What's so fun about 'Grand Theft Auto'?

[PennyWise]

What's so fun about 'Grand Theft Auto'?
It's a blast to play a criminal in a safe, consequence-free environment
By Kristin Kalning
Games editor
updated 9:04 p.m. ET, Mon., April. 28, 2008

On paper, the “Grand Theft Auto” games are shorthand for everything wrong with America: Violence. Prostitution. Drug smuggling. Gun-running. Political corruption. Racial tension. And — oh yeah — grand theft auto.

But despite the criminal themes, the “Grand Theft Auto” games are some of the best-selling and best-reviewed in the business. “Grand Theft Auto IV,” which is being released to ecstatic fans on Tuesday, could smash not only video-game sales records but opening-day box-office numbers, too.
What is it about “GTA” games that appeal to gamers? Why is it fun for otherwise law-abiding citizens to roll hookers, shoot at cops and steal helicopters?

“I get to indulge my dark side a little bit, but it’s more the story elements,” says Matt Slinger, a 36-year-old gamer from Seattle. “You get attached to the character. I don’t feel like I am the character, but I empathize with the character, especially after 40, 60, 80 hours of gameplay.”

The characters you play in the “GTA” games aren’t good guys. They’re criminals — typically small-time criminals, whose objective is to rise up through the ranks to become The Big Boss.

These sorts of themes are well-established in other media such as film and television. We rooted for Michael Corleone in “The Godfather.” We hoped Henry Hill might outrun the Feds in “Goodfellas.” “Grand Theft Auto” games let you play the gangster in a safe, consequence-free environment. And it’s a blast.

In “GTA IV,” the main character is Niko Bellic, a former war criminal from Eastern Europe lured to the fictional Liberty City by his petty-thief cousin. Bellic does plenty of despicable things during his rise to the top of the underworld, but he’s also a multi-layered, sympathetic character with a noble motive.


Playing the criminal is just one appeal of the “GTA” games. Gamers also love the free-wheeling, so-called “sandbox” gameplay, which was pioneered by “Grand Theft Auto III” in 2001.

“’GTA III’ was such an astonishing game when it came out. No one had achieved what they had in having this kind of open-world game where you moved around so freely,” says Adam Sessler, co-host of “X-Play” on the G4 gaming channel.

Back in the day, most games were linear. You had a set list of objectives, and a set way to accomplish them. “GTA” turned that on its ear, allowing players any number of ways to progress through the game — and get in lots of trouble.

As a result, the “GTA” games, with their mature themes — and ratings — have been a lightning rod for controversy and criticism. Sure, video games had blood and gore and violence. But criminals as heroes? Think of the children!


When gamers found a hidden *** scene in “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas,” politicians fell all over themselves condemning it, including Sen. Hillary Clinton.

“The disturbing material in ‘Grand Theft Auto’ and other games like it is stealing the innocence of our children and it’s making the difficult job of being a parent even harder,” she said.


Sexy scenes aside, many objected to the unapologetic violence and lawlessness in the “Grand Theft Auto” games. Anti-game crusader and attorney Jack Thompson initiated several lawsuits against Rockstar owners Take-Two Interactive, saying that the games trained players how to commit real-life murders. Some of the lawsuits have been dropped, some are still pending.

But fans of the games, like Andrew Monasterio, a 20-year-old gamer from Bartlett, Tenn., scoff at such claims.

“If someone enjoys killing innocent people in a video game all day, there was probably something wrong with him long before the game came out,” he wrote in an e-mail.

Still, there’s little doubt that all this “negative” attention has helped add to the bad-boy allure of the franchise — and its creators, Rockstar Games. Even people who’ve never played a video game in their lives have heard of “Grand Theft Auto,” says Sam Kennedy, editorial director of game site 1up.com.

“They know of the game and that’s been a benefit to the game’s popularity,” he says. “But I think the reason why it’s been popular among gamers is because it’s a very good game.”

