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AIBU?

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Original poster

To wonder why ANYONE thinks that this is acceptable in a game?

204 replies

joshandjamie · 20/11/2014 19:57

I am not a fan of violent games at the best of times, but apparently now in Grand Theft Auto 5's new upgrade you can have first person sex with a prostitute before shooting her in the head. With real sex noises. You can see a delightful clip here

I think anyone who plays this is sick. But I know that there are kids in my ten year old's class who have this game. Do the parents even know that they can do this???? I cannot believe any parent would be happy letting their kid or teen play this.

OP posts:
Original poster
joshandjamie · 20/11/2014 21:28

Good point owl

OP posts:
bodhranbae · 20/11/2014 21:28

You get to simulate fucking a prostitute and then shoot her in the head?

And this is entertainment?

FFS.

LoblollyBoy · 20/11/2014 21:33

Of course you can kill ethnic minorities in GTA, you have a gun!

RiverTam · 20/11/2014 21:35

wasn't there a similar issue with the first GTA5, I remember reading about it on MN, and someone saying that in Australia that bit had been removed, or similar?

itispronouncedpenguin · 20/11/2014 21:37

As an aside - no wonder so many men are shit at sex when stuff like this suggests that they can make a woman scream and moan about 0.5 seconds into penetrative sex.

And being able to talk in full sentences while giving a BJ is a new one on me. She sounded like she was slurping a bowl of noodle soup.

SevenZarkSeven · 20/11/2014 21:40

The interesting thing I just thought is that over the years we have become inured to the violence. I suspect that 20 or 30 years ago the levels of violence full stop would have caused a kerfuffle.

I guess the same thing has happened with sexual content to an extent so if you want to shock / be different then teaming them for a nice bit of sexual violence is still considered "new" and "edgy" IYSWIM.

I also think that there is stuff around a lot of TV shows with violence and sexual violence but little actual "normal" sex - if there's sex it's rape and it is shot with plenty of views of the woman's body etc - but you would never get people having "nice" (for want of a better word) sex on those shows.

The whole thing is most peculiar. Why is it considered more acceptable / desirable to show sexual violence than just sex?

Going a bit off track here sorry Smile but it's all part of the same vast body of media that is produced and consumed and goes to shape how we think to a greater or lesser extent.

ScrambledEggAndToast · 20/11/2014 21:41

Yes OP, I saw that clip and I was utterly horrified Shock I had been against DS (11) having the game anyway but that has just made me realise how right I was to say no. My jaw practically hit the floor when I saw that.

meringue33 · 20/11/2014 21:47

If you have total freedom as a player is it possible to make friends with the woman, signpost her to sources of support and empower her to get off the streets? Smile

FisherQueen · 20/11/2014 21:58

FFS Rockstar.

This is a blatant fuck you to all the people who have complained about the prostitutes in GTA before, I can't see that it is there for any reason but to wind people up. And as a gamer it really, really irritates me. When you have studios like Quantic Dream pushing the boundaries of story telling with Heavy Rain and Beyond, Bioware/Eldar Scrolls with main characters where you can pick gender/race/attributes and have the female version as competent and respected as the male, innovative and unique gameplay in Portal, The Unfinished Swan or Journey it just pisses me off to see this reductive shit which reduces video games to the juvenile stereotype so many people have of them.

I get that GTA is satirical, I understand that the player can choose to use or ignore the prostitutes but place it against Rockstar's terrible track record with female characters (cyphers or just absent) then quite frankly I don't see there is any real defence against them being a pretty shitty misogynistic developer (LA Noire doesn't count as it was a satellite studio in Aus and Bully was just as bad).

Considering the effort that they made with Franklin's character after all the accusations of racism following GTA 3 and San Andreas then I would hope we might see a well rounded female character from them in the future but I wouldn't hold my breath.

AddToBasket · 20/11/2014 22:06

So creepy. Urgh. No male anal rape? No? Thought not.

