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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not let my 13 yo DS have the 18 certificate game Grand Theft Auto

142 replies

GinnyW · 12/05/2021 22:18

Apparently, all of my DS’s friends have this game. I am wary on so many levels. It has a high level of swearing and drug use among other “adult themes”. He is a genuinely sweet kid still, just turned 13 and I am concerned that this game is way too old for him.
AIBU He should have this 18 certificate game or AINBU and he is way too young.

OP posts:
Mytiredeyeshaveseenenough · 13/05/2021 11:25

Apparently GTA5 is one of the most played games at primary level which says a lot about some parents really. No way is mine anywhere near old enough for it yet.

Some 16 rated games are fine as the games rating system is pretty weird. Star Wars Battlefront is a 16 but had "rebel scum" as the fruitiest language and the same level of actual violence as the films which are U for the original trilogy (from memory).

Deadpool is a 15 film wise and no way on this planet is the offspring watching that anytime soon.

The main child who we know does actually play this game is not living the nicest life if being truthful.

CHIRIBAYA · 13/05/2021 11:31

Threre is no way I would let my son play this game or play/sleepover at a house where he might have access to it. Thankfully all his friends have parents who are responsible enough to understand how impressionable young minds can be influenced by this stuff; none of them have it. Anyone who lets their children play this game should be forced to watch The War You Don't See, where a couple of pilots 'take out' a civilian father and his young children in Iraq for fun. Wonder where they learnt to find self-gratification in the death and suffering of others?

tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz · 13/05/2021 11:35

My DD 12 has never shown any interest in gaming and I doubt she will so I've no skin in the discussion (although through DBs I know it well) however ... to those parents who think it's cool to let young kids play GTA ...

how can you be happy with the messages this content gives them? The violence? The misogyny? The language?

This sort of leisure activity or shared experience with mates is not ok.

newnortherner111 · 13/05/2021 11:39

YANBU. And if the 'all my friends have it' is true, sad.

FlyingPandas · 13/05/2021 11:42

I am married to an avid gamer and have three boys who are (surprise, surprise!) also gaming fans. This has its disadvantages but when it came to the GTA question (when our now 16yo DS was a similar age to yours OP) it was really helpful, because DH has “gamer clout” with the boys and their friends. They see him as more of an ally and a supporter and a fellow enthusiast rather than just a parent saying no. He genuinely knows, likes and plays lots of the stuff the boys do.

And helpfully DH’s response when asked about GTA was that it was a dreadful game, that it was never coming into our house, that he himself would never play it (for all the reasons outlined here) and if our DC really wanted to they could do so at 18 once they’d moved out.

Never asked again Grin.

There are so many games on offer to this age group, I don’t think you’re at all unreasonable to say no to GTA.

BadLad · 13/05/2021 11:43

@BIoodyStupidJohnson

I'm amazed that kids in 2021 are still asking for this game. Even the most recent version is now almost a decade old.
Despite being pretty much the best-selling game of all time, competing with Minecraft and World of Warcraft, and Wii Sports if you count that, it still charts highly even though it's nearly eight years old.

It was number 8 in last week's UK chart.

ukie.org.uk/news/resident-evil-village-takes-the-top-spot-in-uk-game-charts

Similar story in many European countries, the US and Australia.

Bicnod · 13/05/2021 11:43

DS is 12 and there is zero chance of GTA ever being allowed in this house.

However he does already play Star Wars Battlefront (which is a 16) - as a PP said, the language and violence are similar to the Star Wars films which he has watched - along with the usual Fortnite, Minecraft etc.

CatsArePeople · 13/05/2021 12:42

YABU. Though it's quite vulgar and poor taste, but I'de rather have kids gaming than amusing themselves with porn. But you could steer him toward nicer games which are not less cool - Assassins Creed for example

CornishGem1975 · 13/05/2021 12:45

It's the only game I don't let my DS14 have and he accepts that. He has COD etc

Horst · 13/05/2021 12:54

Nope GTA Is one the very few games I’ll say no to for my secondary schooler.

He has things like COD and rainbow six siege but not GTA it was made clear when he first got an Xbox and his never asked for it either. All purchases and downloads have password protection so he cannot sneak it. It’s not on our downstairs Xbox either. His group flit between cod/minecraft/roblox/Fortnite mainly.

