Rockstar wants to know: what's wrong with America?

by Jared Rea { Jul 13th 2007 at 10:55PM }

In an email sent out to their faithful subscribers, Rockstar, under the guise of Liberty City's premier talk radio station, WKTT, wants to know what you think is wrong with the Americas. Whether it's the state of the war on terror, health care -- whatever it is, they want you to voice your opinion. The best of which, presumably, will wind up on one of the in-game radio stations found in the upcoming Grand Theft Auto 4.

We plan on hitting up a bar or two tonight, stumbling into a late night pay phone and regaling WKTT with tales of botched price drops and non-games.

[Thanks, B1gC72!]

Tags: grandtheftauto4, gta4, gtaiv, rockstar

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

faceless coward @ Jul 13th 2007 11:01PM

Ha. RockStar is so awesome.

Triple07 @ Jul 13th 2007 11:11PM

Wow that's just another reson why Rockstar is one of the best developers ever. Don't know how I feel about my name being in GTAIV though. It would be either really awesome or really wierd. Probably freakin awesome though.

Uchendu Nwachukwu @ Jul 13th 2007 11:50PM

Nothing's stopping you from making up a name or using a psuedonym.

Staggs @ Jul 13th 2007 11:18PM

Cue the inter-continental flame war in 3...2...1...

thenino85 @ Jul 14th 2007 12:02AM

I'll start.

Out-of-control media companies that think the only way to be original is to add as much pointless shock value into their product as possible with no redeeming qualities whatsoever, contributing to the decline of Western civilization. Who don't care about contributing to culture, just about lining their pockets with money. Who think that the First Amendment covers only free speech, when it also covers freedom of assembly (i.e. the freedom of those of us who don't like said products to form groups and speak out against them, and the freedom of publishers to choose to not publish said titles.) But these media companies aren't truly the ones to blame, as I think about it. No media company would be successful without a large audience to fund them. It's the masses that buy their games, who think that any game that says "fuck" and allows you to screw strippers is schweet. Don't think you're above it, Europe, we Americans got our Big Brother and other reality TV shows from you.

Something tells me that won't make it into GTAIV.

(To anticipate some objections, there are cases when shock value is justified and can in fact have artistic merit, a la "The Sopranos" or even "The Darkness," to a minor degree. Also, people are responsible for their actions, yes. If someone kills another person because he saw it in a video game, he and he alone is totally responsible for his actions. But responsibility is a double-edged sword, and a company is responsible for the consequences of their product, used in the way the company intended it to be used, being on the market. In the case of games, the consequences are minimal, and games are NOT to blame for violence. A game publisher insisting that he has no responsibility for the consequences of his game being released, however, is irresponsible. Everyone is responsible for their own actions, from psychopaths to game publishers.)

Tom @ Jul 14th 2007 12:33AM

You're right, thenino85, your rant probably won't make it into GTA4... but not because of any controversy it might have stirred up, not because it contains a conflict of interest on the part of the developers, not because it was (as you likely believe) too high-brow and thought-provoking for the average GTA4 player... no... that won't make it into the game because that was one Boring Ass Rant! Now STFU!

faceless coward @ Jul 14th 2007 12:59AM

Thank you! You have just given me hope that there are people out there who don't wave the Constitution around whenever someone criticizes a game like GTA for being inappropriate or having a negative moral affect on society. That's their RIGHT and I would contend that it's almost a necessity that these groups exist to maintain some sort of balance. Of course, it's also necessary that we defend the Constitutional rights and social perception of our industry, but the two are not mutually exclusive. But I'm telling you what you already know.

You must admit that this is a clever little marketting ploy, though.

faceless coward @ Jul 14th 2007 12:59AM

*effect

Fatass of Kickassness @ Jul 14th 2007 8:16AM

Hahaha, I was about to point out that the reason the media companies try that shit is because stupid people will buy it, but you covered that too! Bravo.

Megaqwerty @ Jul 14th 2007 10:51AM

Actually, the first part of your rant could actually make it in, albeit with the aid of a voice-over done by a raving lunatic.

Rockstar would probably view it as self-parody: I think they had similar pieces in GTA:SA.

