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Rapelay virtual rape game banned by Amazon

A PC game that allows players to gang rape virtual women – and then
force them to have an abortion – has been banned from Amazon.

By Matthew Moore [AVAILABLE Online: UK Telegraph
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/technology/4611161/Rapelay-virtual-rape-game-banned-by-Amazon.html>.
Feb 13 2009]

In Rapelay, gamers direct a character to sexually assault a mother and
her two young daughters at an underground station, before raping any of
a selection female characters.

The game was intended for release just in Japan, but was on offer to
British buyers through Amazon Marketplace, the section of the online
store's website open to third-party sellers.

But Amazon has now withdrawn the game after complaints from users,
deeming it to be inappropriate. "We determined that we did not want to
be selling this particular item," a spokeswoman said.

Rapelay was developed by the Japanese production house Illusion, which
makes a number of sexually violent games for the domestic market. Their
other titles include "Battle Raper" and "Artificial Girl".

A spokesman for the company said: "We believe there is no problem with
the software, which has cleared the domestic ratings of an ethics
watchdog body."

Keith Vaz, the Labour MP for Leicester East who has previously spoken
out against computer games that promote violence, condemned the game.

"It is intolerable that anyone would purchase a game that simulates the
criminal offence of rape," he told the Belfast Telegraph.

Rapelay, which was released in 2006, encourages players to force the
virtual woman they rape to have an abortion. If they are allowed to give
birth the woman throws the player's character under a train, according
to reviews of the game. It also has a feature allowing several players
to team up against individual women.

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First off.... what the hell...

Second off... why am i just hearing about this game NOW, when i CANT GET
IT????

Third off.... how much more sexually repressed, but obsessively
extroverted can Japan get?

Fourth off...... when was this game really ever a good idea to market to
anyone, backed by any company?

Fifth off..... why can Amazon japan still get it, but not brittan? must
be some sort of translation issues, where it wouldnt make sense in
english i suppose.

Sixth off...... i think we all know what video game i want for Christmas
this year!!!!