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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To not allow GTA

113 replies

panicovernow · 15/06/2017 21:14

My DS is 11, 12 in 3 months. He is most put out as neither my DH or I will allow him to have GTA for his Xbox. Many of his friends his age and younger have it and we're good friends with some of their parents who are similar to us in many ways but with this we differ. DS is a lovely sensible lad and I don't think it would change him in any way I just don't think it's appropriate. He however thinks we're being most unreasonable and he feels isolated from a group of friends who play it. I will add that we are not strict on everything being within age ratings (other games or films) but just check it out online first. So what I'm asking for is your opinions.
Thanks

OP posts:

Tikkatoride · 15/06/2017 22:42

Iv watched DS and his friends have hours of fun on it and the prostitutes don't even bother them. They race, mod cars and play cops and robbers.

There are literally hundreds of other games that you can play racing, modding cars etc on without giving a child GTA ffs. I'm also aware that there are many other games worse than GTA. I won't be letting my kids play those either.

tiptopteepe · 15/06/2017 22:44

and BTW i have played it and i do understand that its satirical and i dont think it should be banned or anything. A child will not be able to understand properly that its satirical, even if they logically can see that, because there is no emotional context i would worry that they will still internalise the ideas represented in it.

BadLad · 15/06/2017 22:45

It's a brilliant game, but not suitable for children at all.

It looks set to be the best-selling game of all time apart from Minecraft.

KidLorneRoll · 15/06/2017 22:50

Yes, it's satrical and no worse than many films or books. Those of us able to distinguish between real life and not can actually enjoy it without feeling the need to nick a car afterwards.

It's just because it's a game that people get so ridiculously bent out of shape over something they've most likely never experienced for themselves. If you don't like it, don't play it.

NC4now · 15/06/2017 22:50

The thing with satire is you have to understand the thing it's satirising, which at 11 most kids don't.
DH plays it but there's no way DS2 is allowed, even though EVERYONE in his class has it, apparently. I was mad at their dad for buying it for DS1 when he was 14 as I felt he didn't need it.

DeleteOrDecay · 15/06/2017 22:56

Like Crystal said, it's all satire and it's incredibly clever and funny. As a player you are not obliged to run over prostitutes to get your money back

Yes, this. There is a lot of hysteria about GTA, probably because it's so mainstream but a lot of it is unwarranted. That said, I still wouldn't allow a child under 16 at least play it. I game quite a lot and have completed GTAV a few times, it's a great game. But it's a game for adults, not for children. Just like certain films, TV Shows and books are for adults.

YANBU op.

tiptopteepe · 15/06/2017 22:58

its a lot worse than films and books. Kids can understand stuff if theres context. So for example if someone does something violent and then there is some sort of consequence or emotional response or point. In a game often there is not any of these things. The whole point of GTA being fun is that there are no consequences or emotional responses.... fine for an adult who understands the bigger picture.... not fine for a child who does not have the life experience to understand and is still forming their emotional responses and moral codes.

Apollo440 · 15/06/2017 22:58

You and I may see the 'irony' in pimping a load of hoes, collecting money from them and beating up the ones who haven't made enough for you but might I suggest that this 'irony' might just perhaps maybe be lost on a child. I personally wouldn't want anyone impressionable near it. I am told by a Prison Officer friend that it is a favourite amongst the inmates (locked up 23 hrs a day playing GTA! I am sure they are just the type who won't be influenced by it.).

Biker47 · 16/06/2017 00:16

Pretty good game, can remember playing the first one when I was about 12 on my Playstation 1. GTAV is one of the best games made in recent times FWIW.

GoldilocksAndTheThreePears · 16/06/2017 00:33

To kill prostitutes, to hire one, to run people over or shoot them whatever- you as player need to decide to do that. You can play the entire game without murdering a prostitute if you so decide. However as part of the main storyline in single player there is a mission where you have to torture a suspected terrorist multiple times. You can decide the method from a few choices but it's incredibly graphic and not something you can avoid if you play the story.

At that age the online is very inappropriate. Language, threats, just idiots playing. I only ventured in a few times and hated it. Without a group you just get targeted a lot. There are many better games, with various levels of violence. Destiny is a good one, Watchdogs one and two. Fro story Horizon Zero Dawn is amazing but I think the op said Xbox so maybe not. Far cry, Fallout, Skyrim, so many good games, so many better than GTA.

PinkCrystal · 16/06/2017 00:35

I found the 'torture scene' pretty mild stuff. And I hate horror and gore!

