Grand Theft Auto IV Trailer Causes Controversy

Posted by Lolita Beckwith Categories: Video Games

Certain things in our society happen like clockwork, such as presidential elections and the Olympics. Add to that list politicians expressing their disgust over whatever new video game Rockstar Games is about to release. Last year it was “Bully”, which politicians wrongly feared was “Grand Theft Auto” in a school, and before that it was previous installments of “GTA” itself. Well, last week, the trailer for the upcoming “GTA 4” was released on the internet—and with its shots of the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Chrysler Building and Times Square—clearly takes place in New York (as have previous incarnations of “GTA”). Real-life New York politicos immediately took aim at the game, denouncing it for its glamorization of violence, including that against cops. As huge fans of the GTA series, we do strongly feel they’re “adult only” games. However, we wonder if these annual attacks against Rockstar and “GTA” are serving more to publicize the games as opposed to denouncing them. That said, we absolutely loved the trailer, particularly because it pays clever homage to one of our all-time favorite movies, 1982’s highly influential Koyaanisqatsi. “GTA 4” will be available October 16 for PS3, and Xbox 360, as this marks the first time a GTA game will actually debut on an Xbox console.

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