Grand Theft Auto IV to be Banned?
Filed Under: Breaking News, The Wall of Technology
What impact could this morning’s publication of Dr Tanya Byron’s review on video games ratings have on the release of Grand Theft Auto IV (GTA IV)?
The study recommends that video games should have cinema style ratings and this should be a statutory requirement instead of the voluntary code currently in place. This could mean big changes in what games are available and whether they can even make it into the shops without having large parts of the gameplay experience cut from the final release (as happens with films).
Rockstar Games, the developer of the GTA series and other popular games including the Manhunt series, is well known for releasing games containing violent gameplay and graphics. As well as the violence there are often sexual references in the games (remember the controversy over the hidden sex scenes in GTA San Andreas). GTA IV is going to be no different to the others in that respect - just more interactive gameplay and better graphics. If anything it looks like it will be more like a film that you control. That probably means more interactive violence!
Now obviously these are just games and it is already fairly obvious that they are aimed at adults. But how will a fifty-something at the BBFC see it when they are trying to classify it? Especially now the workload of the BBFC will be increased and they will not have time to review anything properly.
My worry is that GTA IV will get banned or have to be seriously cut before we see the release at the end of April.
What do you think?
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coltkillah | Mar 27, 2008 | Reply
dr Tanya Byrons report covers all aspects of ‘mature’ content that can find its way to children, including internet sites and, as you say here, games. it will take time before these regualtions are brought into practice by the goverment in the uk, and even longer before governments do anything about it in foreign countrys. i think that GTA IV is safe, as will be Manhunt II which received the nod the other week, but yes, in future we maybe forced to play games that everyone can enjoy, god forbid.
but there you go, yet another action turning this country into a mummy state. if people are worried about what there childen see, dont let them play the games that are known to contain mature references. its not like Rockstar aim there games at kids now is it? its down to irresponsible parenting, and if my gaming is impacted because people cant control want there kids see and do, itl be a real shame.
colt
vectra | Mar 27, 2008 | Reply
I swear over everything in this world, there will be an uprising if that happens
M Bingham | Mar 27, 2008 | Reply
i think ur stirring up the cauldron unnecessary in the hope your opinion catches on like a forest fire
youngbreeze | Mar 27, 2008 | Reply
I think you’re playing on people’s fears in order to get hits on your website. GTA IV is not going to be banned. That’s a ludicrous statement. The worst that can happen in light of the latest report is that they could try to freeze the release of games until the advice in the report is put into practice. I simply cannot see that happening. You can’t bring an industry to a halt due to one UK report. UK players would just import it from other EU countries anyway so it’d be completely pointless, much like your article.
vectra | Mar 27, 2008 | Reply
Why do we have to suffer, because some parents dont want their kids to play this game, when the game wasnt meant for their kids. almost every video/game store requires ID if they are young looking or look under 25. If they ban violent video games, there will be so much chaos in the gamer world
john | Mar 27, 2008 | Reply
GTA IV will NOT be banned!! At least not THIS year!! I wouldn’t worry about it too much, and even if the silly self-righteous fools ban it, I’ll just buy it from France (where they would never ban such a game)
upgrayed | Mar 27, 2008 | Reply
hmmm rated M.. doesnt that mean Mature.. kinda like rated R movies and XXX… so its ok for everyone to go watch todays movies filled with R*pe, Murder, suicides, torturing etc..
its not like this game is GIVEN to the general public.. now if that was the case.. then they would have an agruement..
Paul Murphy | Mar 27, 2008 | Reply
A) There is no way the British (or any) government could make the necessary changes to the classification system in such a short period of time. This may affect GTA V if anything comes of the report.
B) I think that they would have to pull the game altogether, rather than remove chunks at this late stage in development, as the game should be in (or close to) production at this stage (as indicated by the leaking of pictures of the games’ PS3 maps)
Adam | Mar 27, 2008 | Reply
In the UK….games that have mature themes alread have cinema style ratings. They have the official BBFC “15″ and “18″ certificates slapped on them.
