AfterDawn: News

GTA V violence criticism is hypocritical, actors say

Voice actors for Grand Theft Auto V have dismissed criticisms that the game encourages violence in children as hypocritical.

Since the game was launched last month, it has enjoyed overwhelming success on the market with over $1 billion in sales in three days. Criticism of the games content was entirely expected though, as it comes around with every release of a new GTA.



"Anyone who has any conception at all about the games and hasn't played them should go play the games before they open their mouths," Ned Lukes, who voices Michael in GTA V, told PC Advisor.

"As an actor, I got to go out and do all these crazy things and then go back home to my wife and my son and go out in the back yard and throw a baseball around like a normal all-American dad. I think that's what these games are. People who take them too seriously and go, 'Oh, this is life.' No, this isn't life. This is imagination. It's just fun. You definitely don't want GTA raising your children. But it's not a bad release from them, when you need to get away."

His sentiment was mirrored by fellow voice actor, Steven Ogg, who is the voice behind sociopath Trevor Phillips in the game.

"The hypocrisy drives me crazy, it just sets the wrong focus. Why not talk about gun control? Why not talk about parenting? Why not talk of lack of family values? There are so many other things to talk about. Look at what's on TV. Breaking Bad had that episode where ******** got his face blown off. There's a lot of intense stuff out there. Video games are just an easy scapegoat. My nephew plays this game. I asked my sister if she was worried because there's some pretty nasty stuff in there and she said, 'I know he's not going to go to school tomorrow with a gun. He's not like that.'"

Read more comments at: PC Advisor.

Written by: James Delahunty @ 8 Oct 2013 5:16

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• 12 comments

• Dragon3000

  I'm sorry to say that I have to agree that these games do have an impact on children. Playing a game like this is not the same as watching a violent film as you are not controlling the violence on the screen, whereas in GTA you can purposefully go around punching, kicking and murdering people on the streets.
  
  Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that games like GTA are solely
  responsible for kids shooting or undertaking other violent behaviour, but I do believe that it contributes to their understanding of life and how much life is worth. Children tend to reinact things they see on TV, why wouldn't they do the same on their favorite video games?
  
  Not all children will think this way of course, or even adults but I do think that the mentally unstable children and adults will interpret these games differently to the average Joe.
  
  In a nutshell, don't let children play these games! it has an adult rating for a reason. Let children be children and don't let them grow up too quickly, especially with exposure to these types of games.
  

  8.10.2013 07:45 #1

• Mysttic

  Quote:In a nutshell, don't let children play these games! it has an adult rating for a reason. Let children be children and don't let them grow up too quickly, especially with exposure to these types of games. It all depends on what you classify as children. We can't define children strictly by a number and say just because you are under 19 or whatever law governs when you legally are an adult: that you are not mature enough to understand life changing decisions. Honestly it's all great to cling to the ideal of letting kids by kids, but every person matures at a different pace: so on that ground it's up to the parent to decide when their kids are ready to watch, play, do whichever. The issue is parents not wanting to take accountability.
  
  So then you get into another gray area issue, your kids grow up: they may hit high-school (hopefully do), they haven't been exposed to violent media or games, if they are lucky they'll be thrown into environment where no other teen/child has either, if they aren't they'll string down 1 of 2 paths: peer pressure to try said titles or laughed at for not. Either way it's not likely the kids going to open up to you about being bullied or pressured. So on that grounds do you continue to pretend your teen kids are just children? Or do you take accountability that maybe since they feel pressured, that perhaps they are ready to learn seriously about consequence through choices, risk VS rewards.
  
  Now me personally, I try to teach that lesson the minutes my kids are able to understand the language we speak in. Understanding the above, as well as understanding respect for others and towards self goes a long way from preventing violence down the road. Again though, the issue lies that not every parent is motivated to be that interactive with their child. To actually sit with the media they watch, or play and interactive to their kids interests to teach them what is acceptable to do and what not to do.
  
  To say that kids loose their innocence by playing violent material is hogwash. My son is 8 with 3 mental disabilities that's he been able to overcome due to the help from his loving parents, that seriously take the time to share in all he interests. He goes to school every day helping others over come their issues, always being helpful and still getting good grades without getting any "special" curriculum. He's played violent video games, and he understands that violence in games is fantasy, it's not meant to be real: it isn't meant to be taken out on the street, because we taught him respect. We teach those same values to his siblings. Everyone who meets them would never guess that they already mastered games like Borderlands, or Infamous. They wouldn't have a clue they enjoy horror movies.
  
