A 23-year-old man from the UK was walking home from a local supermarket when he was stopped by a group of assailants, and was then stabbed and hit over the head with a brick all for his copy of the popular video game Grand Theft Auto 5.

Video game retailers around the world opened their doors at midnight to satisfy the crowds of Grand Theft Auto fans anticipating the game’s release. Some video game enthusiasts consider its launch the “most anticipated game release this year.”

“We were called at 1.20am to Princes Avenue, Colindale. A 23-year-old man was shopping, then on his way back home he was hit with a brick and stabbed. He was robbed of items he had bought from a nearby Asda supermarket, including a copy of Grand Theft Auto," a representative for Scotland Yard told Metro.co.uk.

“We think he was attacked on Princess Avenue by multiple suspects although it is unclear how many at this stage. Detectives from Brent Borough are investigating and any witnesses are asked to contact Crimestoppers.”

Authorities said that the unidentified man was walking home from the Asda store in Colindale, London after purchasing a copy of the video game that has drawn a great deal of criticism for its violent features. He was taken to a nearby north London hospital where he remains in stable condition.

President of the Lecturers and Teachers Association, Alison Sherratt, is one of Grand Theft Auto’s critics and she believes the amount of violence featured in the video game could be absorbed easily by children around the world.

“Up until now we’ve been warning of the dangers of children seeing these games but saying it’s the parent’s responsibility to keep children away from these video games. But this scene takes things a step too far and the games makers need to consider what they are producing,” Sherratt told Mirror.com.uk.

“Children in our playgrounds are displaying more violence and we have conducted polls and found they are viewing games like GTA. My concern is that little brother or sister walk in to the room and start watching something like this because an older brother is playing it."

"They don’t understand the difference between reality and fiction because it’s so awfully graphic and real. and they do copy it. They imitate what they see and this scene is taking it way too far," she added.