Gangster video game upsets BT

The game maker is responding to complaints from telecoms giant BT which did not want its name and livery associated with the violent scenes.

The offending PlayStation 2 title, The Getaway, puts players in the role of a London crook carrying out missions on behalf of a gangland boss.

The section of the game that BT objects to will be removed from future releases which will be in shops within 12 days.

Gun fight

Since its release on 11 December in the UK, The Getaway has proved hugely popular.

It is thought to have sold more than 250,000 copies over the festive period.

The game has won praise for depicting central London in exacting detail.

The game's central character, Mark Hammond, drives around the mean streets committing crimes to meet the demands of crime boss Charlie Jolson who has kidnapped Hammond's son.

In one mission the gun-toting Hammond must steal a BT van and then raid a police station to rescue another character.

BT objected to Sony about the misuse of a virtual van bearing its logo and asked the game maker to edit the game to remove the scenes.

Technology news site The Register reported that BT was also worried that the game might incite attacks on its engineers.

A Sony spokesman said the changes had now been made to the game and the amended versions would soon be in the shops.

He said there were no plans to recall the remaining versions of the game already in shops.