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  • Grand Theft Auto IV Developer: Rockstar North Publisher: Rockstar Games Genre: Action Sub-Genre: Third Person Release Date: Apr 29th, 2008 Additonal Info: Also known as GTA IV
  • 2 Days to Vegas Developer: Steel Monkeys Publisher: TBA Genre: Shooter Sub-Genre: Third Person Shooter Release Date: Q1 2009 Additonal Info: None
  • Grand Theft Auto III Developer: DMA Design Publisher: Rockstar Games Genre: Action Sub-Genre: Third Person Release Date: Oct 22nd, 2001 Additonal Info:
Developer: Rockstar North Publisher: Rockstar Games Release Date: Apr 29th 2008 Genre: Action Sub Genre: Third Person
Grand Theft Auto IV
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Parental group targets GTA IV

Posted on May 1st, 2008 at 08:31 EDT

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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What are your thoughts?
posted 8:35am 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 ;)

posted 8:40am 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

posted 8:42am EDT - May 1st, 2008
3
prevent all distribution of the title..................yea like if thats ever gonna happen
posted 8:46am EDT - May 1st, 2008
4

This negative publicity will just boost sales even more.  The game is approriatley rated and is targeted at adults who know the difference between a game and real life.

posted 8:56am 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!

posted 9:09am 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.

posted 9:22am 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...

posted 9:24am 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.

posted 9:50am EDT - May 1st, 2008
9

if you dont like it, dont buy it

posted 10:01am EDT - May 1st, 2008
10

MADD inded they are

posted 10:08am EDT - May 1st, 2008
11

 If they actually played the game they'd see that the game portrays drunk driving in a negative way. It's hard as he11 to drive drunk and you are constantly getting pulled over by the cops! I don't see how that encourages drunk driving at all.

posted 10:10am EDT - May 1st, 2008
12

H.e.l.l I'll buy 5 copies if it goes to AO just to shove it up there a.s.s.e.s!

 

PSN: DarkJ3JB

posted 10:14am 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!!!!

posted 10:19am 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

posted 10:36am 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
posted 10:57am 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

posted 11:01am 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.

posted 11:03am EDT - May 1st, 2008
18

So the killing people is fine, just don't drive drunk.  Yeah- that makes sense!

posted 11:10am 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...

posted 11:30am EDT - May 1st, 2008
20
lol they clearly havnt played this game, when your drunk you can barely find your way out of the bar let alone find the car you stole to get there..
posted 11:52am EDT - May 1st, 2008
21

you can shoot people with uzi's in the game.  Needless to say I don't think the video game encourages that (that being a much more dangerous act) anymore than it does drunk driving.  lets start a different club, gamers against killing. gak, who's in!?

posted 12:15pm EDT - May 1st, 2008
22

oh f off.... i mean when you drive wen drunk on the game its obscenely hard and fmaeks you feel a bit sick anyway so u dont choose to do it much if anything they should be thanking rockstar.

posted 12:20pm EDT - May 1st, 2008
23

absoultley pathetic gta obviously implements it is a game it doesnt try to implent it as LIFE  ( or a realstic game to that) so anyone who takes this game serioiusly( to the point where they copy the actualy game in real life) is wrong not the game

posted 12:21pm EDT - May 1st, 2008
24

psn id: gingo..... all i can say to these people is STFU!!!!! the game clearly shows the dangers of drink driving and doesn't encourage it in any way, its a form of entertainment and if people can't find the point between a game and reality then they need serious phycological help

posted 12:30pm EDT - May 1st, 2008
25

You can't say these guys don't have a sense of humor!!!

posted 12:36pm EDT - May 1st, 2008
26

To MADD:  GTA4 encourages you to NOT drive drunk, but to call a cab. If half of these protesters actually played the friggin' game... sheesh.


posted 12:46pm EDT - May 1st, 2008
27

I hate to sound cold but drunk driving is part of the world we live in. I do not agree with it at all. However, I do feel that most kids at the age of 17 has an understanding of the dangers of drunk driving.  These moms need to chill out.  I can think off tons of movies, TV shows, and books that show people drunk driving. GET A LIFE AND LET GAMERS GAME!!! I wish gamers and all these people can have a televised debate over gaming and handle this video games are destroying the world BS. Like Jay Z said. "If you don't like my lyrics you can press fast forward. If you don't like games and what they represent then don't support them.

posted 1:02pm EDT - May 1st, 2008
28

well in GTA IV you have a CHOICE to drunk drive, and if a cop sees you, you are wanted....So this groups argument is NULL AND VOID!!!!

posted 1:07pm EDT - May 1st, 2008
29

LOL - I was just about to say that!!!! The Killing is fine, so are picking up hookers, and money laundering, etc. BUT Drinking Driving!!! Oh dear god ban this game!!!!!!!

