MADD attacks 'Grand Theft Auto IV'

[TJ Phaserman 2]

LOS ANGELES - Mothers Against Drunk Driving wants a stricter rating on "Grand Theft Auto IV."

 

The organization is calling on the Entertainment Software Ratings Board, the independent organization that assigns video-game ratings, to reclassify "GTA IV" as an Adults Only game. The action-driving game, which includes the ability to drive while intoxicated, is currently rated Mature.

 

"Drunk driving is not a game, and it is not a joke," MADD said in a statement released Tuesday. "Drunk driving is a choice, a violent crime and it is also 100 percent preventable."

 

MADD is also calling on publisher Take-Two Interactive and developer Rockstar Games to consider stopping distribution of the game — which analysts expect to sell 9 million copies and make over $400 million at launch — "out of respect for the millions of victims/survivors of drunk driving."

 

In the critically acclaimed open-world game, players have the choice of patronizing a bar and then attempting to drive drunk. While virtually under the influence, the screen becomes blurred and the controls are more difficult to use. Players also have the option of hailing a taxi or walking. The intoxication effects wear off after a few minutes in the game.

 

"We have a great deal of respect for MADD's mission, but we believe the mature audience for 'Grand Theft Auto IV' is more than sophisticated enough to understand the game's content," Rockstar Games said in a statement to The Associated Press on Wednesday. "For the same reason that you can't judge an entire film or television program by a single scene, you can't judge 'Grand Theft Auto IV' by a small aspect of the game."

 

"GTA IV" follows the criminal exploits of protagonist Niko Bellic, an imigrant-turned-gangster who travels from Eastern Europe to Liberty City, the game's fictional locale based on New York City. As Bellic, players can hijack cars, earn cash for criminal activities, shoot innocent bystanders and visit strip clubs.

 

MADD declined to comment further about their statement.

 

i knew it would be sooner or later this game would get flak for something.

 

let me throw in my two cents and be the opposite of bill o'relly....

 

 

IT'S A [bLEEP]ING GAME!!!!!! GRANTED IT PORTRAYS THINGS IN REAL LIFE AND WE ALL KNOW IT'S NOT FUNNY. BUT REALLY, GTA HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE THE LATE 90'S...TO GIVE A GAME AN STRICTER RATING IS A DIRECT VIOLATION OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT. IF SOME KID GETS DRUNK AND DRIVES AND SAYS HE GOT IT FROM THIS GAME OR ANY GAME, THEN IT'S HIS FAULT BECAUSE HE WAS STUPID TO BELIEVE IT'S OK TO DO THIS AND OTHER THINGS LIKE MASS MURDER AND THEFT.

[Wishfire 2]

"Drunk driving is a choice, a violent crime and it is also 100 percent preventable."

 

Apparently, the same is true in the game...

[hangon 3]

I dont give a Rats *** what they say coz i am getting the game anyway :)

[VaBeachGuy 12]

I had the original 2 games for the PC, I've thought about getting it for PS3 but I'd rather have a good WWII game.

[hangon 3]

I had the original 2 games for the PC, I've thought about getting it for PS3 but I'd rather have a good WWII game.

 

I have Blazing Angels Squadrons of WW2 on my Playstation 3..pretty good game :)

[VaBeachGuy 12]

I had the original 2 games for the PC, I've thought about getting it for PS3 but I'd rather have a good WWII game.

 

I have Blazing Angels Squadrons of WW2 on my Playstation 3..pretty good game :)

The only game I have as of now is Medal of Honor: Airborn and I've beaten it about 10 times so I'm ready for something new.

[hangon 3]

The only game I have as of now is Medal of Honor: Airborn and I've beaten it about 10 times so I'm ready for something new.

May i suggest "Resistance Fall Of Man".. a mind blowing Tactical Shooter for the PS3 that i am addicted to :)

 

Resistance Fall Of Man.com

 

Enter site and click on media for vids from game B)

[VaBeachGuy 12]

The only game I have as of now is Medal of Honor: Airborn and I've beaten it about 10 times so I'm ready for something new.

May i suggest "Resistance Fall Of Man".. a mind blowing Tactical Shooter for the PS3 that i am addicted to :)

 

Resistance Fall Of Man.com

 

Enter site and click on media for vids from game B)

Looks really cool, I might have to go out to the store tomorrow...

[Theunicornhunter 2]

IT'S A [bLEEP]ING GAME!!!!!! GRANTED IT PORTRAYS THINGS IN REAL LIFE AND WE ALL KNOW IT'S NOT FUNNY. BUT REALLY, GTA HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE THE LATE 90'S...TO GIVE A GAME AN STRICTER RATING IS A DIRECT VIOLATION OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT.

