Parental group targets GTA IV
- Posted May 1st, 2008 at 08:31 EDT by Mike Harradence
- 44 Comments
Parental group Mothers Against Drunk Driving has launched an onslaught of criticism against Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto IV this week, expressing its concerns over the fact the game allows players to drive vehicles whilst under the influence of alcohol.
The group said it is “extremely disappointed” that the game boosts a virtual representation of drunk driving, pointing out that the offence has been known to claim up to 13,500 lives every year.
"Drunk driving is not a game and it is not a joke," MADD commented. "Drunk driving is a choice, a violent crime, and it is also 100 percent preventable."
Furthermore, the group is also insisting that the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) raise GTA IV’s rating to Adults Only (AO) as opposed to Mature (M).
MADD also requested that the game’s "manufacturer" consider preventing all distribution of the title out of respect for individuals whose lives have been affected by drunk drivers.
Grand Theft Auto IV is available now on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
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Totally Twisted
- 3:35am EDT - May 1st, 2008
- 1
Well, i have the game and i wouldnt let my kids play it or view it. As a sane adult i can enjoy this as a form of entertainment. To me it's just doing things i couldnt and wouldnt do in real life, so it's fun.
Tommyboy ;)
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fraznez
- 3:40am EDT - May 1st, 2008
- 2
i played gta III when i was like 14 i think, and according to the rating and parents concerns i was too young, but in actuality its just a game; sure its gory and has drugs use and the language isnt of the elizabethan era, but its just a game. i dont know why peolp cant get it through their heads ITS JUST A GAME. so stop blaming sh.it on games and take responsibilty for what you did or whatever your crazy as.s kid did
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Wintee
- 3:56am EDT - May 1st, 2008
- 5
Right,
let's ask the simple question first, have they actually played the game?
Forgetting the fact that this is a mothers group, and this game is 18 rated, they don't actually have any control over what their children do.
But yeah go on, I'll humour them for now. Let's BAN GTA IV, cos it's bad. It promotes drink driving (lets ban Sonic while we're at it incase my kid chokes on plastic rings). But wait, the MADDs won't be happy cos there's still drunk drivers. So lets ban alcohol! Yeah! Prohibition. Hang on, we can still make our own alcohol because there are books and the internet telling us how to do such things. So let's ban those!
Woo! Ok! So now we're an internet censoring, book burning nation of right wing nutcases living in a censored version of the world where any that pushes boundaries is considered dangerous and persecuted. Welcome to Germany circa 1938 (Although some would say that the US is slipping dangerously close to that kind of rhetoric).
Would the MADDs be happy now? I mean there's still cars out there and sober people can still run you over.
Yeah I know I'm over simplifying the issue and dramatising it but for ****s sake it's a game. It's not promoting alcoholism or drink driving (in fact the drunk driving in the game made me really quezy the way the screen wobbles and driving was a complete swine, so infact its highlighting the dangers of drink driving - It's a positive promotional tool isn't ).
We get this crap every time something that pushes the envelope comes out. I'm just waiting for them to jump on the prozzie bashing next.
Look it's as simple as this. If you're going to play a computer game and then mimic what it does - run someone over, shoot someone, become a plubmer and eat giant mushrooms (that is SO a euphomism for drug taking!) - then you're obviously a complete mentler anyway and shouldn't be in society. The fact that these nut jobs sit in playing computer games 24/7 is probably a good thing as it keeps them off the streets and away from me!
Huff puff!
I thank you very much!
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Xdeth
- 4:09am EDT - May 1st, 2008
- 6
@Shader - I couldn't agree more. They are only pouring gas on the the inferno.
I love it when these no name groups come out of their woodwork to bash something they havn't even played. And for the love of God where are the parents? I'm sick of this BS. Do they cry foul when people in movies drive drunk? or TV shows? Its an ADULT GAME ment for ADULTS. When parents start being parents we won't have this problem. Hey mothers, You don't like it? Move to AUS. I heard they love to ban stuff. No offense to you aussy guys. I got love for you.
