– I think the new game will be a milestone. That’s what game expert Jon Cato Lorentzen says to news. The first sneak peek at Grand Theft Auto 6 was originally supposed to premiere at 3pm on Tuesday, but that was not the case. The reason was that the trailer for the game was leaked. Thus, game developer Rockstar Games chose to publish it themselves on their official YouTube channel on Tuesday night. In seven hours, over 40 million people have seen the trailer. Grand Theft Auto (GTA) is considered one of the most talked about and controversial game series ever. From the trailer, it appears that the player will be able to travel back to the metropolis of Vice City, which is based on Miami. Photo: AFP / NTB The games are known, among other things, for their adult content and focus on violence and sexual content. On the other hand, gaming university is also much more for many others. Among other things, Lorentzen refers to the game series as a cultural phenomenon worldwide. The Grand Theft Auto series briefly explained: Grand Theft Auto is a popular video game series developed by Rockstar Games. The series is known for its open world and satire of contemporary times. The main focus of the games is built on criminal activities such as car theft, murder and bank robbery. Each release in the game series also has unique characters and a sprawling story the player follows. The game series has an 18-year age limit. High expectations Ten years after the release of the previous game in the series, “GTA 5”, game publisher Rockstar Games announced in November that the first sneak peek of the next game in the series would arrive in December. The November 8 announcement has received 184 million views on X, formerly known as Twitter, and the message has received 1 million likes. But what is it about this series of games that makes people so engaged? – The games have gained a large following primarily because the content has been good. In terms of pop culture, the Grand Theft Auto series is a boon, says Lorentzen. Jon Cato Lorentzen believes GTA’s success is largely due to the player’s freedom in a living game world with an apt parody of our own world. Photo: Kristian Nymoen / news Started in the 90s Grand Theft Auto’s history is long and controversial. It all started in the 90s as a cops and robbers game. – Then Rockstar found out when they made the game, that it was much more fun to just be a robber. Because then you could do whatever you wanted. The police must follow the rules, says Lorentzen. Based on that, the first game, “Grand Theft Auto”, was released in 1997. The game developer Rockstar Games has released a total of 15 games in the Grand Theft Auto series since 1997. Photo: AFP Controversial A game series with a main focus on car theft, murder and bank robberies have not gone quietly. The game series has been the subject of several controversies. One of the concerns was that children could access the game. In 2002, then Minister for Children and Families Laila Dåvøy wanted to ban “GTA 3”. In the same year, it was reported to the police by the children’s ombudsman and the consumer council. At the same time, the controversies have been important in establishing the game series as something a little dangerous, Lorentzen believes. – When you are first a bit in opposition to parents, teachers and society, playing GTA has in a way been a badge of honour, he says. Grand Theft Auto 5, which was released in 2013, took more than five years to make and cost between NOK 1.2 and 1.8 billion. Photo: Rockstar Games The debate that died out At the same time as Grand Theft Auto took off 20 years ago, the debate about violence in computer games was also big. Since then, the debate has died down and the focus has turned to other things. – At the start of the 2000s, the focus shifted to the addictive aspect of games. Especially after the launch of World of Warcraft in 2004, it received a lot of attention, media researcher Faltin Karlsen at Kristiania University College tells news. – So you can say that even then the elements of violence in games received less attention than it had previously received, he says. In recent times, the focus on violence in computer games has been replaced by concerns directed at smartphones, social media and screen use, Faltin Karlsen explains. Photo: Kari Stokke Nilsen / news From the middle of the 2000s there was a period when concerns about addiction problems and violence switched to receiving focus from the outside world. Karlsen expresses that he is not surprised that the debate about violence in computer games has largely disappeared. – In a way, I don’t think it’s strange. There aren’t more first-person shooters being sold now than there were then. At the same time, there is no research that shows unequivocally that elements of violence have a very large impact on those who play, he says. Some uncertainty Now that the first sneak peek at the next chapter in the Grand Theft Auto series is out, it’s probably still some time until the game is released. According to Jon Cato Lorentzen, there are some uncertainties surrounding the next game. Among other things, some of the creative power behind Grand Theft Auto such as Dan Houser, Lazlow Jones and Michael Unsworth have left game developer Rockstar Games. Ten years have passed since GTA V, the fifth and currently final game in the series, was released. Photo: AFP / NTB The game expert also highlights the satire that has been so important in Grand Theft Auto. Specifically, he points out that the satire on American society in the ten-year-old “GTA 5” is now frighteningly close to reality. – That is one of the challenges Rockstar is facing now. How are they going to take the temperature of society and parody a United States that is almost a parody of itself? – So, a few years ago a shaman helped storm Congress in Washington. It’s like taken out of a GTA game, says Lorentzen. According to Rockstar, the game will be released in 2025.
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Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer leaked – premiered earlier than expected – news Culture and entertainment
