AIBU to not let Grand Theft Auto 5 into the house?

[wigglybeezer]

DS1 thinks I am being monumentally unreasonable banning him from playing GTA until after his exams next summer. EVERYBODY else at school is allowed to apparently, but then maybe they do not have the attention span of a gnat and the will power of a wet flannel like DS1.

I think it is simpler to say no outright than have to nag him to revise every weekend.

He claims he is going to punish us by being in a foul huff for the next nine months.

Sigh...potty training was a breeze compared to wrangling teenagers.

[DrHolmes]

Yeahwhat is correct.

Op do not let him play it!

[DrHolmes]

I have not read the replies on this thread. I am 26 and my partner bought it yesterday. I want to say to you, all of you, who are thinking about getting this game for an under 18...DO NOT GET IT! I sat for five mins watching my partner play it and all I heard was "fucking nigger, nigger, nigger, fucking nigger" with a few non swear words put in between. Honestly, this is not a game for kids at school. I don't have kids and I'm saying it.

[Ruralninja]

YDNBU - it's 18 for a reason (although I agree maturity levels differ) it's really addictive, it's incredibly anti-social (from a family point of view) and I'm not sure how many other reasons you need to have really.

[SquirtedPerfumeUpNoseInBoots]

So, the game is out now. Has anyone actually played it that can report on the content?

[mumthetaxidriver]

I think you are right to stand your ground on this - I know that whenever they get new xbox games they tend to go through a very intense period when it seems to be the only important thing in their lives. It's the last thing you need as he starts his gcse year
Our DS doesn't play GTA thankfully but became totally obsessed with FIFA recently and also went through a CoD phase. He' s also just starting yr 11 and facing his first exams in November. He' s now been xbox-free for 16 days- having broken the habit when we went away on holiday. And yes at times it did seem like an addiction!! It was our sugestion he cut back but but he decided to come off completely and its a huge reliepf for us alll. He has admitted that he's sleeping much better and enjoying the fact that he can go to the gym and do other sports and still get school work done.

[YeahWhat]

It is true that it is not just the content of 'adult' games that make them unsuitable - it is also the style of gameplay. The games are designed to be compelling and 'addictive' for adults and this type of intensity is just too much for your average child or youg teen.
I find it really difficult to stop playing certain games, my desire to reach the next level or beat a score is almost but not quite too strong for me, and I am a sensible middle aged woman . If I find it frustrating what hope is there for a younger teen.

[wigglybeezer]

The random things done to you by strangers is an issue, DH's firend works at Rockstar and is play testing the game ATM, he spent ages pimping his car only for someone random to nick it, DS1 would not be able to cope with that he would have a meltdown. I do not like exposing him to things that may provoke such extreme reactions.

For all of you with kids who can play games in short bursts, hooray for them but that does not hold true for all kids (or me with Mumsnet sometimes).

[YeahWhat]

I am a bit flexible with age ratings of computer games but I refuse to ever have any of the GTA games in my house. My kids are in their twenties and late teens and approve of my ban. There are loads of other great games.
I didnt let them have any first person shooters until they we 15/16 ish regardless of age rating.
Our family, including me, are big computer game players and we have lots of systems and lots of games. I have never felt any desire to even try GTA.
LINK telling you about GTA 5s content

Here is an excerpt from the article I have linked to above

"The words “f*k,” “cnt,” and “n**ger” can be heard in the dialogue."

"Even the in-game TV gets in on the act, with programs and radio ads containing "instances of mature humor: myriad sex jokes; depictions of raw sewage and feces on a worker's body; a brief instance of necrophilia (no nudity is depicted)."

....lovely!!!! Like I said, its never coming in my house...

[valiumredhead]

Jc, yeah, it's a great book and worthy of discussion so when ds is a bit older he can borrow my copy!

[gamerchick]

See the thing is about that game is the things you can do just for 'fun' like pick on random bystanders I don't see the fun in that and it simply does not sit well with me to let my 13 yr old play it.

If that makes me a stick in the mud then so be it. I spoke to my son earlier and he's trying to convince me that 5 is 'different' and will I take a look when it comes out.

OP if your son is seemingly addicted to his games then it's quite right to break his focus.. regardless of what game he's playing.

[LadyFlumpalot]

I love GTA. Feel it peaked with Vice City though. Some moments of San Andreas are sheer genius though. The radio broadcasts in particular.

[JCDenton]

"I agree, I've read books with far more grim content than GTA ."

I read American Psycho a few months ago, that was hard going at times. Great book, though.

[valiumredhead]

There's a difference between watching a film/book with graphic content than actively taking part in it like you do a game imo.

[BinksToEnlightenment]

YABU

[ILetHimKeep20Quid]

I agree it's not for kids, in the same way lots of books, films and TV shows aren't for kids

[StuntGirl]

I agree, I've read books with far more grim content than GTA .

Then again I don't hand out copies of The Pianist to children either.

[ILetHimKeep20Quid]

grim game, for grim minds

Care to elaborate?

Some books I've enjoyed aren't exactly sweetness and light, a lot of the fiction I enjoy has quite dark story lines. I've read books about drug addiction, prostituion, trafficking, gang culture (all fiction). I'd that grim reading for my grim mind ?

[nancerama]

YANBU. I used to work in the video game industry and know why games are given the ratings they get. I'm hard line on age ratings - they are there for a reason.

[MurderOfGoths]

To be fair, Rockstar don't exactly shy away from marketing their games as being more shocking than any others (despite them actually being fairly bland)

[WowOoo]

Yanbu.

Let him huff. Stick to your guns.
I think you're great, even if he doesn't at the moment.

[JCDenton]

Sorry, exams that are nine months away, I'm not at all suggesting that he start revision in nine months! (My specialty as a student)

[JCDenton]

Oh, good, a GTA thread. *gets popcorn

To be honest, as a fan of the series, I can't imagine what GTA would do to revision that's nine months away that other games wouldn't. It'll have a lot of content, but it can be pretty much finished mission-wise and as for online, most games have online play now.

I always enjoy the parts of this thread where GTA goes from being a violent game with adult content to outright bullshit like necrophilia as was stated on page 1

A lot of films are 'worse' than GTA but somehow it's become the horrible game for horrible people on MN

[quoteunquote]

grim game, for grim minds.

[kali110]

Clearly these games shouldnt bother having certificates as people will buy them for their kids no matter what.

[wigglybeezer]

he can't just go and play with mates luckily as we live in the country with buses once every two hours!

Anyway, although I don't like the content, its more what he isn't doing when playing rather than what he does in the game that worries me. He has been banned from playing anything on school nights for two years now and that seems to work OK. If all the boys he normally plays Day Z online with switch to GTA he will be forced to actually go outside, come out of his room for more than two minutes when grandparents come over, stop bolting his meals and maybe even open a book.

It's not my job to be popular and I haven't permanently banned it anyway jsut said he can't play it 'til the summer holidays.