Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto series is one of the biggest video game franchises of all time. From changing the landscape of crime-focused titles to Grand Theft Auto 5 becoming the fastest-selling entertainment product in history, it's clear that it has made a large impact on the industry and beyond. Both financially and critically, the Grand Theft Auto franchise has found success, and even though the previous mainline entry has only continued to grow since its 2013 release, many fans are looking forward to the launch of Grand Theft Auto 6.

Considering how successful Grand Theft Auto 5 was, not to mention the series in general, another sequel seemed inevitable. However, with Rockstar's focus on Red Dead Redemption 2 in the years after the game's release, not to mention a number of other projects, official news of Grand Theft Auto 6 was few and far between. Rumors and speculation continued to swirl around the next installment, and fans were over the moon when it was finally confirmed to be in development. The next entry is still probably a few years away, but Rockstar has started to drop a few details that have raised some eyebrows, like a change in the way the series will feature its signature humor moving forward.

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A Controversial Legacy

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Video games in general can get a pretty bad reputation, with some people outside the industry and community believing that it's nothing more than a mindlessly violent pastime. Unfortunately, the Grand Theft Auto series is often pointed to as an example of how video games can glorify crime, excuse violence, and encourage bad behavior. This isn't to say there aren't some elements of those aspects in games like Grand Theft Auto, but these examples are often taken without the necessary context and used by people who haven't actually played the games themselves.

Video games haven't always gotten it right, and some titles and developers continue to make mistakes to this day. It's an unfortunate truth that it's taken a long time to get video games to reflect the diversity of other creative industries, who themselves still aren't even all that diverse. There have also been lots of examples in recent years of major studios like Activision Blizzard having toxic working conditions full of bullying, misogyny, and racism, and it's clear the industry still has a long way to go. But the good news is that some developers seem to be waking up to this fact and making sure that subsequent games reflect a more inclusive, diverse world.

Cleaning Up Its Image

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The Grand Theft Auto series has long been something that people point to in order to criticize the way violence is handled in video games. Whether this is justified or not, it goes a long way to showing how the franchise is perceived. In the past, the games have included some crass humor that occasionally crosses the line, as well as plenty of opportunities for players to unleash an unhinged criminal side to their protagonist. Marginalized or oft-maligned groups are usually the targets of this violence or the butt of the games' jokes, and this hasn't helped the franchise's image either.

But it seems like Rockstar might be trying to clean up its act. It's been almost ten years since Grand Theft Auto 5 was released, and a lot has happened since then both politically and culturally. Many entertainment industries have changed their ways in the wake of cultural phenomenons like the Me Too movement, and it seems like this is slowly seeping into the video game world as well. According to recent reports, Rockstar is looking to change Grand Theft Auto's approach to humor for the next game to make it more politically correct and move away from more controversial avenues, like its reductive treatment of female characters.

Although this heralds a new era for the franchise and will undoubtedly coincide with other seismic changes to the familiar Grand Theft Auto formula, it seems like some fans aren't too happy. Some players may feel like video games and other forms of entertainment should steer clear of politics and political correctness, but the undeniable truth is that art – in all its forms, be it painting, film, or video game – has always been inherently political. It's refreshing to see not only a major studio but also an incredibly foundational franchise willing to take risks and make changes to adapt, and lots of players will likely be excited to see Grand Theft Auto 6's new direction.

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Punching Up Instead Of Down

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Some fans may not necessarily be worried about the series becoming too politically correct, but instead be mindful that changing the humor – an aspect that has become a major factor of the previous Grand Theft Auto games – could detract from the upcoming title and prove detrimental. It's true that a lot of mainstream humor in Western culture has usually followed similar tropes, targeting groups that make easy prey and who are often universally vilified or denigrated for the amusement of the more privileged. A lot of jokes that many would consider 'edgy' or 'boundary pushing' are actually very conventional thanks to the unbalanced nature of society, and it could actually be considered more controversial to punch up instead of down.

It's understandable that some fans are cautious of change, especially in a series that has been so successful, but a lot of the aspects of older Grand Theft Auto games actually feel incredibly uncomfortable now and would feel out of place in a modern game. The degradation of women, the casual violence towards sex worker, and the not-so-subtle racism toward certain communities are all elements that a great game shouldn't contain. Removing these aspects and picking new targets for humor among the rich and powerful or large institutions still yields a plethora of comedic possibilities.

Games like Obsidian Entertainment's The Outer Worlds showed how anti-corporate sentiment was a rich ground for humor and satire, and it presented a nuanced, well-written experience without punching down on vulnerable individuals or communities. Punching down is easy and arguably a lazy expression of humor, but punching up takes skill and potentially leads to much better comedy. Becoming more socially conscious isn't detrimental to art either, and can produce much more accessible, vibrant, and complex creations that benefit everyone.

Grand Theft Auto 6 is in development.

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