  Why? because they still be a kid, they love playing sports, and playing on the playground, they love tag, hide & seek and other classic games played even before game boards were invented. They love puzzles and love their kids games too (even ones that aren't violent: like Fortune Street, Tetris, etc)
  
  End point, it's onto the parent to prove to themselves and to their kids they got what it takes to educate them towards their future. And if you can't trust in your kids to understand what growing up is about, despite constantly growing up since they come out of the womb, then what the heck did you become a parent for? Our job is to teach about our past, to better their future: to guide them into being civil respectful citizens, and quite honestly you can do that without losing their innocence, you just have to want too.

  8.10.2013 09:10 #2

• Dragon3000

  Originally posted by Mysttic: Quote:In a nutshell, don't let children play these games! it has an adult rating for a reason. Let children be children and don't let them grow up too quickly, especially with exposure to these types of games. It all depends on what you classify as children. We can't define children strictly by a number and say just because you are under 19 or whatever law governs when you legally are an adult: that you are not mature enough to understand life changing decisions. Honestly it's all great to cling to the ideal of letting kids by kids, but every person matures at a different pace: so on that ground it's up to the parent to decide when their kids are ready to watch, play, do whichever. The issue is parents not wanting to take accountability.
  
  So then you get into another gray area issue, your kids grow up: they may hit high-school (hopefully do), they haven't been exposed to violent media or games, if they are lucky they'll be thrown into environment where no other teen/child has either, if they aren't they'll string down 1 of 2 paths: peer pressure to try said titles or laughed at for not. Either way it's not likely the kids going to open up to you about being bullied or pressured. So on that grounds do you continue to pretend your teen kids are just children? Or do you take accountability that maybe since they feel pressured, that perhaps they are ready to learn seriously about consequence through choices, risk VS rewards.
  
  Now me personally, I try to teach that lesson the minutes my kids are able to understand the language we speak in. Understanding the above, as well as understanding respect for others and towards self goes a long way from preventing violence down the road. Again though, the issue lies that not every parent is motivated to be that interactive with their child. To actually sit with the media they watch, or play and interactive to their kids interests to teach them what is acceptable to do and what not to do.
  
  To say that kids loose their innocence by playing violent material is hogwash. My son is 8 with 3 mental disabilities that's he been able to overcome due to the help from his loving parents, that seriously take the time to share in all he interests. He goes to school every day helping others over come their issues, always being helpful and still getting good grades without getting any "special" curriculum. He's played violent video games, and he understands that violence in games is fantasy, it's not meant to be real: it isn't meant to be taken out on the street, because we taught him respect. We teach those same values to his siblings. Everyone who meets them would never guess that they already mastered games like Borderlands, or Infamous. They wouldn't have a clue they enjoy horror movies.
  
  Why? because they still be a kid, they love playing sports, and playing on the playground, they love tag, hide & seek and other classic games played even before game boards were invented. They love puzzles and love their kids games too (even ones that aren't violent: like Fortune Street, Tetris, etc)
  
  End point, it's onto the parent to prove to themselves and to their kids they got what it takes to educate them towards their future. And if you can't trust in your kids to understand what growing up is about, despite constantly growing up since they come out of the womb, then what the heck did you become a parent for? Our job is to teach about our past, to better their future: to guide them into being civil respectful citizens, and quite honestly you can do that without losing their innocence, you just have to want too. Wow, I seriously couldn't have put it better myself. I totally agree with your views and adhere to them myself (some of them) and you have my respect. But unfortunately and as I'm sure you are aware there are not many parents out there that would care to the level you do, especially those parents that are in their early teens who want to live their youth and end up neglecting their offspring and their children will follow the same path.
  

  8.10.2013 09:21 #3

• KillerBug

  We live in a society where professional killers are praised for defending freedom by invading foreign countries and killing the "insurgents" that live there and are trying to defend their homes. Our most popular sport involves large men tackling each other and not much else...and a lot of people are getting bored so they switch to Nascar hoping to see a deadly crash at 240MPH. Violence is so much a part of our mentality that starting a war virtually guarantees a president will be re-elected. We have achieved part of doublespeak, with our military (which has been 100% offensive for since WW2) being called the department of defense, and we have part of doublethink with our new friends in Syria being our old enemies in Afghanistan.
  
  GTA is helping kids to vent the violent impulses of society in a harmless way, and to anyone who isn't so completely insane that they would be likely to go on a killing spree after playing Pong, it is a clear lesson of how quickly violence will get one killed. As a side bonus, GTA5 has numerous hopeless meth heads that NO ONE would want to emulate. It also has maryweather, a rather accurate spoof of blackwater as well as rather accurate spoofs of the FBI and CIA...keeping the adults that these kids will become from joining such violent government-backed gangs in the belief that they are serving their country (and not just the government) deserves a nobel prize.
  

