u/TJCorr

Do you think we’ve moved beyond the controversy of the franchise?

From its inception as a top-down perspective game through to its 3D update, GTA as a series has been plagued with controversies. From excessive violence in its original incarnation, to claims of it being too realistic in GTA III, the infamous, and probably largest controversy, Hot Coffee in San Andreas, the drunk driving outrage in GTA IV and its depiction of full frontal male nudity and as “recently” as the last entry, GTA V with it mission involving torture. The series has faced intense scrutinisation form “child protection” groups, multiple US politicians such as Hilary Clinton and Leland Yee and resulted in countless think-pieces and articles about how the franchise was “corrupting your children” and added fuel to the ever-raging “videogames are bad for kids” argument.

But with the way the world is today, with the vast access and constant vicinity to media, with the saturation of violence in films and television, with filmmakers and creators taking bigger more creative risks in the public eye, for example the rise of “Eleveated Horror” over the last decade and its massive success, is the world as sensitive as it once was?

Even looking at the current political state in the US and the way the government has handled itself over the last 10-12 years and even here in the UK, the way our government has been frankly embarrassing, has left me thinking about how we’ve strayed far too closely into the biting and, at the time ridiculous, satire that Grand Theft Auto so often revelled in presenting.

Ultimately, my question is this: With the release of GTA VI, do you think we, as a society, have moved beyond the controversy of Grand Theft Auto, have our delicate sensibilities blossomed into a more mature and accepting state for media, or will the frenzy once again win out. Or perhaps you think Rockstar will still manage to pull something out of their sleeve to shock, irritate and provoke? I’m interest to hear your thoughts.