posted 1:21pm EDT - May 1st, 2008
30

haha LOL coincidence there called MADD innit :L

posted 1:38pm EDT - May 1st, 2008
31

Bad publicity is the best kind.  These idiots are just helping the game sell more copies

posted 1:53pm EDT - May 1st, 2008
32

HA!  Out of all the insane stuff you can do in the game, they're worried about drinking and driving.  If these people would spend time being parents instead of making public outcries, they woudln't need to be worried about their kids doing stupid things.  Anyone who is dumb enough to do something they did in a video game already has "issues" that MADD can't prevent. 

posted 2:59pm EDT - May 1st, 2008
33

Its not about crink driving, you over-protective mother. I wish these people would play the game first, before automatically trying to ban it...

posted 3:30pm EDT - May 1st, 2008
34
They aren't gonna stop distribution of it!
posted 5:04pm EDT - May 1st, 2008
35

This will never go away sadly, there will be groups of people saying this isn't right and we shouldn't promote such things but when you're 18 it is YOUR choice what you want to do and play. There's no sense in trying to do anything to take action on Rockstar or the game itself. Its only a game! What about movies there are far worse things being betrayed and thats actually REAL people portraying it! If you don't want your children to play the game or be exposed to what the game has to offer than do your job but we all know that if they want to play it or see it their going to one way or the other BOTTOM LINE! Give it a rest!!!

posted 5:39pm EDT - May 1st, 2008
36

"Raise it to AO!!" Why not just say ban it!?

But seriously that's stupid! Of what I've heard, it actually shows how it is to drive drunk, right? So, you get the experience virtually to see how easy you crash while "under the influence of alcohol". I've also heard you fall every 3 steps you take if you're drunk, lol

posted 5:46pm EDT - May 1st, 2008
37

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

They said it right there!!!!!!! Its a choice, Im sorry for the ppl who lost their lifes but it was their choice to drink and drive no one put a gun to thier head, no one put a bottle to their mouths so stop b.i.t.c.h.i.n.g and go do motherly stuff that counts. Its a game not real life, the game will not make you drunk.

 

psn id: I95SOUTH < ---- Drunk froom reading this article

posted 5:50pm EDT - May 1st, 2008
38

i still dont get how people are able to make movies with the same things as the game but people say not one world but as soon as a game comes with it they want to go crazy and want to band stuff these people are just dumb as he**

posted 7:09pm EDT - May 1st, 2008
39

 this obviously shows mothers don't have enough to do and need more work and their preaching to the converter considering most mothers used to be wild teenagers themselves who probably drank and censoring children this much is bad for psychological development and could probably cause brain problems if mother sensor a childs life to an extent.

posted 7:18pm EDT - May 1st, 2008
40

The dam parental groups dont want to target GTAIV, they want money, they wnat to recompinsated for thousands of drunk-driving deaths, by blaming this gaming, and claiming its the main source of why poeple drink and drive. These parent groups have no power what soever, with no money, you have no power, and what better way to make money than to try sue someone.

posted 7:40pm EDT - May 1st, 2008
41

Erm the game has been released wat the fek are u silly moaning parent gonna do haha!

posted 8:08pm EDT - May 1st, 2008
42

So MADD wants Rockstar to just lose $100 million and change the game to AO, because of an OPTION in the game?  Nobody HAS to get drunk and drive, it is purely choice, just like the act of driving drunk.  The age is set at Mature and I'm sure Rockstar has been getting plenty of close reviews after Manhunt 2.  They wrongly judge something they've never tried, just like the black group that found RE5 to be racist purely based on the location of the game.  I am insuring the reverse by saying it is racist to make a game with only one white man constantly in deadly situations.

---

I guess we should burn books because they teach us to question and not follow like little blind sheep.  Maybe the speed limits should be set to 10mph everywhere so when people do crash, it isn't bad.

If anything, this game discourages players to drive drunk after they see the effects it has on you.  MADD is just a bunch of over-protective, overbearing mothers who can't cut the umbilical cord and try to force their religions and beliefs onto their kids.  Otherwise known as false (hypocritical) Christian, Catholic, or whatever they believe in.

I have nothing against Christians or Catholics, I am just saying I hate all the overzealous religious sects that try to push their religion onto everyone else to limit their freedoms, while not practicing themselves.  Going to church does not mean you believe and it does not make you any less of a whore, if you are one (most girls are now).

---

LA Noire is no longer exclusive.  It's going to the 360 as of now.  Did Sony decide to change the exclusivity for LA Noire to future GTAs? I hope.

posted 8:53pm EDT - May 1st, 2008
43

Just 1 more thing, i recon this pushes across the message not to drink drive in the best way ever because people get to experience what its like to drink drive first hand in the game and I recon Rockstar are awesome for having this in their game as everyone will take notice of it and probably think twice about doing it for real.

posted 12:21am EDT - May 2nd, 2008
44
posted 2:35pm EDT - May 5th, 2008
45

I feel like they did an excellent job with the drinking and driving piece. If you've played the game, you can't say that it is promoting drunk driving. It is exactly the contrary. Driving drunk is far easier to get away with in reality than it is in this game. I tried it a couple times (in game that is), and it just doesn't work well for you. Also, you get negative comments about doing it from whomever you are partying with...

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