2004–2005Primary sourceWell documented
San Andreas and the Hot Coffee Scandal
On the timeline · around 2004–2005 ·
What happened
GTA: San Andreas (2004) was a sprawling hit, but in 2005 modders unlocked 'Hot Coffee' — a cut sexual mini-game left dormant on the disc. The ESRB re-rated the game from Mature to Adults Only, major retailers pulled it, and Take-Two later settled a class-action suit.
Why it matters
The Hot Coffee scandal became a landmark moment in the debate over game content and ratings, and a costly lesson for Rockstar and the whole industry.