What age for grand theft auto on PlayStation

[Cokezeroandlime]

Hi,

I am looking for advice from others, specifically those with kids, as to what age you allowed your DCs to play GTA (rated 18)?

We have said no to our ds aged 11 (year 7) but currently his whole friend group are playing it online and therefore he is feeling left out as he can’t join in.

We did allow Fortnite early (age 8 ish) , during lockdown, in a similar situation to allow interaction with friends but it gets on my nerves a bit that one parent allows it, then all the others do, and then it makes life awkward for everyone else.

Back in the days of Vice City I’d have, perhaps naively, been more relaxed but having recently had a little play of the newest one I wouldn’t allow it for an under 16. It’s just so… graphic.

As others have said, it’s a no from me due to VAWG. I wouldnt allow it before 18 and even then I wouldn’t be happy under my roof. I have allowed CoD and the Thor game (both 18s) but GTA is still a hard no. My DS is 15.

Just to add, I once had a go to see what it was like and my male character was walking down the street and I must have pressed the wrong button because he absolutely thumped a woman in the face just passing by him in the street. I know it's a game, but it was bloody awful. I play open world RPG games where you might accidentally stab a goblin, but this was different in a very bad way.

I’m happy with saying no and not bothered what the other parents think, but ds is moaning daily that it’s not fair as everyone else allows it and that because of this he is left out.

I feel bad he is being left out , basically because other parents want an easy life or can’t say no to their kids

Common sense media says 18+ for all the versions.

I watched my sister play a earlier version when I was about 18. Even as a teenager I thought it was offensive.

I lol'd at you comparing it to Fortnite. I let my 6 year old play Fortnite. He can turn 18 and I will never buy him a GTA game.

I didn’t compare it to Fortnite, only in the sense that we allowed that 4ish years early

Even the makers of it advised against letting minors play the game OP. It's one game I'm really strict with.

We generally let ours play most games but GTA is a definite no. I wonder if the parents that allow it don't realise the type of content it contains.

I remember having the same issue with ds when he went to secondary.
I told him that that particular game would never be allowed in my house and we had a long discussion about why that was my stance. Then some ongoing discussions over the years about respect, particularly respect for women. I told him when he was 18 or had his own house he could decide for himself. He moaned for a couple of weeks but the peer pressure eventually wore off and he has never played it.
Please, young brains are developing and it's really not healthy to be exposed to violence at this level at that age. And it's not the same as slaying goblins or dragons or Star Ward machines or anything else fantasy. There are plenty of other very exciting games.

You can sleep with a prostitute and then bear her up to get your money back. No one should play this game IMO. It gamifies use, abuse and objectification of women. I certainly won’t be allowing my DS to play it under my roof.

At least 16 absolutely no way would I let my nearly 13 year old play it. It's totally unsuitable for kids. I would also be monitoring closely his friendships if all his friends played that game at 12 (none do as far as I am aware).

Completely agree. It’s exactly the same in this house. I have drawn a hard line against it. My boys argued and we had a big discussion about it. I’m generally pretty relaxed but not on this one. It just doesn’t chime with my value system. They can play it when they leave home (hoping by then they will have better things to do!).

My ds13 hasn’t directly asked for it but has told me that lots of people he knows play it. It’s a hard no from us but I also can’t help but wonder if it’s true that lots of his friends are playing it or if they just say they do…… just can’t get my head around so many parents letting young kids play a game like that!
My youngest (age 10 yr5) also says he has a couple of friends who are allowed to play it 😮

Sometimes I just used to blame the ratings to shore up my decisions. Stand your ground (if you can!). I know it’s hard. I still get the ‘but everyone…’ argument but I just know it’s not true! As sometimes I have sneakily done a straw poll on school WhatsApps and have loads of parents saying “of course not!”.

I think of 18 games as like other things with an 18 rule, like alcohol.

So 17

I’m on the relaxed side about age ratings- mine were both allowed GTA from age 15. Some of their friends were playing it from age 7 😮

I think ‘everybody else does it ‘ really means 1 or 2 play it and everyone else says they do to look ‘cool’ .

”but all my friends have it” is one of the oldest lines in the book to get what they want.

Have the parents actually confirmed this? Because I would bet money that an awful lot don’t have it and their talk is just bravado.

But that aside, “if all your friends jumped off a cliff, would you think that was ok? No? Bingo. You’re not having GTA.”

Too many parents are afraid to say no because of making their child miss out. Their children aren’t missing out, the parents of eleven year olds playing violent games like GTA are irresponsible. And then we wonder why violence in teenagers is on the increase.

My DS asked for it when he was 11 as well and was told no in no uncertain terms. He did have fortnight, and in retrospect I wished I’d banned that as well.

16 minimum, it's not nice (actually it's great fun but not for kids)

God no, the most recent gta has a very vivid torture scene that turned my stomach at 21, never mind 11.

It's incredibly violent.

Things are rated 18 for good reason! Our 15 year old doesn’t have it. Stick to your guns and keep saying no.

When our kids were at primary we had an evening with a presentation given by the local police about keeping children safe online. One of the things I remember them showing us was how you could basically make p**nographic images on GTA, eg woman giving bj to character in a car. Not to mention the horrific violence!

As close to 18 as possible for GTA.

I won't have it i n the house. It's vile.

Neither are my 19 and 17yo. They know that this game will never enter this house and fortunately have no desire to play it.

11? I wouldn't care what other parents are doing. Would you let your child play on the railway lines or drink/smoke in the park because other parents were?