GTA for 15 year old??

[RedSkyLastNight]

I thought this had been done to death, but actually couldn't find anything recent.

DS (almost 15) says that GTA V is the only thing he wants for Christmas. He has already played the game (2 of his friends have it). He followed up asking for it by telling me all the things he thought I would object to and his counter arguments against them. We had an interesting discussion about misogyny. He promised me that if he could have the game he was happy to continue to discuss the themes in the game with me.

Confession - I've never played or seen GTA. I only know what I've read on the internet which is very polarised. After he asked for it I spent some time googling and found mixed opinions on a suitable minimum age.

Do I get it for him (on the basis he's already played it anyway and make it a condition that we keep lines of communication open)? Or is he still too young (and in that case can anyone suggest any good games that he might accept as an alternative?)

No no no

It’s a awful game

My boys have all played GTA at that age and haven’t turned in to gun totting, car jacking pimps but most people on here will be horrified you are even considering it.

I suppose I was hoping for more insight into why you think it's an awful game?

Is GTA the very graphic one with prostitutes and lots of swearing?
If so then no.

It has adult themes - guns, picking up prostitutes etc. but both my 16 yo DS play GTA. I don't have a problem with it - everything seems to stay in game world...

It is graphic, violent and exemplifies v bad behaviour. If he's playing online then he will need to be aware of other people and make sure he is safe. Also be aware of in game puchases.

If he intends to just play with his mates then that obviously reduces who he comes into contact with.

I play it myself but then I'm old and can look after myself

My DS got it for last Christmas aged 14. It's fine, he knows it's not real. To be honest I've watched him play a variety of games and imo some of the shooting games are worse. He still spends far more time playing minecraft than GTA, even though he's 15

At 15 I wouldn't have an issue as they will have a good unerstandng of anything that is involved in the games. I am pretty lenient on games for my 12yo but I don't let him play this yet due to the sexual content I am told is in the game.

I would get it for a 15 year old but be crystal clear about not funding micro transactions.

There's swearing, misogynistic and glamourizes gang culture etc but if he's a typical teen who will play it to escape rather than copy it then he should be fine like the millions of people who play it already.

GTA 5 is an excellent game and most of that (sexual content) silliness is notorious for is completely avoidable. I completed the game without any of that stuff.

The violence is pretty cartoony imho. The only thing is there is plenty of swearing which you may or may not be bothered by.

I'd be more bothered if it was GTA 4, which is a bit more gritty.

Just played through actually, thoroughly enjoyed it. Husband and I are both in agreement that our children can play once they leave home.

Rockstar the games developer's niche is that they create movie style games usually where you play the bad guy. Regardless of how ethical and upstanding you try to be missions will force you to torture a man (graphicly), murder innocent people, and commit some pretty horrific acts that even we found somewhat scarring. The problem with the game is not the prostitutes (or the strip clubs you are forced to visit) but that the entire storyline is geared towards behaving like a criminally insane psychopath, in a highly immersive world where your horrific actions feel justified. The game is satire, and enjoyable a such, intended as an exageratted extreme view of american action movies which glorify violence and often feature criminal protagonists.

The same can be said, to a less extreme extent, of rockstar's red dead redemption and (showing my age) bully franchises.

Other game studios tend to create a more balanced game, you can be good or evil, missions involve options which allow you to choose how you behave and who you hurt. All games tend to feature deep moral questions, which can be difficult even for an adult, but most will allow you to be a hero rather than forcing you to be a villain.

As an alternative consider fallout 4, Skyrim, the witcher, Dragon age, or even red dead redemption. All great open world, storyline based, very popular games like gta only in these you are given more free choice about how you play. Games are aimed at adults, all of these titles include adult themes, prostitution, murder, and difficult moral decisions, for instance the ending of fallout 4 where you must choose one of four factions to survive and have to kill the rest (after you spent the game helping them and being welcomed in to their groups).

Whatever game you choose I recommend a console over pc, solely because it makes the game more open being on a television rather than hidden away on the computer, and actually watch some of the gameplay. Keep communication open, even if it's just in a lighthearted manner where he can joke with you about some of the issues that come up in these games.

