‘Grand Theft Auto’ poses critical take on society, deserves credit

The release of the newest installment in the “Grand Theft Auto” video game series this past week came with a whole list of expectations. If we believe that history has a habit of repeating itself, we know that the launch of “Grand Theft Auto Five” will crush sales records, achieve near-perfect reviews from critics and will inevitably prompt adolescents across the nation to spray machine-gun bullets on busy parkways or shoot their grandmas.

Historically, in both of the latter scenarios, pundits and talk show hosts have claimed that there was a correlation between crime and the “mature”-rated video game series. Never mind that there’s a link between similar acts and a person’s proximity to high-powered weapons, though, because “Grand Theft Auto” is a drug more powerful than heroin, causing people to commit atrocities that are inhuman, according to Fox News.

But based on their comments, it seems that not too many members of the mainstream media have actually played the game. Perhaps it’s because becoming addicted to this mind-altering drug is just too risky. Yet, it’s seemingly easy for those who don’t even know the series to say that “Grand Theft Auto” is solely “a realistic game that has been associated with encouraging violence [and awarding] points to players for killing people,” as stated by CNN.

Clearly, some people still cannot accept the stark realism that video games today portray violence the same way cinema has done for decades. For instance, less than a day into its release, “Grand Theft Auto Five” sparked controversy over a very graphic torture scene in the game. The characters in the game use “enhanced interrogation” techniques to obtain information about a suspected terrorist. Sound familiar? In the film “Casino,” Joe Pesci’s character places a man’s hand in a vice in order to elicit information about who ordered his crew to sabotage a restaurant.. Could that be considered “enhanced interrogation”? 

So, what’s the difference between violence in a film such as “Casino” and violence in “Grand Theft Auto”?

Perhaps its because some sects of society, like the media, still view video games as entertainment only for children. “Grand Theft Auto” is the perfect example of the extent to which games have grown up over the years. With a steadily aging demographic playing these games, they are usually only able to sell them if they are relatable to a mature audience. Therefore, video games are inevitably going to contain violence and story lines that can be despondently realistic. Obviously then, mature-rated games, like R-rated movies, are not for kids.

Unfortunately, until the video game industry reaches the same level of respect as cinema, games cannot truly be appreciated as a form of expression, or even art. This is a shame for titles such as “Grand Theft Auto.” For those who actually do know the game, it is something much deeper than mere shootouts and explosions. In fact, its popularity lies not in its ability to satisfy the player’s bloodlust, but in its accurate and somewhat hilarious portrayal of American culture. So contrary to some media sources, it’s not the mindless acts of violence but the sophisticated satire that keeps gamers coming back. And just as movies cannot achieve overwhelming success on all action and no plot, video games cannot sell on asinine bloodshed alone.

Former “Grand Theft Auto” writer Brian Baglow sums up the game’s versatility well: “GTA […] as it’s been set in a contemporary environment, it has acted like a black mirror set up against society.” He goes on to describe the game series’ satirical elements. “What GTA does is it actually takes the American culture as we understand it from movies — it’s every gangster movie, it’s every crime caper,” he said. It’s ironic that the same movies that the game parodies do not receive nearly as much media condemnation, if any.

Nonetheless, we can hope that as a generation driven by video games comes of age, the games will eventually cease to be blamed for certain crimes. And as more people who understand video games become adults, maybe future “Grand Theft Auto” games will be able to hit the market without sparking public disapproval.

Email Nick about donating your copy of “Grand Theft Auto Five” to him at njv10@pitt.edu.