Aberu @ Jul 14th 2007 11:38AM

Ah, the "everyone is oh-so-stupid but me" complaints. I debate against the Wii for it being what it is, not cuz "the masses" like it and that is somehow bad. I don't like Michael Bay films because they, to me, suck, not because "the masses" like them or anything.

Get off your high horse. A 15 year old with F's' opinions are just as valid as some harvard graduate in America. If you want to complain about the country in some way, at least don't shit on our right to have contrary opinions and likes/dislikes tastes etc... You could just say you don't like it because it is crude. Instead you say something like "There is a market for this kinda game, that's the only reason they make it, not because it is my idea of legitimate art".

So yeah go back to whatever commie country you came from.

Mr Khan @ Jul 14th 2007 4:19PM

thenino's first statement was right

What's wrong with America?

Turn to any 24-hour news channel and find out. It's a fear-mongering culture that's got us scared of everything. Sure a lot of scary things happen, but it seems the media puts a fearful tone into virtually anything and everything, making the bad seem worse and the worse seem catastrophic

Gross Greg @ Jul 15th 2007 12:44PM

ROTFL@thenino85 - What's wrong with America? The fact that people like you think that people like me care what you think. We don't. No one does.

Tom @ Jul 14th 2007 12:26AM

Hehehe there should be two fanboys on the phone at the same time arguing which is better: PS3 or Xbox360.

Put that audio in the game! Both versions!

That's soooooo meta!

Farseer @ Jul 14th 2007 1:29AM

Nice! What a great idea!

How fucking cool would that be?!?

waves @ Jul 14th 2007 2:19AM

They would have to use those horrible fanboy nicknames, too.

Ska Oreo @ Jul 14th 2007 12:29AM

I ask myself that question everyday.

penas @ Jul 14th 2007 12:52AM

whats wrong with America? liberals.

Liberal Whak-0 @ Jul 14th 2007 7:24AM

What's wrong with America - Republicans and holier than thou semantic butchers beating and twisting constitutional protocol to present very linear, self-serving, self-indulging implicities of -their- moral standing on matters, which they attempt to pass off as credible rants.

el tonot @ Jul 14th 2007 1:20PM

Whats wrong? When you have countless of 20 somethings in America with college degrees that can't even find a decent paying job.....thats for starters.

Clint @ Jul 15th 2007 6:25PM

thenino,

shut the hell up.

It's not Rockstar's fault, idiots who play their games, decided to act the game out in real life. Why should people like me who like the games suffer just because their parents are too damn lazy TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR KIDS PROPERLY.

What's next, Hilter played Manhunt, then decided to cause the death of millions of Jewish people. Give me a break. This kind of violence has been around before video games, and will be when video games are dead.

The real thing wrong with America is the lack of freedom of speech and expression. Look at Manhunt 2. The overbearing ESRB rates it AO, and the chicken shit companies like Nintendo,Sony and Microsoft won't allow the game because of that. Yet all 3 next gen consoles have parental controls built in to lock out games like Manhunt. Why should the people like me suffer, who want to play the game as is, suffer because people are afraid of the reprocussions. Get the parents involved in rasing their kids properly, and you won't have troubles.

faceless coward @ Jul 16th 2007 2:47PM

Do you believe that the way reality is portrayed in the media (that is, games, books, movies, music, news media, etc.) has no effect on the way people view the world? If that's the case, why is propaganda so effective? Why, historically, have people been able to convince an entire nation to follow them into horrendous blunders by playing on their prejudices and fears?

Of course Rockstar has every right to make games that offend people without government interference. But those people also have a right to speak out. If Rockstar wanted, they could foot the bill of porting Manhunt to an unrestricted platform like the PC and no one could do anything to stop them. If sales are low because of limited attention and Take-Two decides it's not worth it to make a statement, no one is taking away their rights; they're simply conceding to the free market.

Riff1 @ Jul 14th 2007 1:13AM

I'll tell you what's just insane about America- what's insane is the price I can you on a brand-new pre-owned vehicle! I'm Psychopathic Sam, and I'm SLASHING prices everywhere! I take good credit, bad credit, no credit, and even debit! Just come on down to Psychopathic Sam's Auto Lot in Portland, and I’ll get you some KILLER deals!