“GTA” games are known for their deep, well-developed stories and hip, wry writing. The characters are complex, the environments are spot-on, the game soundtracks are germane to the time and place. I have fond memories of running red lights to Gary Numan’s “Cars” while playing “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City,” which was set in a city that resembled a 1980s-era Miami.

Seattle gamer Slinger loves how much creativity and care goes in to making each of the “Grand Theft Auto” games, where the next is better than the last.

“You can tell how much fun (Rockstar) had making it,” he says. “They’re obviously just barely grown up grown-ups who are sitting around the playground and thinking up the most-fun things that they can cram into this game.”

This creativity has translated into big sales. Take-Two says that the series has sold approximately 70 million copies since its inception. The last iteration, “San Andreas,” (the one with the *** scene) was the biggest yet, selling over 20 million copies since its release in 2004.

Industry watchers expect “GTA IV” to have similar legs. Analysts predict that the game will sell 9 million copies in its first few months, and up to 13 million by year’s end.

Slinger is one of the faithful — although he’s not in front of a console today. He’s on Maui with his wife — and says he almost considered trying to move his vacation around to account for the release of “GTA IV.” (I’m happy to report that he came to his senses.)


Still, he’s planning on tacking on a few extra vacation days after he returns so that he can catch up with his co-worker, who will be playing nearly non-stop in his absence.

“He’s going to be, like, a ‘GTA’ pro by the time I get back into town, and I just can’t have that,” says Slinger. “I just can’t have that.”

© 2008 MSNBC Interactive

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24356537/ (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24356537/)

[LRPV]

Maybe this belongs in the Off Topic page??????

[The Balkan]

lol again with "Eastern Europe"

*sigh*

Southern idiots, Southern and Southeastern at the most.

[randomguy]

lol again with "Eastern Europe"

*sigh*

Southern idiots, Southern and Southeastern at the most.


Serbia to be more precise.

[BW2]

Serbia to be more precise. Serbian but from Bosnia to be even more precise. lol

[deagle]

The disturbing material in ‘Grand Theft Auto’ and other games like it is stealing the innocence of our children and it’s making the difficult job of being a parent even harder,” she said.

what a joke. parents don't do enough as it is anyways. if they spent time with their kids, they wouldnt need video games for entertainment. if i kid wanted to get such a game, as a parent, i'd make sure they're mature enough to know fact/fiction, right/wrong...and not just get it to appease them. i don't even settle for a "yes/no, its fake and its wrong". i'd make him research something about the game (history report of grand theft auto the crime and how it impacts society first or something).

guns and games dont kill ppl, ppl kill ppl. lol

[INAT]

Serbia to be more precise.


Bellic could be Croatian .:roll::cantbeli:

[TR1]

The truly disturbing thing here is how many people played San Andreas. ****tiest game I have ever played.

[ren0312]

Nice to see that Al Capone and Pablo Escobar are the new George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.:roll: If you are going to play a gangster you might as well play the role of a commandant of Auschwitz.(sp?)

[The Balkan]

Bellic could be Croatian .:roll::cantbeli:

He's most likely Bosnian nationaliy, (bosnian war veteran) but could be any of the 3 ethnic groups...I'm guesing though either Croat or Serb.

anyway this game is getting 10/10 across the board...every damn review i've seen

[INAT]

He's most likely Bosnian nationaliy, (bosnian war veteran) but could be any of the 3 ethnic groups...I'm guesing though either Croat or Serb.

anyway this game is getting 10/10 across the board...every damn review i've seen


I was through sarcasm pointing out the silly-ness of people trying to pinpoint a video game characters nationality.

Serb-Hrvat-Musliman same ****.

