Comments on: Manjoo on “Grand Theft Auto 4″ hysteria

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 08 May 2008 03:40:57 +0000

I actually bought my Xbox 360 specifically to get GTA IV, and I’m glad I did since it’s one of the best games I’ve ever played. In Australian dollars, it cost me $500 for the Xbox, $800 for the surround sound system, $500 for the television, and $100 for the game itself. I also wanted to buy a stockpile of weapons and develop a raging coke habit, but I ran out of money!

But seriously, by the time people are 17 or 18 they should know that video games and real life are not the same thing. If they don’t, then it’s the fault of the education system, not game developers.

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 08 May 2008 02:40:57 +0000

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Tue, 06 May 2008 07:12:57 +0000

My younger brother bought this the other day and I sat there and watched him play it.
I have played some of the older versions years ago but this one by far has the worst language I have ever heard. The f-bomb is used more in 10 minutes than by most people in their lifetimes. Also, on the talk radio stations the C word is used constantly when referring to women.
On one of the missions when the main character is considering doing a ‘job’, the guy he’s dealing with is snorting cocaine.
I am 30 years old and it wasn’t that long ago that I was 17. There is no way that my parents would have allowed this anywhere near myself or my brother no matter how ‘mature’ they thought us to be.
Do we really want kids even if thy’re considered ‘mature’ to walk around calling women the C-word and dropping the F-bomb every 5 seconds??
If you don’t believe me-rent it and see for yourself.

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Tue, 06 May 2008 06:12:57 +0000

By: Adam Thierer

Adam Thierer — Mon, 05 May 2008 18:43:56 +0000

Over at eWeek, Jim Raposa has penned a column entitled “Stop the GTA 4 Hypocrisy” that points out critics shouldn’t rush to judgment about this or other games without ever having given them a shot.. or even watched a minute of them.

By: Adam Thierer

Adam Thierer — Mon, 05 May 2008 17:43:56 +0000

By: Piers Shaw

Piers Shaw — Fri, 02 May 2008 16:36:51 +0000

The game has scenes in it that in any other media would be automatically restricted to over 18 or 21 (depending on the country) buyers.

If this rule is true for movies and animation, then it should be even more so for games that allow the player to become directly involved in the action.

The only people actively against strong controls over such games are teenagers and the software companies making money off of them.

By: Piers Shaw

Piers Shaw — Fri, 02 May 2008 15:36:51 +0000

The game has scenes in it that in any other media would be automatically restricted to over 18 or 21 (depending on the country) buyers.

If this rule is true for movies and animation, then it should be even more so for games that allow the player to become directly involved in the action.

The only people actively against strong controls over such games are teenagers and the software companies making money off of them.

By: Ryan Radia

Ryan Radia — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:49:32 +0000

The reluctance of game stores to sell GTAIV really sucks for 15-16 year olds who have the cash and whose parents don’t really care what they buy. Younger kids lack the cash and transportation to buy a game plus parental controls on consoles are very robust as you’ve documented.

I usually don’t get carded when buying booze even though I’m only 21, but whenever I buy an M-rated game at Gamestop they card me without fail–and the minimum age for games is 17, not 21! Funny how voluntary age verification can be so much stricter than coerced age verification. I suspect the Gamestops and Best Buys of the world are so strict about carding to preempt constitutionally questionable legislation that would make voluntary schemes mandatory.

I can’t deny all that GTAIII I played at age 15 warped my fragile little mind. But now that my constitution is hardened since coming of age, though, I’m pumped about taking over Liberty City next week.

By: Adam Thierer

Adam Thierer — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:31:19 +0000

Matt… Indeed, many of the kids commenting on this MTV Multiplayer post about how they got past installments of GTA seem to confirm that. Again, this is decision that each family will have to make for themselves. All I am saying is that parents DO have the information and tools at their disposal to make and enforce these decisions in their homes.

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:22:48 +0000

We all know how these kids are getting these games, their parents are buying it for them. According to a 2006 study by the ESA, 86% of children under the age of 18 get their parents permission to buy games and 91% say their parents are present at the time of purchase.

By: Ryan Radia

Ryan Radia — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:49:32 +0000

By: Adam Thierer

Adam Thierer — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:31:19 +0000

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:22:48 +0000