Rockstar "laughed at all the controversy" surrounding Bully's name before the cult classic open-world game launched: "They were freaking out over something they didn't really know anything about"

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"They all made a big deal out of the name 'Bully,' but they didn't know that ultimately, the game was an anti-bullying statement"

Bully: Scholarship Edition screenshot
(Image credit: Rockstar Games)

Rockstar Games is no stranger to controversy, with GTA and Manhunt being two of the most controversial series to ever release. However, after being known for incredibly violent and somewhat cynical open-world games, the revelation that the studio was making a game called "Bully" started off a frenzy.

The name alone evoked media uproar claiming that it would be promoting bullying, violence and other anti-social behaviour, so much so that in the UK the game was renamed Canis Canem Edit (which is latin for Dog Eat Dog), although the later Scholarship edition retained the Bully name after everyone had calmed down.

Scott McCrae
Scott McCrae
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Scott has been freelancing for over three years across a number of different gaming publications, first appearing on GamesRadar+ in 2024. He has also written for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, VG247, Play, TechRadar, and others. He's typically rambling about Metal Gear Solid, God Hand, or any other PS2-era titles that rarely (if ever) get sequels.

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