NEWS: Protests Begin - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

CULTURE: Protests Begin - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

A New York Times article suggests that Rockstar Games' newest game is 'racist'.

The lead character is a 20-something-year old African American who goes on a killing spree just like the two other games' predecessors. (Both characters in those games were Caucasian).

Critics argue that this perpetuates a stereotype.

[You will need to register at New York Times in order to view the article.]

Protest shmotest! I can't wait, those games get better and better. Better to go on a "spree" in GTA than in the real world anyway.

*Prays Jesse Jackson already has his plate full*

Word!

Cause if there's one thing that is good for this country, it's white computer geeks in California creating violent caricatures of African Americans.

Remember, guns don't kill people. Dangerous minorities do.

Have they made a video game about me yet? Hard to tell from where I am. Although I'm told the Polish electronics industry isn't quite up to snuff... damn shame, we broke Enigma and those damned English (and that sodomite Turing!) gets all the credit...

Tadeusz Bor-Komorowski
General
Polish Home Army
President
Poland-in-Exile

I'm more worried about the game perpetuating a boring, repetative franchise.

I'd defend the game itself, because I do like them, but I'm a boring, repetitive franchise sucka. I just bought Mega Man Anniversary Edition for PS2. Mega Man through Mega Man 8 with two previously unreleased Japanese arcade games.

next they'll say super mario is raciest towards italians...

I don't understand why so many people get so pissed off about this game. Yeah, if you look at it on paper, the game is quite offensive and whatever adjective you can think of. I wonder how many people have actually played it. I would argue that the game is so overtly offensive, so proactively out to disgust with that it comes back around to inoffensive. In some ways, it's so cartoony it sometimes feels like an Elmer Fudd or Tom and Jerry short. Hell, rap music targeted at white kids in suburbs perpetuates stereotypes more. I assume. As no one has seen the game yet!

Edit- Violent videogames cause bad spelling.

[Edited on Aug 17, 2004 5:58PM]

Affirmative Action has gone too far...

Seriously, it's a video game. WTF is going on here...

Games 1-3 and all sequals of each starred a white guy blowin shit up and no one says anything. They finally display racial equality and let another race kick a little ass and it's a problem?

I hate human beings....

I should've bet money on this happening

I know tell me about,,they are such retards..its a good thing my people in the andes where touch by aliens many years ago.

There hasn't been too many african-americans in video games,, the first I saw any minority if i can remember was in double dragon. That game fucked me up for life..NOT!

[Edited on Aug 17, 2004 by 498111023955391_]

Here's a nice wholesome alternative for the kids

http://www.homestarrunner.com/pqtrailer.html

This is ridiculous! You know how many African-Americans are fans of the first four games? I'm not sure, either, but I know it's a lot...celebrities claim love of them all the time: Method Man, Dave Chappelle, Ludacris...and they feature white guys.

You think THEY'RE complaining about this?

Of course it does perpetuate a stereotype though, just like how having a black person (but not a white one) eat fried chicken and watermelon perpetuates a stereotype.

To which I say: So? Fried chicken and watermelon tastes good and killing sprees are tons of fun. I highly doubt it was intended in a racist way, and although I'm sure it'll still offend some people, it'll be a minor crescendo in the symphony of offensiveness that is GTA.

Just wait, I'm sure the shit will really hit the fan when they announce that the hooker-beating system has been upgraded and you can now beat the fuck out of the transvestite hookers and take the money they made.

cant you customize the main character in san andreas??

No, he's a black guy, allegedly voiced by Fiddy Cent.

I think the story is that his family is murdered by gangs in a riot-era LA style setting.

how many video games actually star an african-american as the sole playable character? i can't think of any. the mere fact that this is a mainstream game (i.e. targeted at players of all ethnicities) is a huge step for africian americans in the video game industry.

and they way i understand it, the main guy (CJ) is reluctantly brought to a life of crime that he actually avoided growing up. he's motivated by vengeance for his murdered family, not insatiable greed, like the previous games.

anyway, its probably stupid for me to try and rationalize the motives of a GTA character.

this game is going to rock. check out Gamespot for more info on how this game will surpass its predecessors in oh so many ways. (3 cities! LA, SF, and Vegas; spoofs of course)

Wow. Wow wow wow. 50 Cent doing voice work? Stephen Hawking has more vocal range of emotions. I'm absolutely dumbfounded.

the last time I perpetuated a stereotype people thanked me for not being a pussy white boy...

I can't fucking wait for this game to come out, and I'm no game nerd. I just adore GTA so much. Yep. Adore it.

I've never played any of the GTAs, but something tells me I'd love them.