Target General Manager Corporate Affairs Jim Cooper said the decision was made following serious community concern over the game.
In a statement Mr Cooper said, “We’ve been speaking to many customers over recent days about the game, and there is a significant level of concern about the game’s content.”
The decision sparked an immediate backlash by fans, taking to Facebook and Twitter and flooding Target Australia with messages of frustration.
“We’ve had customer feedback in support of us selling the game, and we respect their perspective on the issue,” said Mr Cooper.
The decision to pull the game comes after a change.org petition started by three women who said they’ve survived violence.
Nicole, Claire and Kat, who didn’t give their last names, said the petition had attracted more than 40,000 supporters.
“It’s a game that encourages players to murder women for entertainment…the incentive is to commit sexual violence against women, then abuse or kill them to proceed… and now Target are stocking it and promoting it for your Xmas stocking,” the petition read.
Mr Cooper said Target will continue to sell R-rated video games.
“While these products often contain imagery that some customers find offensive, in the vast majority of cases, we believe they are appropriate products for us to sell to adult customers.”
Share
