Do you let your 15 year old play GTA 5?

tapisdhhmp · 2025-12-21T12:55:11+00:00

Sorry I know this has been done to death. DS desperate to play, won’t shut up about it, his dad plays it. I’m generally not too strict on this stuff, he’s a pretty mature and sensible teenager, we’ve watched lots of 15+ films together before he was 15 (mostly spooky horror stuff) he does play COD which I know plenty of parents wouldn’t allow…but GTA has always felt like my limit. DH is a bit on the fence about it. I wouldn’t allow the online mode end of story, but story mode…anyone have any direct experience of playing and how they think it compares for 15 year olds?

DepRosLil · 21/12/2025 13:00

My 7 year old loves it so I wouldn’t have an issue with a 15 year old playing it.

Sometimeswinning · 21/12/2025 13:02

DepRosLil · 21/12/2025 13:00

My 7 year old loves it so I wouldn’t have an issue with a 15 year old playing it.

Parent of the year goes to…

Runningismyhappyplace50 · 21/12/2025 13:03

I would at 15.

noblegiraffe · 21/12/2025 13:04

The good thing about GTA is if you murder a prostitute after having sex with her you can steal your money back from her.

Original poster

tapisdhhmp · 21/12/2025 13:06

@noblegiraffeyour name came up a lot when I searched this lol…I get your point.

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wiffin · 21/12/2025 13:06

I won't have it in the house. Vile game.

Watchoutfortheslowaraf · 21/12/2025 13:07

My teenage boy plays it. I was not keen. He really likes it- he loves to show me all the cars he’s got- he’s car obsessed. I don’t like the game but DH reckoned it would be ok and I think it has been.

wiffin · 21/12/2025 13:07

(There is a reason why AI is so misogynistic. It's because it's built and populated by the same people as games like GTA)

noblegiraffe · 21/12/2025 13:11

tapisdhhmp · 21/12/2025 13:06

@noblegiraffeyour name came up a lot when I searched this lol…I get your point.

Yeah, my opinion hasn't changed over the years! There are loads of great games out there that aren't so vile and misogynist, I'm sure he could find something to suit.

LoveSandbanks · 21/12/2025 13:24

Absolutely not, I wouldn’t allow my 15 year old to play cod either.

Itsmrsadlertoyou · 21/12/2025 13:29

I can’t say anything because we let my husbands brother play gta from 6. He was better than me.

MadisonMarieParksValetta · 21/12/2025 13:38

Of course a 15 year old can pkay GTA.

FuckoffeeBeforeCoffee · 21/12/2025 13:41

DepRosLil · 21/12/2025 13:00

My 7 year old loves it so I wouldn’t have an issue with a 15 year old playing it.

🤣

springintoaction2 · 21/12/2025 13:41

I don't know much but I think COD seems more violent?

Petrol head in our house was playing GTA from around 14. He's 25 now and it hasn't scarred him.

He liked some of the music in it, and the cars - mainly the cars.

I think 7 is too young 😂

Original poster

tapisdhhmp · 21/12/2025 13:45

I really appreciate people taking the time to reply but it would be really helpful if people qualified their response, I’ve obviously talked through it with AI and DH as a player, but keen to understand parental thought process.

I’m thinking of using it as an opportunity to discuss misogyny and prostitution etc and explain why I’m uncomfortable with it. I’m not too concerned on the drug, swearing or violence end of it…I feel that’s something he has a reasonably adjusted personality to deal with, he understands the satirical nature of it. But it is definitely the misogynistic side of it that concerns me, but DH seems to think that’s something you have to ‘look for’ and isn’t built into the missions, but I know he will have a different eye and misogyny isn’t as obvious to him!

OP posts:

Original poster

tapisdhhmp · 21/12/2025 13:47

springintoaction2 · 21/12/2025 13:41

I don't know much but I think COD seems more violent?

Petrol head in our house was playing GTA from around 14. He's 25 now and it hasn't scarred him.

He liked some of the music in it, and the cars - mainly the cars.

I think 7 is too young 😂

That’s the element that interests DS (and DH, both huge petrol heads).

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Chiavennasca · 21/12/2025 13:47

tapisdhhmp · 21/12/2025 13:45

I really appreciate people taking the time to reply but it would be really helpful if people qualified their response, I’ve obviously talked through it with AI and DH as a player, but keen to understand parental thought process.

