When Will People Learn That GTA Isn't Reality?
Written by Lan Party Socialite   
Thursday, 26 June 2008 12:10
Even Bart Knows GTA From RealityFive teenage hoodlums ranging from the ages of 14 to 18 were arrested and charged with first-degree robbery in Nassau County.  At 11:30 p.m., They mugged a few people and used bats and crowbars to terrorize and damage property, beating up cars and vans that drove by until they were arrested by police.

"It was determined that they were emulating the character in that Grand Theft Auto game, going on a crime spree, using weapons and tactics inspired by the controversial video game," said Det. Sgt. Anthony Repalone of the Nassau police. 

Maybe they were, or maybe they were just terrorizing society because they are misguided youths out looking for trouble at 11:30 p.m.

So does media imitate society, or does society imitate media?  Since both are extensions of human nature, the answer can only be both.  But as a video game, GTA is just a simulation - a make-believe world where you have no consequences for shooting peoples' heads off or cutting up cops with chainsaws while stoned off your ass. 

These troubled teens have learned the hard way that reality doesn't translate well from video games and that they can't get away with everything.

Interestingly, this appears to be a microcosm which mirrors the fate of the makers of Grand Theft Auto. 

Rockstar and Take-Two Interactive are literally paying for their controversial success as the Hot Coffee mod class-action was settled.  Rockstar reportedly will be paying out $30,000 to 2,676 claims (I KNew I should have signed up!), and Take-Two Interactive is rumored to be stuck with much, much more.  Video games and the realities of human nature don't always mix - and GTA looks to forever be the symbol of this fact.

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written by AvJohn , June 27, 2008
anyone want to guess as to what the race of these boys are? you could blame stupid gangster rap as much as violent games

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written by John C , June 27, 2008
They were White and Indian. So much for your theory...
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written by Anocka , June 27, 2008
I like the way people blame video games instead of adressing the real problems of our society. Just think about guns in the USA...
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written by PhxGunner , June 27, 2008
dude, guns help society. the supreme court even recently said that banning handguns was unconstitutional. more people who have personal firearms, the less criminals will want to commit crimes against armed citizens
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written by Trick , June 28, 2008
I blame Karl Benz for inventing the Autos that I Grand Theft.
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written by PHXgunnner , July 01, 2008
Is that why in the UK where firearms are banned that there is ALOT less gun crime than America and cops dont even need to cary guns?
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written by Retr0gamer , July 03, 2008
Everyone in America can own a gun. That's why you, your dog, your granddaddy, the mailman, the girl next door and your little sister all need guns too.
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written by Puff , July 29, 2008
I agree w/ retrogamer; people owning guns just perpetuates the problem of gun violence in the USA. Now I might not deny people rights, but its certainly a cause and effect issue all over the world. Where there are guns, there are more gun related deaths.

No, not gun related deaths of a man protecting his family from a criminal with his gun. But more often of a man or woman shooting their spouse with the gun. So which guns are protecting us?
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 26 June 2008 12:14 )
  		 

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