DelphiniumBlue · 16/06/2017 00:58

Just to say although we did allow our DSs to play some games underage, GTA was one that we really felt was too horrible for youngsters to play. DH went so far as to ban it from our house forever ( most unlike him) so even though the eldest 2 are now over 18, they are still not allowed it in the house.
They moaned a bit, but have lived through it, played other games instead, and still have friends. Their social lives didn't collapse.
Other posters have explained in detail just why it's so horrible, and you are absolutely justified in refusing to allow your son to play it.

Plainlycrackers · 16/06/2017 01:06

It is the game I really held firm about and way before he even turned 18 he lost interest and now that he could he doesn't play it. I have been flexible with some pegi ratings over the years but on a game by game basis and GTA was definitely my firmest line... those based in space etc (Star Wars related etc) I was more lenient about than those based on "reality" - I know each kid is different (and I am more lax with my very grounded DC2 who lacks their elder sibling's vivid imagination and more anxious personality) but no kid should be playing GTA much before they are an adult imo

AlmostAJillSandwich · 16/06/2017 01:30

I don't remember there being any sexual assault or rape in any GTA game. Some of them had missions where you had a girlfriend and would stay over her house, but you didn't see anything. You could do things in cars but again, couldn't see anything and it isn't a requirement to finish the game. GTA V is a little bit more graphic in that you can choose specific sexual acts, but you still can't see anything. There is a strip club and one of the updates a few months after release did change their outfits and also make them topless during lap dances, but apart from one scene in Trevors story line theres no need at all to ever visit the strip club.
Especially now they've added heists, and all sorts of other actual games within the multiplayer free world, prostitutes and the strip club is a very minor focus of the game.

That said, purely for the violence, the swearing and the sexual innuendos through out the game, it is definitely not appropriate for a 11 going on 12 year old, 15 minimum depending on their maturity.

AlmostAJillSandwich · 16/06/2017 01:34

The worst part is actually the other players though. As a female player, i get a lot of abuse.

user1497403588 · 16/06/2017 03:45

Yanbu to not let him play it, but just know he will be playing it at some point while not around you!

you not allowing him to play it just means he won't be having it on his own console, whenever he wants.

araiwa · 16/06/2017 03:59

i love gta- its genuinely a great game. its funny, exciting and overall fun.

i dont think its particularly misogynistic- you kill a lot more men then women. the prostitute thing is entirely optional and not an integral part of the game.

i wouldnt let a 12 year old play it though

Fruitcocktail6 · 16/06/2017 06:04

Apollo, not sure what your point is. Your character isn't a pimp in GTA. There's no beating up 'hoes' for not making enough money.

Making stuff up doesn't help the debate.

ColossalKalamari · 16/06/2017 06:11

Bearing in mind most people commenting haven't played the game, you can't sexually assault women, you can't rape women and you can run anyone over and take the money they drop, not just prostitutes. It's not a game for children, but GTA V has so many different laters to it...you can hop on a bike and go for a pedal around, fly planes, go parachuting, race cars or dirt bikes, steal helicopters or you can play through the missions. The game is very well made...not suitable for 12 year olds but id let a 15 year old play it

Shockers · 16/06/2017 08:11

An 8 year old child in my class, who had played GTA online against (I assume) much older people, told me that you could "get oral sex from a 'prossie', then shoot her face off... haha."
He also developed a habit of asking girls to see their 'pussy', but I don't know whether that was connected to the game.

DeleteOrDecay · 16/06/2017 08:33

What are some posters going on about, pimping, rape, sexual assault? Have any of you making these claims ever even played this game??

Non of the above feature in the game, as part of the main story or in any of the side missions. Yes there are prostitutes in the game, yes you could kill them if you so wish, but you can also kill random NPCs walking down the San Andreas sea front. It's an entirely optional aspect of the game.

I agree this is not a game for children but ffs, at least be factual about its content.

DeleteOrDecay · 16/06/2017 08:47

You and I may see the 'irony' in pimping a load of hoes, collecting money from them and beating up the ones who haven't made enough for you

Just to reiterate that this is complete bollocks. There's no 'pimping' in GTA.

PacificDogwod · 16/06/2017 08:50

i wouldnt let a 12 year old play it though

aralwa, so why not if it's such fun?
Genuine question.

Migraleve · 16/06/2017 08:51

An 8 year old child in my class

I'm going to assume you are the teacher

also developed a habit of asking girls to see their 'pussy', but I don't know whether that was connected to the game.

Did nobody consider that it would be prudent to try and find out?

JacquesHammer · 16/06/2017 08:54

So why not if it's such fun?
Genuine question

Because it's rated 18. Ergo it's suitable for adult fun not 12 year old fun.

Shockers the issue there isn't the game: the issue is a child seeing inappropriate content without parental control.

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