For a little over a decade now, the Grand Theft Auto series has solidified its place in history as one of the most complex and controversial games of all time. Each new game it releases manages to sweep gamers right off their feet. From its ludicrous content, to its extremely smooth gameplay, it has not yet failed when it comes to satisfying hardcore gamers. With another title being released in the upcoming year, it’s safe to assume that it will also be a success accompanied by much controversy and speculation. The question that remains is what exactly has kept this franchise going at full speed? Well when one takes a closer look they might discover some unique concepts introduced by the games that without a doubt changed the gaming industry forever.
It all started with Grand Theft Auto III. Released in 2001, this was the first game in the series that introduced its go anywhere and do anything concept. Players were given the ability to explore an entire virtual city on foot or in cars and planes. Along with this, players were given the choice to interact violently or nonviolently with characters in the game such as pedestrians, law enforcement, and other criminals. Just recently, the game has ventured into the online world where players can interact with one another in ways such as completing missions together, fighting against each other, and racing.
With that being said I believe McLuhan would classify and consider this text as a perfect example of a cool medium, requiring hours of audience participation. Obviously one could argue that any video game requires audience participation and that automatically classifies it as cool. However, the Grand Theft Auto games encourage more participation than simply just pressing buttons and getting high scores. Starting with the first Grand Theft Auto titles, even early in the game, your character is presented with choices in the virtual world that ultimately dictate the success of in-game missions and health. The choices range from choosing the right cars and weapons for a mission to making business deals that will help you advance further in the game. The newer titles in the series present even more complex choices such as customizing the characters wardrobe and making modifications to vehicles and weapons. All can have an effect on the players experience within the game. Add online interactions into the mix and you almost double your amount of participation.
Another form of audience participation that Grand Theft Auto has experienced is the voice of its fans. Much like a television series or movie series, the audience never remains silent. Grand Theft Auto is no exception to this trend. Due to the increasing ways of communication, especially on the internet, the positives and negatives are speculated within social networking sites and discussion boards. For instance, if avid gamers begin complaining about an aspect of the game such as game play physics, the developers of Grand Theft Auto have been known to make changes between titles to ensure the satisfaction of the players.
Now, one can see the difference in participation if it were to be compared to let’s say Super Mario Brothers or Sonic the hedgehog. The series is obvious proof that video games in general are becoming more and more engaging and reaching out to a broader audience. It also makes a point that video games are not just for children anymore. Now that technology allows us to create games more complex than just pressing buttons, we have the ability to reach that more mature audience. This is not referring simply to violence and sex, but the required critical thinking and strategies that only more developed minds can comprehend. I think McLuhan would accept this medium, based on his beliefs that it is not always the content, but the way it’s presented to the audience.