Neil | Mar 27, 2008 | Reply
It wont be banned, and even if it was in the UK, it has already been rated in the USA so if you own a ps3 then just get it imported! Problem solved!
D | Mar 27, 2008 | Reply
So do you really think?
Gregormeister | Mar 27, 2008 | Reply
What I think? I think we should shut up immediately because I’m not the only one who WANTS this game in april! It’s my holidays there in Liberty City! So SSSSSSHHHHHHHHH!!!
fan | Mar 27, 2008 | Reply
k paul. ur dumb. stop trying to ruin people’s fun. the game has a rating, and it is enforced.
you don’t like the games whatever, don’t let ur kids play it. but don’t try to spoil it for everyone who does like and everyone who is smart enough not to take anything away from the game.
its interactive violence, yes, thats what fun a about it.
Paul | Mar 27, 2008 | Reply
Some points to add to the post:
a) I want the game released. I’m a massive fan of the rest of the series and want to get my hands on this one.
b) The current rating system is not mandatory. I do not know if a rating has been applied for.
c) I think that mandatory rating will lead to harsher decisions because of the increased workload on the BBFC. They won’t / can’t spend the time to properly come to an informed decision
d) What’s stopping the BBFC making a retrospective decision on games already released?
e) This is a blog and my opinion. You can take it or leave it but it certainly has encouraged an intelligent debate about censorship here and on a number of gaming sites.
Bill | Mar 27, 2008 | Reply
Man i swear if they do this…and a lot of good games get canned..theres gonna be a riot..or a uprising….who the hell cares video games aren’t what causes violence is politicians and people like you!!!!
Paul | Mar 27, 2008 | Reply
Just pointing out that the government might.
coltkillah | Mar 27, 2008 | Reply
Paul, i think alot of people have missed the point of this post…..
an intelligent mind would see this as an upcoming danger for future games. this will DEFINATELY be the case, no If’s or Buts’s about it, the government have already said that they will be enforcing ALL of the plans set out in Byrons report. and foreign governments, including those in europe and merica will also be taking this on board.
its a shame…. but it will come to the point where the games will be very closely monitered…..
Paul | Mar 27, 2008 | Reply
There was a scary comment made by Ed Balls this morning (in the British government as Secretary for Children, Schools and Families)…..
He said that some parents looked at the current ratings and thought it was a skill level….! On that basis parents were buying the games as they thought their kids were skilled enough to play them. Madness.
We will end up a nanny state like China or similar
Ashley | Mar 27, 2008 | Reply
or the police state that is the US of A
Bruceongames | Mar 27, 2008 | Reply
What a silly article.
Just scaremongering like the worst of the gutter press in order to get attention.
Byron timetable is two years to implementation. Product evaluation for 18+ will be BBFC, just like it is now. You don’t know what you are talking about.
Paul | Mar 28, 2008 | Reply
It is definitely worth looking at bruceongames website as there are some good opinions.
LsTrOfSmG | Mar 28, 2008 | Reply
Having read the Byron report I really have to conclude that it is nothing that gamers THEMSELVES haven’t been suggesting for year and to a certain degree common sense… I’m not keen on the BBFC being chosen (especially when mixing them with PEGI since the two have never gotten along). I personally believe we need a brand new classifications board akin to ESRB in America, but I doubt the contents of this report will result in the banning of more games - at least not in the long run. In the relatively short term there may be a few casualties but eventually the BBFC will come to terms with it’s new audience and understand it’s level of maturity (at least I hope). If they do not it could culminate in a huge political battlefield (more so than it currently is) with people on both sides getting overly irate (which will at least be a great source of irony. Gamers will not stand for over zealous censorship and in return those that are against gaming will demand it. In the end it will come down to numbers and at that point we can only hope that common sense prevails over blind moral panic.
