Teens rob and stab man for violent Grand Theft Auto game

Teens rob and stab man for violent Grand Theft Auto game

LONDON - Three British teenagers have been charged over the stabbing and robbery of a man who was walking home after buying the blockbuster videogame "Grand Theft Auto V", police said on Saturday.

The 23-year-old victim was attacked in London in the early hours of Tuesday as he made his way home from a midnight launch event for the notoriously violent game.

London's Metropolitan Police said he was hit with a brick, stabbed and robbed of his mobile phone, watch and his copy of the game during the attack in Colindale, north London.

Three teenagers, aged 14, 15 and 17, have been charged with robbery and grievous bodily harm with intent, a police spokesman said.

They were due to appear before magistrates in Hendon, north London, on Saturday.

Three other teenagers, aged 15, 17 and 18, have been released on bail until October.

The victim remains in hospital in a stable condition, a police spokesman told AFP.

Fans around the world snapped up copies of "Grand Theft Auto V" upon its debut on Tuesday, with long queues in many countries in Asia and Europe and even a stampede at one shop in the Netherlands.

The game's publisher Take-Two Interactive Software said Friday that it had raked in more than a billion dollars during the first three days of sales, smashing previous records.

The GTA franchise has won legions of fans and plenty of critics with gameplay that heavily features carjacking, killing, sex with prostitutes and drink-driving.

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