I’m thinking of using it as an opportunity to discuss misogyny and prostitution etc and explain why I’m uncomfortable with it. I’m not too concerned on the drug, swearing or violence end of it…I feel that’s something he has a reasonably adjusted personality to deal with, he understands the satirical nature of it. But it is definitely the misogynistic side of it that concerns me, but DH seems to think that’s something you have to ‘look for’ and isn’t built into the missions, but I know he will have a different eye and misogyny isn’t as obvious to him!

It’s just a game, have a day off. Not everything in life needs to be a teachable moment.

springintoaction2 · 21/12/2025 13:50

@Chiavennasca agree with this. My DS is definitely not misogynistic - I would imagine those sort of attitudes are ones that are passed down the family line.

Original poster

tapisdhhmp · 21/12/2025 13:51

Chiavennasca · 21/12/2025 13:47

It’s just a game, have a day off. Not everything in life needs to be a teachable moment.

Show quote history

Do you have nothing better to do on the Sunday before Christmas than troll a parenting forum to tell people to “have a day off”? No one to be with? Nothing to do? Feels like you could do with a few more teachable moments in your life.

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Sometimeswinning · 21/12/2025 14:00

tapisdhhmp · 21/12/2025 13:45

I really appreciate people taking the time to reply but it would be really helpful if people qualified their response, I’ve obviously talked through it with AI and DH as a player, but keen to understand parental thought process.

I’m thinking of using it as an opportunity to discuss misogyny and prostitution etc and explain why I’m uncomfortable with it. I’m not too concerned on the drug, swearing or violence end of it…I feel that’s something he has a reasonably adjusted personality to deal with, he understands the satirical nature of it. But it is definitely the misogynistic side of it that concerns me, but DH seems to think that’s something you have to ‘look for’ and isn’t built into the missions, but I know he will have a different eye and misogyny isn’t as obvious to him!

This has been done throughout ds’ life. He doesn’t need a game for me to teach him. It’s not allowed in my house so it’s not even up for discussion.

If he’s going to play it he will. But not with me about and not with my ok.

Fishlegs · 21/12/2025 14:01

I used to play GTA when younger (mid 20s) and it gave me nightmares 😱

However ds was playing it around 14-15. His mates would all hang out driving cars around, sometimes they all hung out in the back of a bus someone was driving around. It was pretty cool as it was during lockdown so a good way for them to interact. I’ve just asked him about it now and he didn’t even realise until recently that prostitutes were a thing on the game. I was worried about the misogyny aspect and kept a close eye, but it was all pretty innocent.

Also, he went to LA with his Dad a couple of years ago, his Dad was driving and trying to follow the sat nav but it was a bit unclear. Ds could direct him to the right car park as he recollected the road from the game 😁

Original poster

tapisdhhmp · 21/12/2025 14:02

Sometimeswinning · 21/12/2025 14:00

This has been done throughout ds’ life. He doesn’t need a game for me to teach him. It’s not allowed in my house so it’s not even up for discussion.

If he’s going to play it he will. But not with me about and not with my ok.

Show quote history

Obviously I didnt mean we dont teach him these things, but I cant say we’ve discussed prostitution before.

OP posts:

Original poster

tapisdhhmp · 21/12/2025 14:04

Fishlegs · 21/12/2025 14:01

I used to play GTA when younger (mid 20s) and it gave me nightmares 😱

However ds was playing it around 14-15. His mates would all hang out driving cars around, sometimes they all hung out in the back of a bus someone was driving around. It was pretty cool as it was during lockdown so a good way for them to interact. I’ve just asked him about it now and he didn’t even realise until recently that prostitutes were a thing on the game. I was worried about the misogyny aspect and kept a close eye, but it was all pretty innocent.

Also, he went to LA with his Dad a couple of years ago, his Dad was driving and trying to follow the sat nav but it was a bit unclear. Ds could direct him to the right car park as he recollected the road from the game 😁

Thank you, confirms what DH was saying about it being something you have to be looking for. Talking to DH about it we’re wondering if GTA 6 will be better in terms of misogyny just with how the world has moved on since the previous versions were made.

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RescueMeFromThisSilliness · 21/12/2025 14:05

MadisonMarieParksValetta · 21/12/2025 13:38

Of course a 15 year old can pkay GTA.

It's not so much a question of whether they can, but whether they should.

OfDragonsDeep · 21/12/2025 14:05

My DH played it, it was the torture scene that stays with me rather than anything else.