Norway Retailer Pulls Violent Video Games in Wake of Attacks
One of Norway's largest retailers, Coop Norway announced last week that they will pull 51 games and toy brands from their stores after the Oslo and Utoya shootings killed 77 people in a government building and a youth camp.
Some of the titles include "Homefront", "Sniper: Ghost Warrior", "Counter-Strike", "World of Warcraft" and the "Call of Duty" series. Shooter Anders Behring Brejvik has admitted to playing "World of Warcraft" and "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare" in his 1,500 page manifesto.
"The decision to remove the games was made around the time we realized the scope of the attack. Others are better suited than us to point to the negative effects of games like these," said Coop Norway Retail Director Geir Inge Stokke, according to a report from Norwegian newspaper Ragalands Avis.
"Others are better suited than us, to point to the negative effects of games like these," he continued. "At the moment it's [appropriate] for us to take them down. I wouldn't be surprised if others do the same. We have to think very carefully about when to bring these goods back. The economy involved is of no importance."
Norwegian entertainment retailer Platekompaniet has followed Coop Norway in pulling these titles from its shelves.
Coop Norway has over 1,000 retail stores across Norway and sells a number of goods from food to DVDs and cell phones.
Anders Behring Brejvik, whose extremist views on Islam refugees fueled the attacks will be charged with terrorism offenses. Prosecutors have said they were considering charging Brejvik with crimes against humanity which carry a maximum sentence of 30 years.