On September 17, 2013, Rockstar Games Released the fifth installment of the Grand Theft Auto Series. The is most most well known for its massive carnage and car stealing, but then next title adds a new perspective. In Grand Theft Auto V, players will be able to do much more the run down pedestrians in a 300,000 dollar car or destroy law enforcement vehicles with high powered explosives. In conjunction to these features, players will also be able to purchase stock, buy real estate and play sports. There is an astronomical amount of controversy for this . The last game in the series, Grand Theft Auto IV was “not necessarily less violent, but they contextualize it” rather than just sadistic killing, and instead encourages a life free from crime.

Games like Grand Theft Auto allow adults a fun release from the stresses of their everyday life, but we should keep them away from children because they are so easily influenced. The new game will no doubt be blamed for the violence in America today. It is important to note that Rockstar is trying to add more depth and plot to the game rather than just mindless violence that we have seen before in the earlier games. While teens and adults may be able to handle destroying a city with having violent thoughts, children are so easily influenced we cannot allow them to experience this amount of violence.

Video Games are great. They are one of the greatest stress relief tools in my life and I am glad to see the poster child for violence in America receive some positive light shined on it. It is also great that Rockstar has focused more on a story and justification for the immense violence and brutality in the Grand Theft Auto series. Uninvolved parents should take notice though, the game is not for children and should not be blamed for the actions of neglected children, but instead on the parents that did not take initiative in their children’s life.