Grand Theft Auto V has been pulled from store shelves at Kmart and Target in Australia, it has been confirmed.
Target was first in line to stop selling the controversial sandbox action, due to customer complaints about the Rockstar game’s depiction of violence against women.
Kmart was quick to follow, with a statement sent to KotakuAU reading:
“Following a significant review of all content in Grand Theft Auto Games Kmart has taken the decision to remove this product immediately. Kmart apologises for not being closer to the content of this game.”
Furthermore, KotakuAU has since learned that Grand Theft Auto IV and Episodes from Liberty City are also being pulled from shelves.
In response to Target’s decision to stop selling GTA V, the CEO of Take-Two, Strauss Zelnick, commented:
“We are disappointed that an Australian retailer has chosen no longer to sell Grand Theft Auto 5 – a title that has won extraordinary critical acclaim and has been enjoyed by tens of millions of consumers around the world.
“Grand Theft Auto 5 explores mature themes and content similar to those found in many other popular and groundbreaking entertainment properties. Interactive entertainment is today’s most compelling art form and shares the same creative freedom as books, television, and movies. I stand behind our products, the people who create them, and the consumers who play them.”
What do you make of Target and Kmart’s decision to stop selling GTA V? Leave us a comment below.