Sorry that turned into a bit of an essay but I’m covering the way the media presents the relationship between children and games for my media critical analysis. Unfortunately this whole mess has broken out right in the middle of it, leaving me rushing around researching as much as possible… Damn my luck! Meh I’m going to slink off and play Mario now… Hopefully that wont result in me going around jumping on people’s mushroom crops…
LsTrOfSmG | Mar 28, 2008 | Reply
Oh just wanted to clarify when I said the BBFC’s ‘new’ audience - I do know they have been rating select games for years what I mean is that now they will have to focus their energies more on games and as such will perhaps realise how diverse the audience for games is. At the moment they seem to give games, in a sense, too much credit - as most people will agree perfectly normal people wont suddenly go out shooting people just from playing, say, ‘Silent Scope’. To put it simply they review games from a ‘film’ viewpoint only giving, in a sense, disproportional focus on the interactive side of things.
To be completely honest I fully support further research into this area - what many people don’t seem to realise is that with further research comes further understanding and with further understanding can come a capacity for further acceptance.
*ahem* I promise I’ll sod off and play Mario now.
suicicidalsid | Mar 28, 2008 | Reply
Meh its not likley BUT its not always irresponsable parenting its hard to control kids to do exactly what you want.
I feel that it is more likley movies which influence kids take childs play 1 were chucky killed and tortured kids and adults alike. Then there were those kids who went out and did the same thing. I think its more hard now to control kids. It is not soley responsable from rockstar to
ban games to children when obviously it is games based for 18s and overs.
Verchiel | Mar 28, 2008 | Reply
IT WONT BE BANNED!
any recomendations will NOT be implamented for TWO years!
so relax
and its all back fired on them, on tv most emails from viewers wast support, it was to explain that kids dont buy the games themselves, thier parents do, and cinema ratings already exsist for games and gta4 got its last year from the bbfc an 18 rating adults only, but the retarded parents will buy the game for their chilren as they have no morals or sense of responsability for thier actions, its all the media fault they hate gamers, and blame games,and gamers for the worlds problems, not a certain religion who likes blowing up buses,trains ,planes, subways,skyscrapers, all in the name of their so called god!
so remember the next beheding or suicide bomb was done in the name of nintendo and sony and they had accsess to gta4!
Bob | Mar 28, 2008 | Reply
I agree with LsTrOfSmG comments about normal people won’t suddenly go off the rails and do things they wouldn’t normally consider because of a game. People will always do stupid/bad things and look for excuses such as video nasties or games.
Rowan | Mar 28, 2008 | Reply
If a game has a bbfc 18 rating on it, it is not saleable by law to anyone under that age. I’ve been an employee for a large uk entertainment retailer for the last 6 years and we treat all bbfc ratings the same whether they be on films or games. The fines are already unlimited for breaking this law and prison sentences can be enforced.
What saddens me is the ignorance of parents when buying games for their kids. I always point out the rating to parents but few of them care or understand what their kids are exposed to. In this respect I think this report is good as it has highlighted that it is the parents who should bear the brunt of the responsibility of what their kids are doing.
Education on the issue is more vital than taking ’steps’ against the majority of adults who can differentiate between a Game and real life.
spongeandy87 | Apr 1, 2008 | Reply
i love how people are accusing the author of just trying to grab attention to the site-so why are u replying? I think the comment made a valid point in what could well happen in future, maybe not so close as before the gta iv release, but hey it could still get banned after the release
weegurge | Apr 1, 2008 | Reply
This better be an April Fool Joke!
See Link:
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/techdigest/20080401/ttc-grand-theft-auto-iv-banned-in-the-uk-e870a33.html
terry | Apr 30, 2008 | Reply
i now have gta4 so any one who tried to get it banned can suck my balls
Piers Shaw | May 2, 2008 | Reply
There are scenarios in the game that would have an automatic 18 cert stuck to it if it where in any other media.
Teens & gamers respond with agression the moment any suggestion of control on the output of the gaming industry is suggested. I do not understand why the same rules that apply to movies and animation cannot apply to games as well?