Mayor Bloomberg defends NYC in wake of GTA trailer
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Mar 31st 2007 at 12:00PM }
Mamma Mia! Here we go again, GTA, does it show how much politicians can't resist ya? GamePolitics points to a New York Daily News piece this morning where politicians are incensed by Liberty City's striking resemblence to New York City. The Daily News had city councilmen, Police Commisssioner Ray Kelly and even Mayor Bloomberg's office commenting that the game has nothing to do with reality. Bloomberg's office even whipped out statistics showing auto thefts have dropped 58 percent since Bloomberg took office, and so far this year New York City's murder rate is down 28 percent. Apparently that will all change once GTA IV hits the streets. Following yesterday's takeover at Take-Two, it doesn't look like protocol on GTA issues is changing, Take-Two refused comment on the story.Real life mayors getting upset about games taking place in their cities is a pretty recent phenomenon. Las Vegas was upset with Ubisoft over Rainbow Six taking place in the city of sin and Mexican government officials confiscated GRAW 2. For the record, this wouldn't be the first time Liberty City was the setting for GTA. In the latest incarnations Grand Theft Auto III and GTA: Liberty City Stories were also set in pseudo-New York. We don't fault politicians though, sometimes the activists who get these balls rolling are bit late. The groups that helped get GTA ads banned in Boston with GTA: Vice City Stories weren't on the ball or enraged enough when GTA: Liberty City Stories' ads ran a year earlier.
In a situation like this it also helps to turn a blind eye to all the violent movies that take place in New York. On a grand scale we have Godzilla destroying half the city and blowing up Madison Square Garden, Independence Day's annihilation of the whole city. We also have American Psycho, which can't even be written about here, Jason Takes Manhattan, The Bone Collector made us think differently of New York cabs, and don't forget the GTA-style romp of Die Hard with a Vengeance. Die Hard had the insane driving scene through Central Park all to stop a terrorist who was allegedly going to blow up children, but plenty of civilians were in danger during that scene. Also, The Siege, with its exploding buses, internment camps and martial law was just a bit more disturbing.
Get ready folks, it's going to be one long bumpy political and legal road between now and GTA IV's release in October.
[via GamePolitics]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Morale @ Mar 31st 2007 12:10PM
No kidding it doesn't have anything to do with reality. It. Is. A. Game. Not. Real. Life.
Nick James @ Mar 31st 2007 12:28PM
I don't know what Patrick Bateman has to do with this article, but it totally made me laugh my ass off.
David @ Mar 31st 2007 12:58PM
how many movies with murders or horrible disasters take place in NYC? And those crews (and the tax dollars they bring in) are welcomed.
Harold @ Mar 31st 2007 12:38PM
I was really hoping that we would get "80s New York as the setting for GTA IV just so I could live out Patrick Bateman's life or at least listen to a little Phil Collins and Whitney Houston while I go around killing hookers.
miles foreman @ Mar 31st 2007 12:38PM
"Hey Paul!"
miles foreman @ Mar 31st 2007 12:41PM
And because I couldn't resist:
"Try getting a reservation at Dorsia now, you fucking stupid bastard!"
Savok @ Mar 31st 2007 12:42PM
I'd be more worried about Law and Order: SVU personally. Seems every other New York is centerpoint for the importation of child sex slaves from Central America or some grand meeting of child molesters.
Also according to SVU, all NY colleges are made of sluts, extremely damaged rape victims and rapists. And don't even get me started on the endless string of Eastern Europeans slavers.
Phil @ Mar 31st 2007 12:46PM
oh yeah! that was my favorite mission! running up to little kids in GTA, opening my trench coat which was filmed to the brim with Porno Mags and Nudy Video Tapes. I made a lot of money that way...
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.
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What the fuck are they talking about?
SuperCNES @ Mar 31st 2007 12:46PM
"In previous incarnations, players advanced through the game by killing cops, selling pornography to children and killing prostitutes."
When did "selling pornography to children" occur?
dontlikeitmodit @ Mar 31st 2007 12:47PM
Heres hoping that GTA can do something about that 58% drop.
PS. Hunts point ladies watch out for the guy in the Hawaiian shirt. He means to take your cash and give you a beatdown!
Rubang B @ Mar 31st 2007 1:29PM
The Day After Tomorrow totally messed up New York City. Now I'm afraid to go there. You can party with all the hookers you want, but the storm's a gonna getcha!
Shagittarius @ Mar 31st 2007 1:53PM
Do you like Phil Collins? I've been a big Genesis fan ever since the release of their 1980 album, Duke. Before that, I really didn't understand any of their work. Too artsy, too intellectual. It was on Duke where Phil Collins' presence became more apparent. I think Invisible Touch was the group's undisputed masterpiece. It's an epic meditation on intangibility. At the same time, it deepens and enriches the meaning of the preceding three albums. Christy, take off your robe. Listen to the brilliant ensemble playing of Banks, Collins and Rutherford. You can practically hear every nuance of every instrument. Sabrina, remove your dress. In terms of lyrical craftsmanship, the sheer songwriting, this album hits a new peak of professionalism. Sabrina, why don't you, uh, dance a little. Take the lyrics to Land of Confusion. In this song, Phil Collins addresses the problems of abusive political authority. In Too Deep is the most moving pop song of the 1980s, about monogamy and commitment. The song is extremely uplifting. Their lyrics are as positive and affirmative as anything I've heard in rock. Christy, get down on your knees so Sabrina can see your asshole. Phil Collins' solo career seems to be more commercial and therefore more satisfying, in a narrower way. Especially songs like In the Air Tonight and Against All Odds. Sabrina, don't just stare at it, eat it. But I also think Phil Collins works best within the confines of the group, than as a solo artist, and I stress the word artist. This is Sussudio, a great, great song, a personal favorite.
