'Grand Theft Auto' still driving critics nuts

[yoohoo]

All video games should come include with a Certificate of Bad Parenting.

[Ed Rolla]

Great game. Will probably sell 2million copies in the first week.

[South Sider in Florida]

Here's the sad truth "gamers"...(this ought to set off a few of you)

Go back and re-read what that moron "information technology professional" in his 30s said. "As gamers get older into their 30s and 40s..."

You're TOO OLD TO BE PLAYING GAMES, you losers. What possible benefit can a person in their 30s and 40s get by playing childrens' games? Oh that's right, "voyeurism". Wow, what a great quality we all should experience. Heck, you haven't lived unless you've hid in the closet and secretly watched a pimp beat the crap out of a hooker.

Oh and let's not forget about "escapism", because like a good belt of alcohol abuse, there's nothing like escaping from your job, your family, your responsibilities, because you need to "escape" from it all.

Sure, we Americans who have more personal wealth and comfort than any other society in the history of the written word, need to relax from the harsh realities of Starbucks, waiting for our tax rebates, or using our welfare check to buy the latest video aberration. It sure is tough being an American isn't it? There's just so much we need to escape from.

What a load of crap. The adult American historically concentrated on improving the lives of their family, the quality of their neighborhoods, and improving the society around them. The modern American "adult" is more concerned with spending his money on audio/visual equipment to improve the quality of his "gaming".

Maybe if some of you could put down the controller for a minute and focus on the world around you, we could do something constructive instead of killing a hooker for her money. Oh, I'm sorry I forgot.

You're too busy being a voyeur... Do me a favor, and don't forget to shut the lights off when you're done playing; for goodness sake, it's already 4am, and aren't you supposed to be at work in a few hours?

You're calling in sick today? Again? Isn't this like the 4th time in as many weeks you called in sick to work? It's only a game, shouldn't you be worried that you might lose your job?

Oh I'm sorry I made you pause the game. Sorry, go ahead, I'll go feed the baby for you...she's been crying for hours in case you haven't heard her. Oh, you couldn't hear her because your headset was turned up too loud huh?

[Bobby]

"Some critics want to ban stores from selling games like 'Grand Theft Auto' to minors, though that approach was found unconstitutional."
What the hell? Is it also unconstitutional for a movie theater to prevent a minor from watching an R-rated movie? Hey, you'd better sell alcohol to 12-year-olds too. Otherwise you're violating their rights.

[Helio]

I agree that these things should be kept from little kids.

I grew up watching "ROADRUNNER" cartoons and I drop anvils on the heads of people for almost no reason.

ahem...

[Bobby]

SorryGrateful wrote:

I despise the ads, not because they advertise for a violent video game, but because the two I've seen insult me as a woman. Both of them have women looking like cheap tricks and the one I saw yesterday has a woman with her tongue sticking out licking a red sucker with her eyes kind of glazed over. The ads are creepy and the game is disgusting.

Maybe you haven't noticed, but there ARE plenty of women like that in the real world. It's not insulting to you unless you're one of them.

[Steve in Wellington]

yoohoo wrote:

All video games should come include with a Certificate of Bad Parenting.

Whatever happened to common sense

[Steve in Wellington]

Robert A Brown Jr wrote:

This is definitely the place Not to have violence provoking advertisements. There is by far too many crimes on buses and trains. This is very irresponsible.
What happened to movies and events... They really help the weary traveler. The weary traveler would be appalled by those advertisements... Parents bring their children... There is by far too much violence and foul language. There are those whom smoke and could care less if someone is on oxygen or disabled...
Important issues since there is but one manned person on each train... Security is lax. Cameras are a joke as most of them don't work... People need safe passage to work, for people visiting Chicago. I read the news from Ft. Lauderdale online and see the violence outbreak in the Chicago area...
Tourist like myself whom transplanted to other cities avoid the downtown area because of the violence we read about. It is a major concern. It was bad when I left and now it is way out of control.

We don't live in the Beaver Cleaver days anymore Ward

[Jimmy]

If Grand Theft Auto is such great fun then just imagine how much MORE fun it would be to really do those things.

[AMN]

the Watcher wrote:

Liberal Fascism.
Creeping into every aspect of our lives.

You're not too smart, are you? It's generally the fake "conservatives" (usually, ignorants like yourself who throw around the labels as a display of your stupidity) who protest these games and the pseudo-religious groups who have nothing better to do with their times or lives than worry about what others are playing.

And what facet of your life does this game, or the advertising for it, encroach upon?(Sorry for using a word like "encroach"; I see a google search coming!) How is it "liberal" especially considering that the leaders of most of these initiatives are the falsely "conservative" "family values" blowhards?

Thanks for being another example of someone who makes "conservative" synonymous with "stupid." Do us all a favor and keep your ignorance and stupidity to yourself.

