in Queue
I live in Croydon. I wasnt there when the incident took place. But I do know the locations.
The pub is not a quarter of a mile away. They are virtually next door to each other.
I understand that Gamestation want to distance themselves from violence with video games, but they shouldnt lie.
Also, I just want to comment on the shop itself. The staff whilst young, have 'Comic Book Guy' personalities. Devoid of charisma and charm. The store also reeks of sweat. Not nice.
Re: I live in Croydon. It DID happen in Queue
I can't believe he hadn't pre-ordered the game. He should have been shot.
Re: I live in Croydon. It DID happen in Queue
#9 makes a serious point. Isn't there something the industry (publishers directly or through ELSPA) do to punish the newspapers for these stories which turn out to be total lies. It's damaging the industry's credibility, yet the industry just sit back and take it.
Re: I live in Croydon. It DID happen in Queue
Maybe they aren't trying to suggest that it didn't happen near the line but they're just trying to brag that they had a queue a quarter of a mile long? :P
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