Kids getting GTA IV

[Alistair]

This is more of interest really, it concerns me the number of kids able to get their hands on games like these. I love GTA, and I'm over 18, and don't worry I would never suggest banning it or restricting it in some way. But I see a lot of kids influenced by the game and to be honest I'm in shock that parents would buy something like GTAIV for their kids. I think over the age of 16 it's okay to play the game, but not really any younger (bare in mind, I'm from the UK, and here it is legal to become a parent or go die in the army at the age of 16).

So, please answer the poll truthfully, it will be interesting to see the results!

[Pandora]

I could have sworn you made this topic about 10 minutes ago..

Anyway, your last one asked if I'd let my kid play it.

Yes, as soon as he's 11 or just mature enough to understand it's just a game.

[w33l33]

I could have sworn you made this topic about 10 minutes ago..

Anyway, your last one asked if I'd let my kid play it.

Yes, as soon as he's 11 or just mature enough to understand it's just a game.

exactly i played gta1 when i woz like 10 and i dont go around killin ppl

[chris82]

it concerns me the number of kids able to get their hands on games like these.

Who gives a fuck?

How about PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOUR KIDS DO, AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE GAME, TAKE IT AWAY, instead of trying to have rating systems and senators take care of your kids.

I really don't care about what stores think. I go into EB Games, pre-order the game, and pick it up on release day with no supervision. Tsst.

[Harwood Butcher]

By the time GTAIV comes out, I'll be 18. I've been letting my cousins play GTA games for a while now, they're ages 7 and 9 now. I just mute the TV or turn off the SFX for the game so my cousins don't hear any bad words.

[Alistair]

The thing is, it's alright with the top-down GTAs, because let's face it, you can barely see what's going on and there wasn't exactly a storyline. But the 3D gtas are realistic, and GTAIV will be even more so. If I had kids, it'd be 16 they'd be able to play it, before then they can play racing games, strategy games, and wii. I do honestly think that especially the cutscenes creating a sense of ganghood mentality influences the younglings, yeah they may be alright, okay, you know your kid, but i see a lot of kids out there now that walk round in (for example) bandanas (i mean who the hell wears those these days) like the own the damn place, being intensely (sp?) arrogant and thinking they are tough (even tho they are a third the size of you). Really, I think a lack of time spent with kids (thanks to the ever increasing cost of living, meaning more work hours, no more housewifes, and the "can't be arsed attitude") makes it a lot easier for parents to sit their kids in front of the tv or playstation all day and not properly mother/father the child. So instead of the parent being the rolemodel, it will be whoever they are watching, be it a rap star, pop star, or god-forbid a gta character, because kids are a lot easier influenced due to their lack of knowledge and experience in life and understanding. This might sound like an authoritarian rant but honestly, we need to make sure our kids have the right role-models, hence why I am totally against letting young imprressionable kids play realistic computer games that put them in the life of someone you wouldn't want your kid to be....gta being the perfect answer.

Also, how are you kids buying these games from stores? Do they just ignore the fact it's an 18 and let you get it anyway?

[Harwood Butcher]

Well if you just throw the game at them and have them play it by themselves, then they'll make their own assumptions. I for one sit there with my cousins and explain that running over innocent civilians is a bad thing to do and they understand that now...

[Alistair]

That isn't really what I think influences them, it's the idea of the bad role models (the gangsters) that I believe influences them.

[chris82]

The thing is, it's alright with the top-down GTAs, because let's face it, you can barely see what's going on and there wasn't exactly a storyline. But the 3D gtas are realistic, and GTAIV will be even more so. If I had kids, it'd be 16 they'd be able to play it, before then they can play racing games, strategy games, and wii. I do honestly think that especially the cutscenes creating a sense of ganghood mentality influences the younglings, yeah they may be alright, okay, you know your kid, but i see a lot of kids out there now that walk round in (for example) bandanas (i mean who the hell wears those these days) like the own the damn place, being intensely (sp?) arrogant and thinking they are tough (even tho they are a third the size of you). Really, I think a lack of time spent with kids (thanks to the ever increasing cost of living, meaning more work hours, no more housewifes, and the "can't be arsed attitude") makes it a lot easier for parents to sit their kids in front of the tv or playstation all day and not properly mother/father the child. So instead of the parent being the rolemodel, it will be whoever they are watching, be it a rap star, pop star, or god-forbid a gta character, because kids are a lot easier influenced due to their lack of knowledge and experience in life and understanding. This might sound like an authoritarian rant but honestly, we need to make sure our kids have the right role-models, hence why I am totally against letting young imprressionable kids play realistic computer games that put them in the life of someone you wouldn't want your kid to be....gta being the perfect answer.

Also, how are you kids buying these games from stores? Do they just ignore the fact it's an 18 and let you get it anyway?

It's actually M here, and plus we have sane restriction laws here. GTA isn't alcohol or cigarettes for fuck sakes, they don't do physical and internal damage to kids!

[Sherman]

Parents should watch... period. Though, if that happened.. I would've never played any of the GTA games. Still though... I can't go through at wal-mart and get a mature game. No matter how much I grow out my facial hair, they always say "I.D.".... and I'm like.. "BITCH"... it's their job though. Thing is, you could just find some random adult there to buy it for you, and there isn't a damn thing they can do about it.

Immature kids... like.. my (15.. same as me)cousin, who says San Andreas makes him want to be a gangster just like CJ is... THAT'S who do not need to get ahold of these games.

