GTA's Hot Coffee settlement draws minimal response
Honey, your coffee just got cold. Lawyers who sued Take-Two Interactive over the hacked "Hot Coffee" sex scene in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas claim that only -- wait for it ... no, really, wait for it -- 2,676 claims were filed. GTA: San Andreas had sold approximately 12 million copies according to Take-Two when the scandal broke in mid-2005, meaning that 0.022% of consumers were actually "offended and upset."
The New York Times writes that, awkwardly, the only real winners in this whole situation are the lawyers who triumphed in the "Hot Coffee" suit against Take-Two. They are seeking $1.3 million in fees, when Take-Two may only pay out about $30,000 in claims. For our international readers, despite what you may have heard about our litigious society, it's not par for the course that lawyers walk away with more settlement cash than their clients. A hearing is scheduled today in the Federal District Court in Manhattan to conclude whether the lawyers will get their money.
Update: Changed GTA: SA sales figures to when "Hot Coffee" hit in mid-2005. Altered percentage.
