The big question is whether Grand Theft Auto 5 should be banned or not. Some call the banning idea crazy, and some adamant about its ban. I provide a neutral perspective using my experience with this game and its players.
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A member of the Illinois House of Representatives has introduced a Bill to amend the state's law that bans the sale of "violent" video games to minors to become an outright ban on such games. This article seeks to paint a neutral picture of the issues, including my personal experience with the game so that my readers can form their own opinion and comment if they so choose.
Grand Theft Auto 5 by Rockstar Games turned into a sensation and many gamers' dream in the gaming community. But there are so many against this game too.
After reading the introduction of HB3531 by State Representative Marcus Evans Jr in Illinois and severe reactions on social media, I decided to write this piece. HB3531 is an amendment request for banning video games against the Violent Video Games Law of Illinois.
Twitter flooded with many reactions by gamers, asserting the law would suppress gamers and the need for freedom of expression—that government should not restrict their rights as adults to play a video game because the state doesn't trust other adults' parenting choices or abilities. As a neutral technologist, game enthusiast, and parent, I want to give some perspectives about this specific game which has a loyal fanbase on social media. I share my personal opinion based on my video gaming experience and feedback from gamers in my circles.
Even though many gamers find Grand Theft Auto 5 exciting, this game is not my cup of tea. Admittedly, I enjoy rustic and bucolic surroundings. But many of my friends play this game a lot. Therefore, I thought it would be useful to introduce the game at a high level of readership and discourse and provide insights into its reputation, acceptance in the gaming community, and concerns by parents and lawmakers.
I came across Grand Theft Auto (GTA) in 1997 when I studied game design theories as part of my robotics and artificial intelligence classes. Until 2013, I did not get much attention from GTA players in my circles.
When GTA 5 came out in 2013, I heard a lot about this version of the game from the game enthusiasts.
GTA 5 is a single-player and multiplayer story-based game set in a fictional version of Los Angeles named Los Santos in North America. Los Santos is the central environment of the game.
The original and previous Grand Theft Auto versions were also set in multiple fictional cities such a Liberty City and San Andreas.
Players play the game via means of three distinct main characters.
· Michael DeSanta is a wealthy retired felon,
· Franklin Clinton is a less fortunate hooligan living with his aunt,
· Trevor Philips is a drug dealer from the desert of Los Santos.
The story revolves around Michael, Trevor and their friend from 15 years ago who got into trouble for robbing a bank.
Fifteen years later, people assume that Michael suffered a felon's death and Trevor works for himself dealing drugs. Franklin comes into the mix when he illegally repossesses Michael's son's SUV for his corrupt boss.
Michael sees Franklin as the son he wishes he had. The story includes multiple illegal and unethical money-making methods such as robberies, heists, and assassinations.
These concepts are, of course, bad for society. I haven't witnessed any player who agrees with these values in real life. From my observations and what I heard from players, there is nothing good about the game's theme. Yet, many players still love playing it.
GTA 5 is a game designed for adults that offers them a fantasy world. The game gives the person a virtual experience of many illegal things such as manslaughter, murder, stealing cars, disobeying traffic rules, robberies, etc., with no consequences.
The game serves as an open world where the players can follow the story or explore the world and do whatever they want. They have access to any vehicle that they could desire, including attack planes and helicopters.
They also have access to all the personal weapons they could desire, such as guns, bombs, rocket launchers, and other highly illegal weapons.
From my perspective, the game has societal and psychological implications.
One may think after this description that only psychopaths would play this game.
But I know many decent and responsible people who play this game.
You may ask what the motivation might be for playing such a game.
According to several young adults, the motivation to play a game of this sort comes from the need to escape from their dull and so-called "crappy" lives into a fictional world where they could do anything they desire without ramifications.
My understanding of the game is it's very attractive to fantasy game enthusiasts.
Even though the game GTA 5 was released in 2013, the graphics have aged well, and it's still a great looking game.
The game is enormous in volume. It consumes around 100 GB of space. It requires a minimum of 8 GB RAM to play it properly.
As a new player, I found the game very complicated, but it is a straightforward game to learn from a young adult's perspective. It has controller assists such as aim assist when aiming and overall character assist specific to certain characters.
GTA 5 is available on platforms such as PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
My friends make a lot of arguments about the best platform. This argument turned out to be a moot point. In the end, none of them wins.
Now, there are a lot of discussions and opinions on social media. The new law may cause GTA 5 to be banned. But many game enthusiasts find this potential banning unfair and unnecessary.
The main reason for potential banning is it is very attractive to underaged teenagers.
However, like any restricted products legally sold in the market, the product manufacturer and retailers comply with the regulations by distributing it as an R-rated game.
I know that the sellers don't sell this game to under 18 because it is clearly R-rated.
So what is the problem then?
My understanding from reading many discussions is that some teenagers convince their parents or adult guardians to purchase the game for them.
The concern is that the parents or guardians may not know anything about this game's psychological implications on teenagers and volunteer to purchase them.
For example, uneducated parents or uninformed grandparents who love their grandkids may be willing to purchase the game as a birthday gift.
It is also typical among older siblings who may be willing to buy the game for their underaged brothers or sisters to impress them.
Many game enthusiasts believe that GTA 5 shouldn't be banned because the company took precautions and complied with the law in their distribution and marketing.
Some neutral gamers assert that the public needs to be informed the game is not suitable for the consumption of underaged consumers.
In my opinion, one practical measure could be taken by retailers. The sellers may provide a page of a document about the game's theme and obtain written confirmation from the guardians asking them sign.
Many believe that banning a globally popular game distributed and sold legally can cause harm to the video gaming community, representing big industry contributors.
My proposed measure, which the stores should implement even under the current law, and the state could impose, strikes a balanced approach to gamer’s rights and the rights of parents to choose how to raise their children.
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