Can't believe anyone can defend sexual violence (of any sort) as entertainment. And who gets up, has breakfast and goes off to work to design that stuff?

browneyedgirl86 · 20/11/2014 22:08

I have enjoyed GTA in the past. I don't like the sound of the update at all but I have to admit I didn't like GTA 5 and the graphic sex bits. I agree it's not a game for children. There are children in my family who sadly own this game. I know a 9 year old who will request this for Christmas. He will most likely get it as his mum has the attitude that its "just a game and can't be that bad"

Viviennemary · 20/11/2014 22:15

I said last week on another thread these were only games. But I am changing my mind. That is horrific and shouldn't be allowed.

MissWing · 20/11/2014 22:16

So someone is offended by by the beastly images and rants at the OP for raising the topic? Odd.

And someone else thinks that watching it won't make the kids want to replicate it? That's exactly the very pertinent concern. There's evidence for this.

grocklebox · 20/11/2014 22:19

Some people are very very stupid. Some people are not very good parents. Some people are both.
It's fucking depressing but its certainly true.

LiquidCosh · 20/11/2014 22:21

I think these games are totally fucked up for over 18's as well as under. I can't understand how any grown up could find this an enjoyable pastime and to be honest if DP took up gaming he'd be out on in his arse.

KatieKatie1980 · 20/11/2014 22:42

I've played games since I was 7 (34 in 10 days time :o). I have lots of techie stuff in my house and have no issues with my children playing children's games.

GTA and CoD are adult games and carry the actual 18 rating. When I worked in the industry, I had to stop quite a few parents from being badgered into buying CoD in particular..by young children. There is absolutely no way I'd let my son play either.

I have no issues playing GTA myself, did the story line and then went looking for aliens in the mountain (!). Plenty of controversial games out there (Manhunt/Bully - both Rockstar Games).

maras2 · 20/11/2014 22:57

Thank you joshandjamie That sounds so bad.I'm glad that I didn't click the link. < bleurgh >

dawntigga · 20/11/2014 23:05

YANBU GTA is banned in our house it's a billion pound rape 'joke'

ItPerpetuatesTheIdeaWomenAreObjectsTiggaxx

ChippingInAutumnLover · 20/11/2014 23:24

Just to clarify, as my grammar was is poor earlier, the previous thread was interesting because of the female posters, who are gamers, made it so. I am not a gamer. Tetris is my limit Grin.

Jakadaal · 20/11/2014 23:29

This validates completely my dh and I's position in not allowing our ds (11) to have GTA or any of the COD games. I sometimes feel myself wavering as I know for a fact others in his year are allowed these games (they turn the sound down so apparently that's ok!)

ineedausername · 21/11/2014 00:04

I think the clip is from a modded game and not actual 'straight out the box' gameplay

kali110 · 21/11/2014 01:04

Parents should be taking more notice and not buying 18 games for their little kids.
Trouble is some take no notice and then moan when they see what's in the game. It's not meant for kids!
No way would i let my kids play it till earliest 16/17 and i'd have to check the content of the latest gta!
As for adults playing i don't have a problem with it.
I'v played a few though not this latest one. Last one i played you could just kill the prostitutes.
Can't really see me having a problem playing the latest one.
I definetely wouldnt be kucking out my dp if he bought the game home.
It's just a game! A bit of fun that gets you out of the real world for a while.
Yes i do fine gta fun.
Maybe it's didferent for people who have grown up gaming. I did a bit when i was young then got really into it again at 16.
I had a gta then ( think i got it with my second hand playstation)! Mind you it was tamer then.
I don't thunk gta is any different to what you see on the tv.

Coyoacan · 21/11/2014 01:35

It's just a game! A bit of fun that gets you out of the real world for a while

A sadistic game is just a bit of fun!!!!!

Sometimes I despair of humanity.

giraffescantboogie · 21/11/2014 02:38

Can't believe anyone would buy it for a child!

Bulbasaur · 21/11/2014 02:44

And I do know that many parents get it for their kids thinking the ratings are just 'guides' without ever looking into what the content actually is.

Yes, there's parents that let their children drink, watch movies with sexually explicit content, and smoke weed underage. What's your point?

Shitty parents exist.

The game is rated MA, and it has the reasons for the rating right there on the cover.

I'm also curious to know where you came up with this "many parents" number. Do you actually know them and heard it first hand, or are you making assumptions because it's a video game. Most parents I know would not be getting this game for their 10 year old. Perhaps its time to find a new circle of friends.

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