Grand Theft Auto

965 Words2 Pages

What started out as a disagreement between mother and son has led me into the controversial world of Grand Theft Auto. My fifteen-year-old son desperately wants this game. All I can hear are the stories of violence associated with this game, which causes this mother’s heart to shudder. So began the search to back up my denials for his ownership of this game. The Grand Theft Auto series of games has been surrounded by controversy, however the research does not always back up public opinion as will be demonstrated in this paper.

Grand Theft Auto got its start in 1998 with its original title released for the PlayStation One. The game was controversial from the get go with many countries protesting it and Brazil even went so far as to ban it. Interestingly enough, all this controversy caused the sales of the game to skyrocket and it became the biggest selling PlayStation One game that year, with sales to date reaching over 65 million copies worldwide (Gamesradar.com).

The original title did not rely heavily on graphics and they were visually unappealing. The premise of the game was there with the goal being running over pedestrians, selling drugs, picking up prostitutes, stealing cars, and running from the police. The games all have these themes in common, often taking place in realistic cities with music and dialogue.

In October 2001 Rockstar North, the game developer, released GTA III for PlayStation Two, with one big change, 3-D. Now the games had a more realistic environment with the more advanced memory on the new system. According to the reviewers at Gamesradar, “The city feels alive, almost real.” This newest game allows you to play many different ways: as a driver for the rescue squad, putting out fires with the fire tru...

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...nd drug use. The warning is right on the package. My son thought I would change my mind after doing this research but I have found that it only further solidifies it. As with any form of entertainment, moderation is certainly important, but when it comes to children, parental notice of what their kids are doing is vital.

Works Cited

Colwell, J., Kato M. "Investigation of the relationship between social isolation, self-esteem, agression and computer game play in Japanse adolescents." Asian Journal of Social Psychology (2003): 14-158. Journal Article.29 January 2012.

UK, CVG. Games Radar. 25 April 2008. Web. 29 January 2012.

Zin Teng, Scott, et al. "Grand Theft Auto IV Comes to Singapore: Effects of Repeated Exposure to Violent Video Games on Aggression." Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking 14.10 (2011): 597-602. Journal Article. 29 January 2012.

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