No, it's not -

[VaBeachGuy 12]

It's funny that you mantion thew First Amendment, I just saw this on Youtube last night:

 

[Kor37 9]

IT'S A [bLEEP]ING GAME!!!!!! GRANTED IT PORTRAYS THINGS IN REAL LIFE AND WE ALL KNOW IT'S NOT FUNNY. BUT REALLY, GTA HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE THE LATE 90'S...TO GIVE A GAME AN STRICTER RATING IS A DIRECT VIOLATION OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT.

No, it's not -

I agree with TUH. Of course its not a violation. Besides, this game emphasizes lawlessness and just plain thuggery. Great things for our kids to learn...... :) I fully support the stricter rating.

Edited May 5, 2008 by Kor37

[MrPsychic 1]

Grand Theft Auto has always been trying to push people's buttons. Australia has long since banned GTA III and up. San Andreas was briefly given an AO rating before being edited slightly to make it rated M. In the game, yes, you can kill police officers, but if you do, you're targeted by all police officers in the game, and they are out to kill. Once again, it's a game, not meant to be real, I have God of War, and I'm not going to go out and swing blades around by a chain and kill minotaurs, nor am I gonna go drunk driving based on this game. MADD is just looking for another thing to complain about.

[TJ Phaserman 2]

MADD is just looking for another thing to complain about.

 

might as well complain about every game that comes out this summer and well out into fall

[Wishfire 2]

IT'S A [bLEEP]ING GAME!!!!!! GRANTED IT PORTRAYS THINGS IN REAL LIFE AND WE ALL KNOW IT'S NOT FUNNY. BUT REALLY, GTA HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE THE LATE 90'S...TO GIVE A GAME AN STRICTER RATING IS A DIRECT VIOLATION OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT.

No, it's not -

I agree with TUH. Of course its not a violation. Besides, this game emphasizes lawlessness and just plain thuggery. Great things for our kids to learn...... :) I fully support the stricter rating.

 

If you don't want your kids to learn that, may I suggest you keep your kids away from it.

 

Kids are smarter than some people give them credit for. They know the difference between video games and reality.

[Theunicornhunter 2]

If you don't want your kids to learn that, may I suggest you keep your kids away from it.

 

The problem is it's someone else's kids - not your own that are going to kill you.

[TJ Phaserman 2]

well it's the same issue thats been with games like mortal kombat, and other controversial games.

 

if you don't want your kid playing it, don't buy it. common sense kinda plays a factor

[Wishfire 2]

If you don't want your kids to learn that, may I suggest you keep your kids away from it.

 

The problem is it's someone else's kids - not your own that are going to kill you.

 

So because some parents are bad, others should take drastic measures?

[MrPsychic 1]

If the kids are that messed up to emulate a video game, they probably picked more of it up from bad habits of the parents. By the way, Mature means that you have to be 17 to buy it. Also, no store sells AO, Adults Only, games, it's the same with R rated movies and NC-17 ones. Parents have to buy tickets for their children to go to those movies, just like they have to buy M rated games. MADD shouldn't be lashing out at stores that sell it or the voluntary rankings the gaming industry gives itself, it should take a look at its own parents and actually teach them about what's out there.

[Theunicornhunter 2]

If you don't want your kids to learn that, may I suggest you keep your kids away from it.

 

The problem is it's someone else's kids - not your own that are going to kill you.

 

So because some parents are bad, others should take drastic measures?

 

That's what law and society is all about - protecting people from the action's of others - not that I consider changing the rating on a video game a drastic measure. It sounds more symbolic than actually useful.

[Wishfire 2]

If you don't want your kids to learn that, may I suggest you keep your kids away from it.

 

The problem is it's someone else's kids - not your own that are going to kill you.

 

So because some parents are bad, others should take drastic measures?

 

That's what law and society is all about - protecting people from the action's of others

 

That still leads back to the parents, rather than the company that put out the game.

 

not that I consider changing the rating on a video game a drastic measure. It sounds more symbolic than actually useful.

 

Raising the game's rating would prevent it from being sold in stores. I'd say that's a bit more than "symbolic." But all in all, if MADD has an issue with the game, they should bring it to the parents, not the company.

[Stephen of Borg 2]

to say that violent video games turn kids into criminals is just as bad as in the 1950s when parents insisted that comic books made their kids criminals. It goes further than just playing a video game and it's all about parents and issues even depper than that. Cain killed Abel long before video games and TV were invented.

 

Society tries to find an easy scapegoat and now it's video games. Comics, music and now games. 10 years, it'll be something else. I have played violent video games since I was a kid and I haven't even been in a fist fight in reality nor do I wish to do harm to anyone. How many people have been in a fight that haven't even touched a video game? Video games aren't the problem