[oxxi]

I play the game since the first version , i m a huge fan:)
what do i mostly love about it?
Well we are all human beings and as its perfectly normal, we all have "sane" and "insane" part of our brain working, the insane part is mostly hidden behind the unconsciousness but still, its always there :)
This game helps it to calm down, it helps you satisfy your "perfectly normal" insane urges , so that you would have less chance of doing something like that in real life.
At least this is how i think about the issue my friends :)

[The Balkan]

I was through sarcasm pointing out the silly-ness of people trying to pinpoint a video game characters nationality.

Serb-Hrvat-Musliman same ****.

It's about as silly as pointing out what anyone is. Characters in movies, books or even real life. There's nothing wrong with it. Obviosly if you know the game you know the background plays a big part in the story.

[INAT]

It's about as silly as pointing out what anyone is. Characters in movies, books or even real life. There's nothing wrong with it. Obviosly if you know the game you know the background plays a big part in the story.


oh does it I did not know.

[2Sheds_Jackson]

I started playing GTA III - and I really liked the fact that you could deviate from the scripted elements of the story and go goof around - but I had no interest in "indulging my darker side". And I sure didn't want my kids doing it either, so I removed it.

[Annihilator9112]

he is a serb from bosnia and its in many articles + it says it in the game somewhere.

[Lambert58]

GTA4 is unbelievably immersive. In fact, as I type this, the game is on in the other room and I hear my cell phone ringing and I must go rescue my cousin, Roman, from the evil gangsters! Then maybe we'll go play some darts or get a lap dance...

On a 65" HDTV, of course... muhhahahahaha

[SOG]

I played GTA 2 (When it was 2d) and 3 when they made the move to 3d. I like the action, shoot and scoot but the game is boring as hell. You simply act as a criminal lackey jag off. Scarface meets the pizza delivery boy. Shoot me in the face boring. I've watched my friend play #4 on the xBox 360. BORING. Drive here, do this, do that. Now included with mini games like pool and bowling. Woopteedoo.

As for the ethnicity of the guy from GTA 4, who gives a ****, he's Eastern European ****. (Smokin Aces) He looks like the bad guy from from that crappy Owen Wilson movie Behind Enemy Lines. What kind of movie has the main bad guy wearing an Adidas jump suit the entire time? A crappy movie!

You want to know how to make this game good? Replace said Eastern European **** with the Punisher. Replace all cops in game with varying levels of drug dealers. Replace all gay delivery boy missions with missions of covert sabotage and heavy gun toting antics against said drug dealers. Replace the "oh so wonderful" combat mechanic of GTA 4 with something that DOES NOT SUCK.

Instant classic.

Excuse me while I go beat off to a picture off Dolph Lundgren wearing a t-shirt with a skull then have a few ciggies.

[Lambert58]

I played GTA 2 (When it was 2d) and 3 when they made the move to 3d. I like the action, shoot and scoot but the game is boring as hell. You simply act as a criminal lackey jag off. Scarface meets the pizza delivery boy. Shoot me in the face boring. I've watched my friend play #4 on the xBox 360. BORING. Drive here, do this, do that. Now included with mini games like pool and bowling. Woopteedoo.

As for the ethnicity of the guy from GTA 4, who gives a ****, he's Eastern European ****. (Smokin Aces) He looks like the bad guy from from that crappy Owen Wilson movie Behind Enemy Lines. What kind of movie has the main bad guy wearing an Adidas jump suit the entire time? A crappy movie!

You want to know how to make this game good? Replace said Eastern European **** with the Punisher. Replace all cops in game with varying levels of drug dealers. Replace all gay delivery boy missions with missions of covert sabotage and heavy gun toting antics against said drug dealers. Replace the "oh so wonderful" combat mechanic of GTA 4 with something that DOES NOT SUCK.

Instant classic.

Excuse me while I go beat off to a picture off Dolph Lundgren wearing a t-shirt with a skull then have a few ciggies.

I'm guessin you're not much of a Minesweeper fan?

[SOG]

I'm guessin you're not much of a Minesweeper fan?