[greg]

chicagomom wrote:

Thank god! Forget provoking violence--the characters portrayed are evil lurking creatures. The games are for idiots with nothing better to do. Go outside and learn how to be a better citizen.

Meh, I think I can fit an hour or so of playing this between working 9 hours a day,visiting my friends, and rubbing my wife's feet. Then again, I'm 33 years old. The only people who should have a problem with this game are parents,,, who don't know what their kids are doing......

[AMN]

Jimmy wrote:

If Grand Theft Auto is such great fun then just imagine how much MORE fun it would be to really do those things.

Sounds like your fantasy to me.

People play war videogames for fun also; are you saying that our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are having MORE FUN than someone playing Medal of Honor?

Or do you just lack the maturity and socialization that most of the rest of society possesses? Are you really that simple?

No logic in your statement whatsoever.

[AMN]

South Sider in Florida wrote:

Here's the sad truth "gamers"...(this ought to set off a few of you)
Go back and re-read what that moron "information technology professional" in his 30s said. "As gamers get older into their 30s and 40s..."
You're TOO OLD TO BE PLAYING GAMES, you losers. What possible benefit can a person in their 30s and 40s get by playing childrens' games? Oh that's right, "voyeurism". Wow, what a great quality we all should experience. Heck, you haven't lived unless you've hid in the closet and secretly watched a pimp beat the crap out of a hooker.
Oh and let's not forget about "escapism", because like a good belt of alcohol abuse, there's nothing like escaping from your job, your family, your responsibilities, because you need to "escape" from it all.
Sure, we Americans who have more personal wealth and comfort than any other society in the history of the written word, need to relax from the harsh realities of Starbucks, waiting for our tax rebates, or using our welfare check to buy the latest video aberration. It sure is tough being an American isn't it? There's just so much we need to escape from.
What a load of crap. The adult American historically concentrated on improving the lives of their family, the quality of their neighborhoods, and improving the society around them. The modern American "adult" is more concerned with spending his money on audio/visual equipment to improve the quality of his "gaming".
Maybe if some of you could put down the controller for a minute and focus on the world around you, we could do something constructive instead of killing a hooker for her money. Oh, I'm sorry I forgot.
You're too busy being a voyeur... Do me a favor, and don't forget to shut the lights off when you're done playing; for goodness sake, it's already 4am, and aren't you supposed to be at work in a few hours?
You're calling in sick today? Again? Isn't this like the 4th time in as many weeks you called in sick to work? It's only a game, shouldn't you be worried that you might lose your job?
Oh I'm sorry I made you pause the game. Sorry, go ahead, I'll go feed the baby for you...she's been crying for hours in case you haven't heard her. Oh, you couldn't hear her because your headset was turned up too loud huh?

Frankly, I think writing several hundred-word diatribes on message board blogs is a waste of time, YOU LOSER. And look at the juvenile nature of your comments...like a schoolyard bully.

You are pathetic. You display behavior even more immature than those you call losers. My guess is you have to find someone to bully because just like the old days, you really don't have much else going in your sorry life. Even worse, you stated that your intent was to provoke others; you are as sad as it gets.

[greg]

Quimby wrote:

You've got to love the Media! One line says "Kids living in a war zone".....then right next to it, GRADE THEFT AUTO expected to make millions! In this irony, or just the way of the world? Video games can kill cops, steal cars, whack someone.....and we wonder why the streets are full of crime.....you sell them games that glamorize it !! Wake up....

Wow, and all this time I thought crime arose from a lack of parenting or socio-economic hardship. Let me tell you this, I was listening to 2-live Crew, NWA, as well as sneaking in the occasional pornographic material (when I could find some)when I was 12 years old. Now, aside from the occasional misdameanor such as throwing an egg or two, or damaging a mailbox or two in high school, I've never committed any major crime nor sexually assaulted anybody. Why, because I always had a roof over my head and an involved mother. It's not what's out their, it's how you train your kids to deal with what's out there. It's a balance, shelter your kids too much and they'll go nuts in college (proven over again), let them get away with murder and that's just as bad. Know that they'll be exposed to a variety of situations in their lives and TEACH them how to deal with them intelligently.

[hideaki]

it's just a game. i'm 16 and love GTA. that doesn't mean i'm going to go out into the streets and beat up random people. if you think today's youth is so weak-minded that as teens they will emulate violent behaviour like that, then there's something seriously wrong here. if parents buy the game, they aren't bad parents, they just know that their child(ren) know the difference between fantasy and reality. i enjoy GTA, but i also enjoy other games like Sonic and Tales of Symphonia. just because i play a violent game doesn't make me a violent person. it's a game and all of this "negative" feedback from people is just going to boost sales. anyone remember "hot coffee"?