  
  

  8.10.2013 09:39 #4

• Mysttic

  Quote:Wow, I seriously couldn't have put it better myself. I totally agree with your views and adhere to them myself (some of them) and you have my respect. But unfortunately and as I'm sure you are aware there are not many parents out there that would care to the level you do, especially those parents that are in their early teens who want to live their youth and end up neglecting their offspring and their children will follow the same path. Thank you: respect is mutual. And, I know right: want to hear something sad? I know of my son's best friends parents that refuse to let them play games like Mario, Pokemon, Skylanders because it's too violent. Yet hypocritically let them watch TMNT, Marvel and DC cartoons/movies, horror flicks and stupid teen shows that flaunt useless information about how high-school works. Yet not allowed to play video-games because they are too violent and misinforming... I have to say, I really hate lazy parenting, society would benefit if these types of persons just didn't have kids.
  
  Killer: nicely said. I used this argument on IGN, how GTA V can be a good vent to release violent urges in a positive manner instead of taking aggression onto real life: whether others or say hitting a tree or a house. It's not to say it's the solution to our aggression or issues; just to say it's a nice relief of stress to be able to think more clear headed for when it's time to consider a solution to your problem.

  8.10.2013 15:37 #5

• A5J4DX

  always going to get different opinions
  

  8.10.2013 17:02 #6

• GryphB

  Well, I sure know a heck of a lot of overgrown children these days. They really never do grow up after all.

  8.10.2013 20:16 #7

• hearme0

  Originally posted by Dragon3000: I'm sorry to say that I have to agree that these games do have an impact on children. Playing a game like this is not the same as watching a violent film as you are not controlling the violence on the screen, whereas in GTA you can purposefully go around punching, kicking and murdering people on the streets.
  
  Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that games like GTA are solely
  responsible for kids shooting or undertaking other violent behaviour, but I do believe that it contributes to their understanding of life and how much life is worth. Children tend to reinact things they see on TV, why wouldn't they do the same on their favorite video games?
  
  Not all children will think this way of course, or even adults but I do think that the mentally unstable children and adults will interpret these games differently to the average Joe.
  
  In a nutshell, don't let children play these games! it has an adult rating for a reason. Let children be children and don't let them grow up too quickly, especially with exposure to these types of games. But no impact on children that are under the age of 17-18 as parents should not be allowing their kids to play this until they are older and/or able to buy it themselves.
  
  It all goes back to shi**y parenting.

  9.10.2013 16:29 #8

• aldan

  Originally posted by hearme0: Originally posted by Dragon3000: I'm sorry to say that I have to agree that these games do have an impact on children. Playing a game like this is not the same as watching a violent film as you are not controlling the violence on the screen, whereas in GTA you can purposefully go around punching, kicking and murdering people on the streets.
  
  Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that games like GTA are solely
  responsible for kids shooting or undertaking other violent behaviour, but I do believe that it contributes to their understanding of life and how much life is worth. Children tend to reinact things they see on TV, why wouldn't they do the same on their favorite video games?
  
  Not all children will think this way of course, or even adults but I do think that the mentally unstable children and adults will interpret these games differently to the average Joe.
  
  In a nutshell, don't let children play these games! it has an adult rating for a reason. Let children be children and don't let them grow up too quickly, especially with exposure to these types of games. But no impact on children that are under the age of 17-18 as parents should not be allowing their kids to play this until they are older and/or able to buy it themselves.
  
  It all goes back to shi**y parenting. well said. couldnt agree more.
  

  9.10.2013 18:43 #9

• GrandpaBW

  Originally posted by hearme0:
  
  But no impact on children that are under the age of 17-18 as parents should not be allowing their kids to play this until they are older and/or able to buy it themselves.
  
  It all goes back to shi**y parenting. I'll be d-amned. I agree with you on this one, hearme0. Well said.
  

  Life is good!
  GrandpaBruce - Vietnam Vet - 1970 - 1971
  Computer: Intel Core i7-920 Nehalim;Asus P6T Deluxe V2

  9.10.2013 23:49 #10

• ronatola

  after playing this for 10 hours, I found myself thiking in swear words!
  When grocery shopping - 'ima gonna guy me this mofu pos bread and when i gets home ima gonna eat the sh8t out of it!!!'
  
  I sold the game after I realized that.
  
  Any one of you mofos who steps up to me on dat is gonna get f0kd the f0k up - now what i'm sayin?! biatsch!

  12.10.2013 16:02 #11

• KillerBug

  Originally posted by hearme0:
  But no impact on children that are under the age of 17-18 as parents should not be allowing their kids to play this until they are older and/or able to buy it themselves.
  
  It all goes back to shi**y parenting. Nevermind the game...it all goes back to shi**y parenting and the game has nothing to do with it (or at the very most, it is just one of many byproducts of bad parenting). You might argue the mental disturbance card...but even ignoring the fact that most mentally disturbed kids are broken by one of their parents, what kind of parent would give a M+ game to a disturbed child, and then allow them access to weapons needed to play out the game in real life?
  

  
  

  12.10.2013 23:29 #12