[Nate10]

I'm twelve and have played since seven. My parents took it away from me when I was seven thinking I'd be bad but they uunderstood when I was ten that it's a game and I understand it's a game. Pure entertainment. I think if kids understand that they should be able to play it too. If the kids are "retarded" or something then it's the parents fault that they don't realize bad history the kids have done. If not that check out the parents if they have bad behavior. I don't see lawyers that sue these games say that kids act like their parents and reflect how their parents act.

edit: BTW(this may, well is biased considering I'm a kid) us being arrogant isn't because we play games like GTA. We're smarter than kids used to be and flatout don't like not being able to tell adults to "be quiet" or whatever but adults can do because they're adults.

Edited March 29, 2007 by Nate10

[Alistair]

Ha, kid, if you think you're smarter than other kids used to be then prove it with a degree or other respectable qualification. There is no logical reason for kids to be smarter than any past generation, only you have more than they used to and as a result you kids don't appreciate what you've got. I used to be the same as you, thinking i was way smarter, but as you start to turn adult, you'll understand respect, because you'll have responsibilities. And in my experience, there ain't no such thing as "intelligence", anybody can learn anything if they bother to actually sit down and read/work on it.

But really, I think you two made good points about only the children from bad parents are going to be severly influenced by these games. And so why it baffles me that they don't teach parenting and the hard facts of what will happen if you don't make an effort in schools.

[Nate10]

Lol, I knew I should of put in a parenthesis saying not like you say a degree and other stuff.) But ya, I actually am not doing well in school :/.

[Pandora]

GTA and realistic? Far from.

I can't buy the game in big stores here. But small ones will give you it. All they want is your money anyway.

And for Christ sake. It's a game. If you don't see a game is purely fictional you aren't even suppossed to play pokemon or you'd want to be one yourself.

And in my experience, there ain't no such thing as "intelligence", anybody can learn anything if they bother to actually sit down and read/work on it

1 person can do more then an other. Doesn't have to be limited to reading and working. Intelligence is one of the things that makes us different from animals. I do agree about that respect part though.

edit: BTW(this may, well is biased considering I'm a kid) us being arrogant isn't because we play games like GTA. We're smarter than kids used to be and flatout don't like not being able to tell adults to "be quiet" or whatever but adults can do because they're adults.

Actually I though the avarage kid is getting dumber. Being told to be quite isn't really nice, but still. The argumentation of being 'smarter' is shit.

If GTA was really not going to be in the hands of minors R* would have a problem. Since maybe 75% (just guessing) of The GTA Games they have solled is bought by minors.

[Artur]

Yeah I agree with most people. I played the first couple GTAs when I was 7 or so but that was nothing compared to now. I also play GTAIII when it came out so i was about 8 or 9 can't remember. Didn't bother me, it's not like I go around killing people and hijacking peoples' cars. If I was parent I'd first explain to my kid that you shouldn't ever do anything like this and it's just a game and probably around 10 I'd let him/her have it. But yeah it's just a game.

[Jared]

It's hard to make these types of decision when no information on the game has been released yet. No trailers or screens. However, my 2 cents worth is it's a game, Ive never seen games as a problem for anyone. More to the point, I think the parents should decide, age shouldn't be brang into it unless the child is under the age of 10. The parent should decide whether the child plays it or not, same way it happens with movies.

[Dazza]

14, Under 18, will be getting it

(BTW these are my results)

[chris82]

I don't know about kids being smarter today than in past generations...they are learning more for sure, but whether or not they are actually smarter would have to be left up to a professional study.

But I get straight As and whatnot so whatever.

[Nate10]

I say if the kid realizes it's bad which may take up to ten years old then they should be able to play.

[Gycu]

Well I was 12 when my father brought GTA Vice City, he bought it for me, and GTA is the place when I`ve always learned something, without GTA I don`t think I would be able to speak English as good as now.Lot`s of things I`ve learned from this game, so kids if you are more than 12 years old than play GTA, it brings you only advantages but it`s not indicated by the rating companies(Mature 17+,PEGI 18+...).

My dad was bored and he played GTA 3 to relax after a hard day at work it was so funny...

[CHEW-GUN]

I see that most people in here will agree that it all depends on the understanding of the kid whos playing it. As for me, I'm 16 and My b-day is on October 10th so I'll be 17 in time to be legal to buy the game. No worrys here. and no facial hair needed either. No offence Skyline. Its just funny

[Pandora]

TBH, you look yougher on your pictures.

@Gycu: I wish I had such a dad.. Mine doesn't even let me be a member of a forum. He actually said I'm never ever aloud to visit TGTAP because he saw the word 'drunk' in one of Sky's posts. That for a person who get's drunk himself.

[CHEW-GUN]

TBH, you look yougher on your pictures.

@Gycu: I wish I had such a dad.. Mine doesn't even let me be a member of a forum. He actually said I'm never ever aloud to visit TGTAP because he saw the word 'drunk' in one of Sky's posts. That for a person who get's drunk himself.

TBH,who is that? ME? If so, I am honestly 16.

[Pandora]

To Be Honest

Na, I believe you, it's just that you look a little yougher. I'd say 15.

[CHEW-GUN]

To Be Honest

Na, I believe you, it's just that you look a little yougher. I'd say 15.

Sure Maybe its just the pic. Idk. But all I'm glad is I'll be able to buy GTA IV. I'll definitely have a PS3 by October. I might get it from one of those EveryFreeGift sites. They ARE for real, but you still end up paying like unded 30 dollars.Still better than 600.