New York Post Criticizes Take-Two Interactive
- December 31, 2003 07:02 AM PST
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Two years after GTA III's release, somebody realizes the series doesn't espouse good morals.
Following a tide of media coverage on the subject, The New York Post Online has published a severe criticism of its own against developer Take-Two for its "luxuriously violent" video games.Once again the "Kill the Haitians" dialogue is pointed out, a line (taken out of context, according to some) which infuriated Haitian communities, forcing Take-Two to edit the game. The article also points out the morally reprehensible depravity in the game, which allowing players to pick up prostitutes and murder police officers.
The article also calls into question allowing even people over the age of 17 to play the game, stating that "this whole age-cutoff thing is simply garbage." Inevitably, this raises the question?how much moral depravity is too much?
Personal attacks were also made against founder Ryan Brant as well, stating that he "was apparently raised in a family steeped in its own Vice City values," (ouch) citing his father's prison time for tax fraud. The article ends with an admonition to investors to stay away from Take-Two Interactive.
It is worth noting that such criticism comes over one year after the PlayStation 2 version of Vice City was released, and more than two years since the original Grand Theft Auto III shipped, both of which allowed you to pick up and kill prostitutes and murder cops. Even the first game had its share of racial tension, so the content should come as no surprise. The renewed interest in the game may have something to do with the recent Xbox debut of the Grand Theft Auto Double Pack.
Interestingly enough, the article said nothing of Manhunt, Rockstar's "snuff film" game, which raised the bar for disturbing and violent games with close-ups of shanking people, dismembering people into pieces with a chainsaw, and suffocating unsuspecting foes with plastic bags. Perhaps in a year or two people will discover that Manhunt, despite its name, is an extravagantly violent game as well.
