A father-of-three strangled his girlfriend in front of their children after a row over him playing the new Grand Theft Auto V game with his friends.
Rachael Lawson complained when Gray Allan Ormandy, 23, arrived home after midnight with the new game, and then started playing it with two friends.
Ormandy snapped, and squeezed her neck until she could not breathe as one of their children begged him to stop.
Furness Magistrates' Court in Cumbria, heard that the couple had regular arguments, but the row on September 17 started when Ormandy came home after buying the game at its special official midnight launch.
Lisa Hine, prosecuting, said Miss Lawson asked the friends to leave, which they did, and Ormandy slept on the sofa.
But the next morning the couple had a blazing row, which resulted in Ormandy grabbing his girlfriend around the neck.
Mrs Hine said the three children - all aged under five - saw what happened and one said: "Stop it."
Miss Lawson took the children downstairs and called the police at 8.30am.
Following his arrest, Ormandy told police 'she hates me having a computer' and said she 'smashed the last one'.
He said he came back with some mates and Miss Lawson was 'stressing' and made his mates 'uncomfortable'.
Mrs Hine said Miss Lawson wanted to make up and did not wish to pursue a restraining order.
Ormandy, who was bailed admitted assault. Sentencing was adjourned for a report to be prepared by the probation service.
District Judge Gerald Chalk said: "You assaulted the mother of your children in the home, where she should feel safe.
"The children were present and would've been petrified by what they saw."