By Anna Gault
A NEW internet game is taking aim at key figures in the phone hacking scandal as players score points by hitting them with custard pies.
The web game “Hacked Off” allows players to splat Rupert and James Murdoch with the pies.
The game is currently receiving 10,000 hits a day after being featured on blogs and gaming websites across the world.
The game’s inventor, Tony Raynor, says that the game gives people the chance to illustrate their feelings about the phone hacking incidents in a fun style – without being sent to prison.
It comes after revelations that News International hacked the phone lines of the London bombing victims’ relatives as well as other members of the public.
Mr Raynor, managing director of the company behind the game, Abbey Telecom, said: “People across Britain have been rightly outraged by this news but feel helpless and unable to do anything to let off steam.
“This is an amusing and fun way for participants to express their emotions about what is a very serious issue.
“It certainly seems to have captured the public’s imagination.
The game is inspired by Rupert Murdoch being hit in the face with a foam pie thrown by Jonathan May-Bowles while Murdoch gave evidence to MPs in Parliament regarding the phone hacking scandal.
Players can take aim at a character of their choosing including former editor of the News of the World, Rebekah Brooks, Andy Coulson, David Cameron’s former spokesman and even the Prime Minister himself.
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch is the most popular target for the game so far.
They then see how many times they can hit the target in 30 seconds – with each strike emitting a splat.
Gamers can pie the media figures by moving their mouse to line up and click to throw as their chosen target moves around the office.
