Posted Apr 21, 2008 at 10:40PM by Abraham A. Listed in: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Tags: Fox News, Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar North
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Grand Theft Auto IV - Image 1 Grand Theft Auto 4 has already gone gold so expect a flood of advertisements in the next few days to come. However, you won't see any of these ads from Chicago buses anymore as they've all been taken down.

Why, you may ask? The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has been criticized by the local Fox News for posting ads of Grand Theft Auto 4 (Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3) in light of the recent spate of shooting incidents in Chicago. Well, it's the old video game-violence debate (which is disputed in this study).

CTA didn't put much of fight and immediately removed the ads, seeing that this has happened before with GTA: San Andreas and GTA: Vice City Stories. Back then, the CTA chief justified the pull-out by equating M-rated games with X-rated movies. As of writing, Take-Two Interactive hasn't commented on the issue yet.

Buy: [GTA IV (PS3)]
Buy: [GTA IV (Xbox 360)]

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12 Comments


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   by girandhistacos - 2008-04-21
 » Uh... huh...

Morons.

I am sick of this. Video games are just some safety net the States use to fall into every time something violent happens in their country.

It's not the video games' fault... IT'S THE COUNTRY'S FAULT!

They just can't admit that their ridiculous amount of dumb, under-educated, patriotism-ridden, poverty-dwelling, religion-thumping, F*CKED up people are to blame for the stupid amount violence rocking the country.

"Gotta put the blame SOMEwhere, let's put it on something that can easily be explained with small words like VIDEO GAMES!"

The States have some major problems, and they stem NOT from video interactivity, but from the lack of true, RESPONSIBLE guidance from teachers, parents, government, and most of all TELEVISION MEDIA.

And the amount of people that just fall back onto religion when something bad happens is just INSANE! And EVERY one of them are hypocrites!

"Ooohh... WHY GOD did you let them invent a game that taught my son how to mow down an entire school yard of toddlers and puppies?!" And then: "Please God, save my son from his evil ways!"

Don't blame video games for your children and their stupid mistakes. Blame yourselves for not having any values or structure. Blame the parents. It's all their fault.

Hm. I wonder if I'll get any back-lash for this...


   Re: blackmobb - 2008-04-22
 » lol

u go girl

   Re: CHUCKINGROCKSATSPACESHIPS - 2008-04-22
 » Not All Of Us

I live in the U.S. and don't think like this so no, I am not a hypocrite. I do not think games are to blame but I do believe that 99% of wars in the world have to do with disagreements on religion. Whats mostly to blame is a lot of parents don't raise their children right. The children are mistreated or need some sort of attention that the parents don't recognize. TV is not to blame. There are a lot of things on tv that talk about how people can support there community and they talk about events in the community that are fun and helpful. Yeah so there is some explicit programming but that falls back on the parent to keep the children away from that until they are old enough to understand life's consequences more. I hate when people talk about the U.S. without really knowing what they are talking about. Have you lived here? Out of millions upon millions of people here, there are going to be some bad apples. It is like this everywhere even probably were you live, you just may not hear about it.

   Re: Orlyeh - 2008-04-22
 » a bit off subject

They just can't admit that their ridiculous amount of dumb, under-educated, - check, only about 50% of Chicago's schoolchildren graduate high school

patriotism-ridden - these city youths are hardly patriotic

poverty-dwelling - check, largely due to policies that discourage marriage and the family unit

religion-thumping - no, not particularly

F*CKED up people are to blame for the stupid amount violence rocking the country - crime in the US, for the most part, is largely steady or declining but tends to flare up on occasion

compare this with the UK where they've banned all sorts of "weapons" (I use the term loosely) and we've seen crime rising.

Again, there seems to be a lot of religion bashing - "99% of all wars because of religious disagreement" - yeah... I'm sure the Russo-Japanese war was over a disagreement between the Eastern Orthodox Christians and the Shintoists. Gimme a break.

   Re: girandhistacos - 2008-04-22
 » On religion...

Woah. I never bashed religion. I have absolutely no problem with religion.

I have a problem with people that blame bad things on their higher power, therefore not taking any responsiblity for their actions, and then turn around and ask said higher power for guidance and forgiveness.

Being an atheist, I have no opinion either way on the subject. But I have serious problems with people that think religion is there to be used as a crutch.

I hope I cleared that up.

And ChuckingRocks, no, I've never lived in the U.S. and I never will. I HAVE however spent quite a bit of time there, and I stand by what I've said.

As you've stated, I was right about the parents. And I tend to agree that is their responsibility to raise their children to know the simple difference between right and wrong.

If you feel you are unable to do so, abort.

   Re: na2rul - 2008-04-22
 » DEfinetly not games

Its parents. If young kids arent able to take their parents seriously, what reason would they have for others?

Religion? Its disagreement in general? its "Im right, your wrong" and vice versa

I also think music "had" something to do with violence. Remember the days when rappers, gansters, black artists were overly glorified? Yeh, those were the days when being and dressing like a badboy/rudeboy was cool.

   by LordQuas431 - 2008-04-22
 » .

I love how people say the blame for violent acts is on no one but the person doing them, then they always seem to go and blame the parents...or in this odd case a country! Leave the blame on the person doing the acts, it hasn't got anything to do with the parents.

On topic though, I really hope CTA gives back Rockstar their advertising money then. It's a simple advertisement with nothing violent or offensive on it, you can see worse things in a magazine. Plus pulling it over Fox News complaining doesn't seem to make much sense either...

   by [DVSDevise] - 2008-04-22
 » ...

Who cares...Instead of having a few Chicago buses promoting the game you have the major US News channel promoting it through controversy. The mainstream will never accept GTA, luckly for us bad press just seems to increase its popularity.

   by triac - 2008-04-22
 » .

Fox News...
"PlayStation Pornable"
"SexBox 360"
"Mass Effect = Porn Game"

Fox "News" just can't be taken serious.


   Re: Binary - 2008-04-24
 » ...

that's why I switch back to CNN Headline News.

   by ka0sx - 2008-04-22
 » Grand Theft Childhood

I suggest that everyone flog their local news stations with mail stating that they read the book "Grand Theft Childhood" this book is based on the study done by the government about video games and the effects of violent video games.



   Re: Binary - 2008-04-24
 » lol true

only way to get in their stupid news station if you wrote a freaking book.


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