Honestly, never played. Finally took the plunge and played Solitaire. It was ok.

[MoFo]

Its fun because games allow you to do something you never could do in RL without serving time...the great escape.

[budgie]

I like the GTA games for the freedom of movement. For me if gaming can get me lost in a 3D world for a bit of escapism, then it's done its job for the evening. GTAIII, Vice City and San Andreas all did this for me, although I felt teh formula (and the graphics) getting stale after a while. Hopefully the new one will refresh, but I'll need to wait for the PC release for that.

On the topic of GTA's violence, most games have an element of violence because they represent some form of conflict. In games like Counter Strike and Battlefield, the violence, (or at least the teamwork of simulating a band of warriors) is the focus of the games. In RPGs like say, The Elder Scrolls, it is merely illustrative and can be reserved for a showdown with the villains.

I'd say for GTA, it falls somewhere in between. You play a career criminal (and IMO this glamorizes crime no more than say, The Sopranos does) and so sometimes you'll have to do a hit for your crime boss. In Ghost Recon you sometimes have to do a hit for your country - you're still pulling a trigger. Yes, you can drive around town wasting bystanders as well but when I played I didn't do that. After you've done it a couple of times just to see what happens, you realize constantly having the cops on your back hinders progress in the game and the storyline. Just as in real life there are consequences for committing a crime and I believe, in the context of a game, GTA punishes the player aptly for "going postal".

Finally on the subject of violence in games overall I have to weigh in. Like movies and DVDs, games have a rating. GTA is not a game for children. A game or a movie have equal chances of corrupting the youth and that is why certain games and movies are not made available to young consumers. I see no need for any senate-level debate over such games: lawmakers, parents, clergy and consumer groups must understand that games like GTA are not products for children, but like The Sopranos, can be a valid form of entertainment for mature audiences.

[V.I.D.]

Serbian but from Bosnia to be even more precise. lol
__________________________________________________________________

....and of course, it's "all the same" to those who made the game and for those who'll play it in the West. Putting two Ls in guy's last name, his cousin's name is rather Russian or Bulgarian and his accent is definitely not Serbian/ Bosnian either. I just hope these f-in' people get their **** straight one day, we don't speak with Russian accent you stupid f...ks! :cantbeli:

and yes, GTA has made a revolution in the game world, but some education on the subject wouldn't hurt.

[Noble713]

and yes, GTA has made a revolution in the game world, but some education on the subject wouldn't hurt.

I read an article about how Rockstar had a research team in New York to help them improve accuracy....looks like they forgot to send someone to "Eastern Europe" though...

[oxxi]

im playing the new one and with HDTV and i must say its crazyyyy
i havent seen anything so realistic, for example if you even slowly bump your car into the car up front, the driver of that car leaves his car angrily and walk towards you as if in real life :D
many many other stuff, its crazy game i love it , love is even a weak word.

[V.I.D.]

I read an article about how Rockstar had a research team in New York to help them improve accuracy....looks like they forgot to send someone to "Eastern Europe" though...
__________________________________________________________________

Yeah, the research team in Brighton Beach, alright. :)

[Macs.]

Its fun because games allow you to do something you never could do in RL without serving time...the great escape.



I see it as a kind of training.

Killing.

[Hilbert]

I see it as a kind of training.

Killing.

I'm sorry but all I can do as laugh at that.

[seraosha]

garbage in
garbage out


I play heroic games as an escape from mundane life, not murdering scumbag games. I have a lot of friends that love the GTA games, I don't think they are going to go off on a killing spree, but I do question how they choose to entertain themselves...slapping hookers around and murdering people says more about our culture, us and where we spend our money then we might think.

[Vorian]

garbage in
garbage out


I play heroic games as an escape from mundane life, not murdering scumbag games. I have a lot of friends that love the GTA games, I don't think they are going to go off on a killing spree, but I do question how they choose to entertain themselves...slapping hookers around and murdering people says more about our culture, us and where we spend our money then we might think.