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JD-82
- 4:22am EDT - May 1st, 2008
- 7
am i the only one that realises that you can call a cab if you're drunk? you take a mate to a pub and get slashed and then you can call a cab and have them take you where you want to go...seems fairly responsible...Rockstar have given people the choice of driving under the influence or taking the responsible (and safe) option...
people have to understand that this is just a game...nothing more...
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Paranoimia
- 4:24am EDT - May 1st, 2008
- 8
Let's face it, people were getting p!ssed and jumping in their car long before videogames even existed. The GTA games reflect society, they don't define society. If drinking and driving weren't already a major issue, it wouldn't be in the game - and the game itself isn't going to encourage anyone to do it. If you could snap your fingers and make GTA disappear, you'd still get morons drinking and driving.
Instead of going nuts over a game, MADD should be doing some proper campaigning - like maybe pushing for a change in the law so that pubs and bars are prevented from having car parks, meaning that people aren't actively encouraged to drive to and from the premises.
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falky64
- 5:14am EDT - May 1st, 2008
- 13
F*K off sl#ts. Seriously I love driving around drunk, who cares its a Game. Just dont play it or even look at it or I will punch u in the head myself, geez. Let us gamers enjoy life the way GOD wanted us to, drive around in a car drunk while running down people. I would have to say most people know someone who has died from Drink Driving and I am against it totally, but in a Game I DO WHAT EVA THE H#ll I WANT!!!!
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richkaos
- 5:19am EDT - May 1st, 2008
- 14
It is down to the parents to take resposibility of their spouses, if you are taught the difference between right and wrong there is no problem, unfortunatly these days a lot of parents dont give a sh1t and are extremely ignorant and thus so too are their easily influenced children. I dont care what anyone says, if you have been bought up properly games movies music will not influence you into a life of crime. So perhaps these mothers should spend more time watching over and educating their loved ones as opposed to trying to pass the buck to cover up their incopetance
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Die-romantic
- 5:36am EDT - May 1st, 2008
- 15
Drunk driving on GTA IV wtf! its only when your dating someone bullsh!t I guess them idiotas got this from some british paper
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1solidsnake |
solid1snake67- 5:57am EDT - May 1st, 2008
- 16
i'm against drunk driving but in a game?? that's not real and most people know that i hope. there just worrried ABOUT THE CHILDREN!!!! if i knew one of the kids who's mom was doing it. i would probably ell all there friends and have there Azz kicked.; because the probably started playing it and there mom freaked out. i mean c'mon this is bull crap. (just a game) you play that stuff you cAn't do in real life freely you can do in a virtual world. makes no sense. Women orry to much. not like there kids aaren't going to grow up and go to a party and drink and drive. or are they going to keep them in there rooom from the outside world. when i turned 21 i started drinking. but, i usually do it at home and don't go any where else after that. because with my luck i would get pulled over. so mother's who say GTAIV. i saw a mom buying this game for a 15 yr old kid. so, don't worry about us instead. go bytch out your fellow mother and have a fight with her and say don't you love your son anymore!!!! what about the childeren!!!!!!!!!! nooooooo! the violence of GTAIV is to real... lol should i take the game back cuz my mommy won't be happy if i go pick up hookers in a game
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Tha_Last_Romeo
- 6:01am EDT - May 1st, 2008
- 17
OK... Who cares, they shouldn't buy it for their child. I think we should get together and start definding RockStar. These people are dumb and need to get a $#%& life.
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funItalian
- 6:10am EDT - May 1st, 2008
- 19
Get a life MADD, it's just a video game, Hey, wait a minute....wasn't there someone from MADD that got busted for DUI not too long ago?! and I believe she was someone that had some seniority there too... Was it because of a video game or just plain outright stupidity?? HMMM...I wonder...
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