HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA (July 20) - The trade group representing the $10-billion-dollar computer and video game industry's leading retailers, the Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association (IEMA), has issued the following statement regarding the revocation of the “Mature” rating for the controversial video game, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

“The ESRB (Entertainment Software Ratings Board) notified us late this afternoon Eastern Time that they have revoked the “Mature” rating previously issued for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, following an extensive investigation. Our members intend to immediately cease all sales of the game until existing inventory can either be re-stickered with an AO (Adults Only) rating, or exchanged for new versions of the game that has the hidden content removed and the original M (Mature 17+) rating intact. Though not a policy, IEMA members generally do not carry AO-rated games any differently than we do not carry X-rated videos or DVDs, thus it is likely that our members will be removing all copies of the current version and re-stocking with the updated version.”

We understand that several non-IEMA retail companies intend to continue selling the current version, so we would refer all media inquiries to those respective corporations.