Lol, at GTA..it's just a game and not particulary brutal, I have plaed games like the old soldier of fortune that you could see the guy's entrails if you shot the belly with a shotgun.

Or that freakish game (I can't remember name) when at the first stages you have just a piece of glass or a plastic bag to suffocate your opponents.


Once it was the gladiator games, now it's video games. Humans have a need for blood and it's healthier to satisfy it in a fake world that the real one.

PS: In Vice City (never played San Andreas), back in high school I used to drive over innocent pedestrians and make them a bloody stain on the pavement until the special forces arrived to take me out. It doesn't mean I kill people with my car in real life.

[WKD]

I played GTA 2 (When it was 2d) and 3 when they made the move to 3d. I like the action, shoot and scoot but the game is boring as hell. You simply act as a criminal lackey jag off. Scarface meets the pizza delivery boy. Shoot me in the face boring. I've watched my friend play #4 on the xBox 360. BORING. Drive here, do this, do that. Now included with mini games like pool and bowling. Woopteedoo.

As for the ethnicity of the guy from GTA 4, who gives a ****, he's Eastern European ****. (Smokin Aces) He looks like the bad guy from from that crappy Owen Wilson movie Behind Enemy Lines. What kind of movie has the main bad guy wearing an Adidas jump suit the entire time? A crappy movie!

You want to know how to make this game good? Replace said Eastern European **** with the Punisher. Replace all cops in game with varying levels of drug dealers. Replace all gay delivery boy missions with missions of covert sabotage and heavy gun toting antics against said drug dealers. Replace the "oh so wonderful" combat mechanic of GTA 4 with something that DOES NOT SUCK.

Instant classic.

Excuse me while I go beat off to a picture off Dolph Lundgren wearing a t-shirt with a skull then have a few ciggies.

There needs to be an option where you can choose to give up your life of crime and go vigilante. Or police informer or something. I got bored being all original gangsta and ****, I'd rather go Steven Segal and it's not like I bothered with the story line in GTA1 when it was first released. Most of the fun was just ****ing around in the huge maps they have. That for me is the big thing about GTA.

[V.I.D.]

There needs to be an option where you can choose to give up your life of crime and go vigilante. Or police informer or something. I got bored being all original gangsta and ****, I'd rather go Steven Segal and it's not like I bothered with the story line in GTA1 when it was first released. Most of the fun was just ****ing around in the huge maps they have. That for me is the big thing about GTA.
_________________________________________________________________

I like the idea, that'd be pretty interesting. Sort of become Niko's own Niko, huh? You'd just need a greasy ponytail, a pair of jeans, and some ****y boots in which no normal person could ever run for more than ten feet without hitting the pavement first. p-)

[Hilbert]

There needs to be an option where you can choose to give up your life of crime and go vigilante. Or police informer or something. I got bored being all original gangsta and ****, I'd rather go Steven Segal and it's not like I bothered with the story line in GTA1 when it was first released. Most of the fun was just ****ing around in the huge maps they have. That for me is the big thing about GTA.

Nothing like playing Policemen with an Apache Gunship(Vice City). *Laughs* I remember I was doing a vigilante mission back when the game first came out, the "Bad Guys" were in a car driving through a residential area and I was following em with both an Apache and a machinegun trail of 30mm AP love. Oh good times.

[PennyWise]

What makes the game so popular is that one can indulge in their dark side and face no punishment for it.

[Military-G]

Heh like others have said .. I ve always wanted a version where you are actually the cop ... would be a good spin off i reckon.

As for the game i guess there are countless reasons people like it .. Id say a main one is the game lasts forever .. if you cant be bothered to go on missions then you can drive around .. blow stuff up and just pass the time. Most games you get bored of after a week or 2 .. gta has longevity .. though i must agree SAN ANDREAS sucked balls.

