news

Every Grand Theft Auto game ever released (okay, most games made by Rockstar in general) has not been without its fair share of controversy, and the recently released Grand Theft Auto IV is no exception. True, the game is loaded with adult material, such as bloody violence, and having some (off-screen) alone time with your girlfriend/prostitute of choice. However, that’s why the game carries a Mature rating in the U.S.: to ensure that GTA IV is not sold to minors, as well as attempting to make parents aware of the game’s content. However, it remains (as it should be) up to the parent to decide whether or not this game is appropriate for his or her offspring.

In New Zealand, though, this is not the case at all, says GamePolitics. The Grand Theft Auto IV launch over there has already faced censorship and a ratings debate, and the watered-down version of the game was still met with an R18 rating, meaning it’s meant for adults only. However, according to Bill Hastings of New Zealand’s Office of Film and Literature Classification, simply alerting parents is not enough; they must be prevented from buying this game for their children entirely:

“If it’s perfectly obvious the parent is buying the game for the child, don’t sell it to the parent. If a game is R18 it’s R18 for a reason and it’s illegal to make it available to anyone under that age.”

Though this law has never been enforced yet, an adult buying this game for a minor (yes, even his or her own child) could face a 90-day jail sentence or a $10,000 fine. Ridiculous much? While I don’t believe that young children should be playing Grand Theft Auto IV, I am also in complete support of parents being made aware of the content of the games they buy for their children and making informed decisions about what to purchase. Taking away that right entirely just seems obscene.



I’m willing to bet that the only person thrilled with this is our own personal self-appointed censor, Jack Thompson. Let’s not forget that our delusional and mildly insane friend Jack is still trying to get Grand Theft Auto IV classified as pornography in the U.S. As GamePolitics points out, “If so, it would likely be the world’s first-ever sans genitalia porn.”

Honestly, has the world gone completely mad? First of all, can we all just chill out for a second and remember that this is just a game? If people spent as much time dealing with actual problems instead of this crap, a lot more would be accomplished. Also, how does the government in a nation where people elect their officials get to decide what video games parents can and cannot buy for their children? I guess getting video games censored and banned, and filling up jail cells with parents who just bought GTA IV for their kid’s 16th birthday, are a lot easier than actually doing something worthwhile and dealing with real-life violence. Nicely done, Bill Hastings, you sure know how to waste the taxpayers of New Zealand time and money.

Related Articles:

GTA IV Neutered For Australian Audience?

Grand Theft Auto Ads Banned by Chicago Mass Transit

ESRB Rates Grand Theft Auto IV 

Share this article: