Confirmed: Sex minigame in PS2 San Andreas
Cheat unlocks preexisting code in controversy-rocked Grand Theft Auto game, undermining Rockstar Games' claims of hacker mischief.
This week saw a Grand Theft Auto game once again at the center of a nationwide controversy. The point of contention this time was the so-called "Hot Coffee" mod for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which had everyone from anti-game crusader Jack Thompson to US Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) percolating with outrage and/or calls for federal game regulation.
The Hot Coffee mod first surfaced last month, when the PC version of San Andreas was released. The mod, which is available on numerous Web sites, adds a bonus sex minigame as a reward for the numerous "girlfriend" missions in San Andreas.
Previously, when game hero Carl "CJ" Johnson successfully wined and dined one of several girlfriends a certain number of times, she would ask him into her house for "coffee." After entering, the game shows an external shot of the house with muffled sounds of a couple emitting moans in flagrante delicto. PC versions of San Andreas with the "Hot Coffee" mod installed show what goes on inside the house, treating players to a sexually graphic minigame of CJ fornicating with his girlfriend.
According to its creators, the Hot Coffee mod merely unlocks hidden, preexisting code inside San Andreas. The game's publisher, Rockstar Games, appeared to vehemently--but carefully--deny that charge in a statement earlier this week. "So far we have learned that the 'Hot Coffee' modification is the work of a determined group of hackers who have gone to significant trouble to alter scenes in the official version of the game," the company said. "In violation of the software user agreement, hackers created the 'Hot Coffee' modification by disassembling and then combining, recompiling and altering the game's source code."
Rockstar's statement also claimed that the mod was the product of complex technical tampering. "Since the 'Hot Coffee' scenes cannot be created without intentional and significant technical modifications and reverse-engineering of the game's source code, we are currently investigating ways that we can increase the security protection of the source code and prevent the game from being altered by the 'Hot Coffee' modification," read the statement.
However, Rockstar Games' argument has been undermined by an increasing number of reports that claimed the sex minigame is in the PlayStation 2 version of San Andreas. Since the PS2 version comes on an unmoddable DVD, it cannot have any content added to it, although cheat codes--created either by the publisher or third parties--can unlock preexisting code on the disc. While devices such as GameShark and Action Replay Max can tweak preexisting variables in system memory with cheats, they cannot inject new models, animations, and/or code into a game.
To prove or disprove rumors that the PS2 San Andreas contains a sexually graphic minigame, GameSpot decided to test the cheat codes circulating around the Web on a sealed, first-edition copy of San Andreas. After acquiring the "Uncensored Hot Coffee" codes from the respected tech-blog Kotaku, we entered them into an easily obtainable Action Replay Max cheat device. After entering the "Enable all Girlfriends" cheat, we began the game and then gave CJ maximum sex appeal, via a cheat from GameFAQs that requires no external code.
After saving, our test editor had Carl visit the house of his nearest girlfriend, Denise in Los Santos. Carl then took Denise on a series of dates to the nearest bar. After a few complications--including being busted for two-timing by another of CJ's girlfriends--we completed a fourth date with Denise, after which she invited us into her house for "coffee."
The next screen proved that the PlayStation 2 edition of the game does indeed include a sexually graphic minigame, which plays almost exactly the same as the Hot Coffee mod. It begins inside a bedroom with Denise, wearing only a pink thong and a cutoff T-shirt bearing the Rockstar logo, performing simulated fellatio on CJ, who is fully clothed in jeans and a "wife beater"-style tank top.
After a few seconds, the minigame proceeds to semi-explicit simulated copulation. Although players can change the camera angle with the circle button, as well as cycle though three sexual positions with the square button, no genitalia are ever seen. To win, players must maintain a steady rhythm with the left analog stick to build up an "excitement meter" on the right of the screen. Fill the meter and Denise becomes very excited, telling CJ he is "the man" before the game congratulates you with the words "Nice guys finish last!" Let the meter drop to empty and the game admonishes you with "Failure to satisfy a woman is a CRIME!"
Given that the minigame is about as raunchy as an episode of Sex and the City, cannot be accessed without entering a long string of cheat codes, and takes several hours of effort to access, charges that San Andreas is "pornographic" may seem extreme to some. However, its existence does appear to contradict Rockstar Games' carefully worded statement blaming hacker mischief for the existence of the Hot Coffee mod.
Content you might like…
-
Spot On: Sex, schmoozing, and video games
News.com surveys the AO-rated scene at the first-ever Sex in Video Games conference in San Francisco.
- Jun 9, 2006
Users who looked at this article also looked at these content items.
Related Content
Matches based on text similarity.
Hot Stories
Newsmakers
-
GameSpot's Best of 2009 - Year in Review
GameSpot's news team looks back at all the high points and low points of the year that was 2009. Full Story
- Posted Dec 17, 2009 5:25 pm PT
-
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction Patrick Redding Interview
We talk to the Ubisoft Montreal game director about the new multiplayer modes in the forthcoming stealth-action game. Full Story
- Posted Dec 18, 2009 8:39 am PT
Featured Stories
-
NPD's top 10 of 2009 (so far) topped by Modern Warfare 2
Xbox 360 edition of Activision's megahit leads US list, followed by Wii Fit, Wii Sports Resort, Mario Kart Wii, Wii Play, Halo 3: ODST, Pokemon Platinum, PS3 MW2, Madden, and New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Full Story
- Posted Dec 15, 2009 2:25 pm PT
- 380 Comments
-
Sony losing $36 per PS3 - Report
iSuppli analysis of redesigned console's innards concludes electronics giant spends $336 making every $299 Slim, the system's lowest loss per unit to date. Full Story
- Posted Dec 15, 2009 12:57 pm PT
- 453 Comments
-
Pokemon's March 14 debut caps Nintendo Q1 lineup
First-quarter release schedule headlined by HeartGold, SoulSilver; Mega Man 10 mobilizing by March; blue, pink Wii Remote due Feb. 14. Full Story
- Posted Dec 14, 2009 12:27 pm PT
- 168 Comments
-
Bethesda publishing Rage
Following id Software acquisition, Zenimax Media buys out EA's rights to release postapocalyptic shooter on Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Mac. Full Story
- Posted Dec 15, 2009 10:52 am PT
- 191 Comments
-
Final Fantasy VIII 'coming soon' to PSN
Sony newsletter indicates Square's classic JRPG headed to PS3's online storefront in the near future. Full Story
- Posted Dec 16, 2009 5:11 pm PT
Submit News
Related Game
- Rockstar Games
- Rockstar North
- Modern Action Adventure
- Release: Jun 7, 2005 »
- ESRB: Mature
Recent News
-
Final Fantasy day-one sales hit 1 million in Japan
Square Enix's hotly anticipated JRPG busts platinum sales marker in 24 hours on PS3, franchise sales surpass 92 million.
106 Comments
Sign in / Sign up