Disclaimer, I do love rockstars games and have played all of the games I recommended, but have not yet finished the witcher or Skyrim.

Struth what an essay. Sorry, this is a topic I have been thinking about a lot recently having the game play so fresh in my mind.

It's no worse or better than any other shooter out there, tbh.

Plenty of shooters have objectionable levels of violence, sexism, swearing and so on.

The fact that you can have a calm, rational discussion about misogyny with your son probably indicates it'd be fine for him to play it.

I'd be more worried if he was already leaning towards sexism or gang membership...

I refused to have that game in the house. I wouldn't want to live with a male, dh or ds, who found that the abusive way it talks about and treats women is in any way a form of entertainment - whatever convoluted justifications the people wanting to sell it dream up. I wonder if those saying that their ds's remain unaffected by it have really canvassed the female friends and acquaintances for their opinions of how they are treated by their male peers?

Isn't it's age rating 18? If so ask your son if he is 18. If he says "errrr no" say "oh well you can't have it then".

Whatever game you choose I recommend a console over pc, solely because it makes the game more open being on a television rather than hidden away on the computer, and actually watch some of the gameplay.

Or just have a very decent PC connected to the TV, and have the best possible experience.

It’s pretty grim in places with violence, prostitution etc. But at 15 kids are exposed to a lot of this stuff on the internet anyway. I think I’d rather let a reasonably mature 15 year old play it and have sensible discussions with them about the issues than ban it and let them be exposed to it elsewhere without my guidance.

If he’s willing to talk about the issues with you it’s probably quite a good way to teach him about appropriate behaviour, valuing women etc.

I remember playing GTA 3 for days at a time in my 20s. I actually had an urge to try and open car doors when I eventually ventured out in the real world.

There are a few uneasy events in all the games so I wouldn’t recommend them for a 14 year old, especially if unsupervised.

Saying that I found my 12 year old nephew sneaked in it one time. He was just robbing cars and getting arrested every 5 minutes. He didn’t get chance to play it again for a good few years.

My dh has it, it's not a nice themed game but it's a good game. 15 is on the young side but he's already playing it so I would give in. Dh wants Red dead redemption 2 for Christmas. Just make sure any younger siblings/visitors don't get access

@kaosReigns i had to give up on skyrim. Really enjoyed it (grew up playing Ultima online) but got fed up of the monotony and feeling so jumpy during the quests in the tunnels etc.

Anyway re gta. I played gta1 and 2, carmageddon and duke nukem when I was 14/15. I went on too play call of duty. All of which had some form of violence which (Not including cod) although very game like you could relate to real life in some way. None of these games turned me into a psychopath or gang member.

I think these games are fine for 15+ as long as the person playing is "managed" appropriately and understands it's fictional and not something which should transfer to their real life.

I am sure there are many people who purposely drown their sims, let them burn to death and force Incest within the families and that is supposed to be an innocent game!

I LOVE GTA 5. It's a fantastic game. And I am of the mindset that it's just a game and doesn't turn people into murderers and car jackers.

HOWEVER... it does depend on what you want to expose your DS to. Think of it like a movie. It's very, very violent and inappropriate and the narrative of the main story is sometimes pretty disturbing. Would you let your DS watch a movie like that? If you think he is okay with all that then buy the game. If not then don't.

@PebbleDashed Out if genuine interest, what do you think of females that play GTA then?

A few people on this thread have said that they have played (and enjoyed) GTA 5. I am presuming that they are female.

My brother played GTA at a similar age, possibly a bit younger. I remember because my sister and I sometimes joined in, it was a fun game. I don't recall seeing much you wouldn't also get in a '15' film.

It's a brilliant game. There's a reason it's the third best-selling game of all-time, behind Minecraft and Tetris. It still appears in the top ten most months, despite being five years old now.

I wouldn't let a 15-year-old play it, personally.

My son has had it since that age, he's 17 now and still plays.

My 14 year daughter plays and just drives around, my 10 year old daughter plays it with the sound down, I have to get her a bus and she drives around observing every traffic light etc like she's on a driving test.

The point is it's a different game to different people, your son sounds very balanced and knows it's just a bit of fun.

Let him enjoy it, if you don't he'll be the only one in his class without it!