[greg]

South Sider in Florida wrote:

Here's the sad truth "gamers"...(this ought to set off a few of you)
Go back and re-read what that moron "information technology professional" in his 30s said. "As gamers get older into their 30s and 40s..."
You're TOO OLD TO BE PLAYING GAMES, you losers. What possible benefit can a person in their 30s and 40s get by playing childrens' games? Oh that's right, "voyeurism". Wow, what a great quality we all should experience. Heck, you haven't lived unless you've hid in the closet and secretly watched a pimp beat the crap out of a hooker.
Oh and let's not forget about "escapism", because like a good belt of alcohol abuse, there's nothing like escaping from your job, your family, your responsibilities, because you need to "escape" from it all.
Sure, we Americans who have more personal wealth and comfort than any other society in the history of the written word, need to relax from the harsh realities of Starbucks, waiting for our tax rebates, or using our welfare check to buy the latest video aberration. It sure is tough being an American isn't it? There's just so much we need to escape from.
What a load of crap. The adult American historically concentrated on improving the lives of their family, the quality of their neighborhoods, and improving the society around them. The modern American "adult" is more concerned with spending his money on audio/visual equipment to improve the quality of his "gaming".
Maybe if some of you could put down the controller for a minute and focus on the world around you, we could do something constructive instead of killing a hooker for her money. Oh, I'm sorry I forgot.
You're too busy being a voyeur... Do me a favor, and don't forget to shut the lights off when you're done playing; for goodness sake, it's already 4am, and aren't you supposed to be at work in a few hours?
You're calling in sick today? Again? Isn't this like the 4th time in as many weeks you called in sick to work? It's only a game, shouldn't you be worried that you might lose your job?
Oh I'm sorry I made you pause the game. Sorry, go ahead, I'll go feed the baby for you...she's been crying for hours in case you haven't heard her. Oh, you couldn't hear her because your headset was turned up too loud huh?

Wow, I guess you (virtually) told me.... Define irony: being told you play video games too much by a guy who spends his day online.. Haha, I mock your values.....

[Drew]

South Sider in Florida wrote:

Here's the sad truth "gamers"...(this ought to set off a few of you)
Go back and re-read what that moron "information technology professional" in his 30s said. "As gamers get older into their 30s and 40s..."
You're TOO OLD TO BE PLAYING GAMES, you losers. What possible benefit can a person in their 30s and 40s get by playing childrens' games? Oh that's right, "voyeurism". Wow, what a great quality we all should experience. Heck, you haven't lived unless you've hid in the closet and secretly watched a pimp beat the crap out of a hooker.
Oh and let's not forget about "escapism", because like a good belt of alcohol abuse, there's nothing like escaping from your job, your family, your responsibilities, because you need to "escape" from it all.
Sure, we Americans who have more personal wealth and comfort than any other society in the history of the written word, need to relax from the harsh realities of Starbucks, waiting for our tax rebates, or using our welfare check to buy the latest video aberration. It sure is tough being an American isn't it? There's just so much we need to escape from.
What a load of crap. The adult American historically concentrated on improving the lives of their family, the quality of their neighborhoods, and improving the society around them. The modern American "adult" is more concerned with spending his money on audio/visual equipment to improve the quality of his "gaming".
Maybe if some of you could put down the controller for a minute and focus on the world around you, we could do something constructive instead of killing a hooker for her money. Oh, I'm sorry I forgot.
You're too busy being a voyeur... Do me a favor, and don't forget to shut the lights off when you're done playing; for goodness sake, it's already 4am, and aren't you supposed to be at work in a few hours?
You're calling in sick today? Again? Isn't this like the 4th time in as many weeks you called in sick to work? It's only a game, shouldn't you be worried that you might lose your job?
Oh I'm sorry I made you pause the game. Sorry, go ahead, I'll go feed the baby for you...she's been crying for hours in case you haven't heard her. Oh, you couldn't hear her because your headset was turned up too loud huh?

somebody sounds a lot like Jack Thompson....
I happen to be a gamer. I have a real job, a wife, I am working on Law School, and I have gone on several volunteer trips to 3rd world countries. Calling gamers "losers" and stating that they are not productive members of society that attempt to better the world around them is a rather ridiculous blanket statement/generalization.

Furthermore, saying that someone is too old to be playing games smacks of a misunderstanding or lack of knowledge of the relevant media. Games are far separated from the days of pong and the ATARI 2600. The medium is now more like an interactive movie. Games like GTA are around as social commentary of American Culture (excess, arrogance, etc.). Viewing the game strictly as a vehicle for deviance doesn't address the social commentary on which the game is based. If you don't like what the game says then you should all look at the context and relevance of why it exists and work to change it.

Personally, I think you are just trying to stir up problems.

[Markey]

Meanwhile, kids of any age can turn on the TV or radio and hear (c)rap artists encourage them to beat women and murder police.

[Joe American]

People who think video games contribute to real life violence are as stupid as the people who thought the 3 Stooges did that when we were kids. They are looking for overly simplistic solutions to rather complex problems. They aren't really very intellectually bright either.

[RED BARON]

They should make a video game called "Get A Job" where kids and adults have to become productive members of society.