INQUISITR.COM / Entertainment

Google Removes Game About Hunting Gay People From Play Store

By Dustin Wicksell
Published on: 04:21 PST, Nov 24, 2014

Amid public outcry, Google has removed a game from their Android app store in which users hunt and kill gay men.

According to the Independent, the game, A** Hunter, was downloaded more than 10,000 times, receiving over 200 five-star reviews. First uploaded to Google Play on November 5, the game is still available across the internet.

Players control a hunter with a shotgun, who must kill naked men as they approach him. If one of the men is able to reach the hunter, the game depicts them swarming and raping him.

Though the game has been taken down, cached versions of the page continue to be held by Google, including the game’s description.

“Popular game hunting on gays is now on android! Play and do not be gay! Legendary game, where you are hunter and your mission is to kill gays as much as you can or escape between them to the next level. Gays may be hidden in bushes and unexpectedly catch you. Remember! When they catch you they will do with you whatever they want.”

According to Business Insider, A** Hunter has existed since 2006 as an online Flash game. Google Play, though mostly unregulated, bans apps that contain hate speech or violent or bullying behavior.

App Day was listed as the developer behind A** Hunter, though they deny having anything to do with the game. According to the Daily Mail, a spokesman for the company suggested that the listing could have been falsely attributed by a competitor.

A number of reviewers expressed their displeasure with A** Hunter before the game was taken down. A spokesman for gay rights charity Stonewall noted that the game carries a message that could have a damaging effect on young players.

“This will be incredibly offensive to a lot of people. We’re glad to see they’ve acted quickly to take it down but technology companies have a responsibility to help protect people, particularly young people from incredibly offensive material which portrays gay men as predators and with characters whose sole mission it is is to murder [SIC].”

Earlier this year, the video game Hatred sparked controversy when it was released. As the Inquisitr noted, the game featured a trenchcoat-clad misanthrope who gunned down anyone in his way.

Google has declined to comment on the anti-gay content of A** Hunter.

[Image: SWNS.com via the Daily Mail]

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