Rubang B @ Mar 31st 2007 1:59PM
What's funny is my taste in Genesis was exactly the opposite of Patrick Bateman's, and I'm not really into anything after The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, which is one of my favorite albums of all time.
But then after seeing American Psycho, I got really into solo Phil Collins. Thank you Shagittarius, for reminding me to download Duke. And now Karaoke Revolution Party is getting me into singing Whitney Houston songs. I guess, basically, I'm becoming Patrick Bateman.
Dirtyboy @ Mar 31st 2007 2:23PM
The crime rate will actually drop when GTA IV releases because everyone will be inside playing the game...
dontlikeitmodit @ Mar 31st 2007 2:20PM
@13
LOL !
Murray @ Apr 1st 2007 2:27AM
maybe I'm being picky but saying it has nothing to do with reality is kinda a funny thing to say, because he's talking about it >>;;; so it's real enough to him right? There are people in the game, people are real right? while I'm sure somebody with even more scruples than me can go on longer than I can. I just wanna say, The color blue is in that game, and I believe in the color blue... especially the super intelligent shades
ZeroCorpse @ Mar 31st 2007 2:54PM
I just wanted to poitn out that Mexico is actually a *country* with a *President*, and not a city with a mayor.
OK, yes, there is a Mexico City, but the article was talking about the nation of Mexico, not the city of Mexico City.
That's all.
Blake Haven @ Mar 31st 2007 2:48PM
Your sarcasm is disgusting. Everybody knows that events in reality revolve around video games !
thumbs @ Mar 31st 2007 2:58PM
"...because I just want to fit in."
Philonious @ Mar 31st 2007 3:33PM
Maybe someone let the mayor watch Stay Alive and he thinks reality reflects videogames. Stupid movies are to blame for everything!
kevinski @ Mar 31st 2007 4:02PM
Ahh...American Psycho. One of my favorite movies ever.
"Did you know...that Whitney Houston's debut LP, called simply Whitney Houston, had four number one singles on it? Did you know that, Christy?"
[laughing] "You listen to Whitney Houston? You own a Whitney Houston CD? More than one?"
"It's so hard to choose a favorite among so many great tracks."
Hahahaha...
Shagittarius @ Mar 31st 2007 5:23PM
"The Greatest Love of All" is one of the best, most powerful songs ever written about self-preservation, dignity. Its universal message crosses all boundaries and instills one with the hope that it's not too late to better ourselves. Since, Elizabeth, it's impossible in this world we live in to empathize with others, we can always empathize with ourselves. It's an important message, crucial really. And it's beautifully stated on the album.
Pikachelsea @ Mar 31st 2007 5:33PM
Haha, when are these tards going to stop treating videogames like such enormous social threats? I don't see anyone trying to ban violent movies that take place in their city... o wait, I forgot, that would require them to stop using double standards and not behave like hypocrites, MY BAD.
Diskoboy @ Mar 31st 2007 6:01PM
I have to return some videotapes...
GhaleonQ @ Mar 31st 2007 6:27PM
I'd like to take the opportunity to steer everyone back to Kyle's post, number 12.
Rubang B @ Mar 31st 2007 7:25PM
@ZeroCorpse, this blog just said Mexico, but the actual incident was just the state government of Chihuahua confiscating all copies of GRAW 2. So it wasn't city or federal government, it was state! Ack!
osky_ @ Apr 1st 2007 11:35AM
In the other games you couldn´t be sure that Liberty City was NYC... this time around it looks exactly like NYC.
John @ Apr 1st 2007 4:13PM
Idiot politics need to realize Society doesn't Reflect the games, the Games Reflect society.
Rubang B @ Apr 1st 2007 5:04PM
Super intelligent shades of blue for teh winz.
Pimliconite @ Apr 2nd 2007 1:57AM
"8. 'In previous incarnations, players advanced through the game by killing cops, selling pornography to children and killing prostitutes.'
When did 'selling pornography to children' occur?"
Judge: You stand accused of killing 4 police officers, stealing 1592 cars, running over 118 old ladies, beating 6 prostitutes to death, and selling pornography to minors. How to you plea?
You: Whoa, whoa, whoa, judge, I didn't sell no pornography to no kids, alright.
ZeroCorpse @ Apr 2nd 2007 9:02AM
You know, the politicians should be *FLATTERED* that a team of programmers and artists actually took the time to model their beloved city in such beautiful detail. If anything, that trailer shows a LOVE for New York City.
If an artist puts a painting in New York museums, and it depicts a cityscape, people say how nice that is... If a digital artist makes an actual LIVING, BREATHING virtual version of that same city- including both the good and bad elements- it's somehow a terrible thing.
I think this trailer deserves to be in a museum.
soccerdude51 @ Apr 11th 2007 4:28PM
@ 31 lol. so true