I do remember old gta going to the little phone boxes and stealing busses on a ps1 Grin

MyOtherProfile · 13/05/2021 13:25

@CatsArePeople

YABU. Though it's quite vulgar and poor taste, but I'de rather have kids gaming than amusing themselves with porn. But you could steer him toward nicer games which are not less cool - Assassins Creed for example
From what I've seen of it GTA includes violent misogynistic porn.
YetAnotherSpartacus · 13/05/2021 13:30

My students (male) told me about its misogyny.

This seems to back this up.

www.sportskeeda.com/esports/playing-gta-5-girl-sexism-objectification-lack-inclusion

AndroidsAliensAndWizards · 13/05/2021 13:32

@Snoozer11

You know how mature your son is and how he would react to content like this. Assess for yourself whether you think he'll be ok with it.

I think the posters forbidding anyone a day under 18 from playing it are a bit much.

Most posters are talking about young teens though. Not a kid asking to play a day before their 18th birthday. Posters who've said their older teens don't have it sounds more like a "not in my house" type rule rather than you aren't allowed to play it. If someone is uncomfortable with sexual violence as entertainment then that should be up to them.
Bluey18 · 13/05/2021 13:57

Nope. My DD is too young for this yet but DP and I are both gamers so I'm well aware of what these games involve. I would not let her play GTA, when she's 18 she can make the choice herself, but it's got very adult themes. I wouldn't play it myself to be honest it might be realistic but it's very misogynistic. Also, that torture scene when you have to pull teeth with pliers and electrocute a man over and over, just unnecessary 🤦‍♀️

CatsArePeople · 13/05/2021 13:59

From what I've seen of it GTA includes violent misogynistic porn.

Compared to what the kids are exposing themselves to online theses days, the old GTA looks like a bunch of flowers (I have played it sometimes).

minniemomo · 13/05/2021 14:03

It's not age appropriate but he's probably right in that all his friends have it. It's quite fun to play as a sensible grown up! You know your child and whether they can cope with the adult themes - kids do mature at different rates

FixItUpChappie · 13/05/2021 14:12

Lazy parenting. Every kid doesn't have it as it's an 18.

^^This. Apathetic, brainless, lazy parenting as with so much of kids watch and do online these days. That is my honest opinion.

MyOtherProfile · 13/05/2021 19:12

@CatsArePeople

From what I've seen of it GTA includes violent misogynistic porn.

Compared to what the kids are exposing themselves to online theses days, the old GTA looks like a bunch of flowers (I have played it sometimes).

Ah right. So that makes it ok then.
WouldbeVa · 13/05/2021 19:14

My Ds’s two best friends aged 9 and 10 play it. My 10 year old thinks I’m horrible for not allowing it… no chance!

NotReallyFeelingIt · 13/05/2021 19:30

Absolutely no way would it be allowed for my child at any age. I can't believe people actually made the game and that folk are happy to buy it and play it. What a fucked up world.

If my DS had friends known to play it I'd be pretty wary about him going round to theirs to game.

EmeraldShamrock · 13/05/2021 19:55

Compared to what the kids are exposing themselves to online theses days, the old GTA looks like a bunch of flowers (I have played it sometimes).
Some DC. Others have been educated on internet dangers, we take their gadgets randomly for a search and the DC are on a more secure wifi.
There are many ways to ensure they don't see adult content while under 16.

ihavethehighground · 13/05/2021 19:56

@NotReallyFeelingIt

Absolutely no way would it be allowed for my child at any age. I can't believe people actually made the game and that folk are happy to buy it and play it. What a fucked up world.

If my DS had friends known to play it I'd be pretty wary about him going round to theirs to game.

I agree and I wonder why it was allowed to be made and sold?
TheAlphaandtheOmega · 13/05/2021 20:04

I'm surprised that this is still going, DS was allowed it when he was 16, his friends all played it too at that age, he's 28 now. He played them a lot between 16 and 19 then lost interest in gaming.

scaredsadandstuck · 13/05/2021 20:12

I have similar complaints from my DS 13. It's still a no.

COD, Battlefront - fine, but not GTA.

MrsGulDukat · 13/05/2021 20:15

I've played it a few times.

It's an 18 for a reason and like fuck would I let 14 year old DD play it.