Btw anyone else wish they would do a version on foreign cities? Maybe london or somewhere in europe or south america .. GTA FAVELA? ;)

[Thom]

Sen. Hillary Clinton.

“The disturbing material in ‘Grand Theft Auto’ and other games like it is stealing the innocence of our children and it’s making the difficult job of being a parent even harder,” she said.


Whats this? Children? As far as I know all of the GTA series has recieved 18 certificates, which I would assume in America would translate to a M by the ESRB (17). Ratings boards are there for a reason, if Retailers are ignoring it then target them, not the perfectly legitamate entertainment. But hey games are an easy target right now.



Btw anyone else wish they would do a version on foreign cities? Maybe london or somewhere in europe or south america .. GTA FAVELA?

There were two expansion packs for the orignal set in London in the 60s, although i'm sure this isn't exactly what you were looking for - the engine is somewhat dated now.

[Connaught Ranger]

Is it true its banned in Australia??

Connaught Ranger

[charliepage]

Is it true its banned in Australia??

Connaught Ranger

As far as I know it is just "edited". I think a previous GTA game, may of been San Andreas, was banned there.

[WKD]

Heh like others have said .. I ve always wanted a version where you are actually the cop ... would be a good spin off i reckon.

As for the game i guess there are countless reasons people like it .. Id say a main one is the game lasts forever .. if you cant be bothered to go on missions then you can drive around .. blow stuff up and just pass the time. Most games you get bored of after a week or 2 .. gta has longevity .. though i must agree SAN ANDREAS sucked balls.

Btw anyone else wish they would do a version on foreign cities? Maybe london or somewhere in europe or south america .. GTA FAVELA? ;)

The more I think about it the more I like it. You rise up through the ranks, you can be good cop or bad cop, take kickbacks or knock heads with corruption; it'd be pretty cool. There hasn't been a game like it as far as I am aware.

[Angrykirill]

Didn't the aussies also ban Postal 2?

[Shadowstorm]

As far as I know it is just "edited". I think a previous GTA game, may of been San Andreas, was banned there.
GTA San Andreas was release in Australia, but it was banned when there was a secret *** scene which became known as the Hot Coffe controversy.

Didn't the aussies also ban Postal 2?
Yep and also New Zealand.

[Polygon]

The more I think about it the more I like it. You rise up through the ranks, you can be good cop or bad cop, take kickbacks or knock heads with corruption; it'd be pretty cool. There hasn't been a game like it as far as I am aware.

I was thinking the same thing several days ago about a future GTA title. I'm sure something like that is not completely out of the question in terms of what is on the drawing board for future games.

Anyways, I'm so tired of news agencies acting like GTA IV is the first time *** and violence have been brought to the masses and that it is somehow responsible for all of society's ills. It's just a game, parents should be the one doing the parenting and not developers.

[HrvatskaZoijak]

Looks like an alright game to add to the collection, though I find playing World In Conflict on the 52" Samsung is an experience.

[PanzerMaster]

The real turn off of those GTA games are the annoying and frustrating missions...
It is possible to play around without having to do impossible missions? Like a sort of Oblivion I mean.

[BiZ]

The more I think about it the more I like it. You rise up through the ranks, you can be good cop or bad cop, take kickbacks or knock heads with corruption; it'd be pretty cool. There hasn't been a game like it as far as I am aware.

Hmmm try True Crime: Streets of LA and True Crime: Streets of New York.

Both are exactly what you're talking about, except they were on the PS2 years ago.



Re: Edited version of GTA4 for Australia, all that was edited, for some reason, has been the 'free roam' camera during a vehicle bound *** scene. Why? probably because video/computer games over here don't have an "R18+" ratings level to use, thus anything that would fit into the category cops flak.
Why the video/computer games ratings aren't in the same line as films/tv shows over here I do not know.

Owing to the PS3's world wide compatibility if any-one's feeling that "deprived" over here they can just order a copy for somewhere OS.