BPM @ Jul 14th 2007 3:22AM

Okay, this is a pretty cool promo.

Granted, I'm not a fan of the GTA series, but I thought it'd be cool to try out anyways.
So, if any of youse mugs is gonna get GTA4, lemme know of a talk radio caller goes by the name of Joe Milburn. :D

Anticrawl @ Jul 14th 2007 5:26AM

Haha, liberals. Anyone who doesn't agree with that doesn't know what a liberal or a conservative are. Basically modern day republicans and democrates are both very liberal, as are all politicans, on top of that they're crooked.

What is wrong with America though? Probably because snuff films like Saw I-III are ok to watch but playing a game with quick yet vicious death scenes is not acceptable. Maybe the fact that death and violence is just fine here but sex is a taboo, unlike the rest of the world that doesn't live in a backwards ass society.

required @ Jul 14th 2007 12:29PM

I don't think you understand the term liberal.

Anticrawl @ Jul 14th 2007 5:37AM

What's wrong?

People sitting on their couch enjoying a nice afternoon of news involving men viciously murdering people and having sex with their 80 or so knife wounds without batting a lash. But the second someone is naked or has sex on tape people freak the fuck out.

We are so confused here in america. Violence goooooood, sex baaaadddd.

Whenever the most important thing a senator has to talk about is a sex minigame in a video game that's when you know your country is screwed up. Meanwhile poverty is high and crime is skyrocking where I live.

Yeah some digital titties drops the country to its knees but not the quater of a cities population that is held at gun point once a month.

Anticrawl @ Jul 14th 2007 5:43AM

"Hello Senator? Yes I'd like to let you in on an issue I've had and I don't know who to blame.. Well I got my 6 year old a set of knives and a loaded gun for christmas and he killed himself. Kids shouldn't be allowed to use guns or knives, we should make a bunch of laws and regulations to keep them out of our children's hands. Next thing you know my sun will be drinking that glass of DrainO I put in his lunch box just because he isn't protected by the government. The requirement to be 18 to purchase a gun or poisons is not enough apparently. Yesterday I saw a commercial targeted towards kids to buy guns, knives and sniff spray-paint."

That's what's wrong.. people are stupid.

Matt B @ Jul 14th 2007 9:37AM

What is wrong?

Stupid people breed 5 times more. NO money, let's have another kid and smoke a pack or 2 a day in the house with all these kids. Let's live off welfare and never have to work. Damnit!!! Now the daughter is pregnant too.

The cycle continues.

Roger Rees @ Jul 14th 2007 10:36AM

I'd have to answer this question by saying "Not much." Sure, we have some problems, but they are really minor compared to what the rest of the "civilized" world has to deal with. Without even comparing our life to third world countries, we have it so much better here than anyone else has it anywhere else in the world.

People complaint about how this administration is stifling free speech and conducting illegal searches of its own citizens. How many newspapers has China shut down in the last year? How many people in Britain and the rest of Europe don't get the fourth amendment protection from searches?

That being said, I'd have to say that the worst problem with America is that there just doesn't seem to be enough space for everyone. Everyone wants to be here (a testament to how great life is here), and unfortunately we can't seem to accomodate everyone.

zwarrior @ Jul 14th 2007 11:04AM

Greed is the only most broad thing I could think of, but that's a worldwide issue.

Aberu @ Jul 14th 2007 11:41AM

What's wrong with America? The two-party system, apparently, as these two provide great examples *rolls eyes* *continues to read libertarian literature in vain*

SnapperDragon @ Jul 14th 2007 11:43AM

Tired of US bashing. How about what's GOOD in the US? Maybe what's wrong with the rest of the world. Doesn't any other person in the US get tired of hearing nothing but the bad stuff? US bashing is in these days and I'm just tired of it. Some of you who live in the US and love to US bash should go live in another country that likes to bash the US and then give us a report on how much better it was there...

required @ Jul 14th 2007 12:11PM

if we pull out now we'll be greated as liberators

required @ Jul 14th 2007 12:18PM

SnapperDragon dissent is patriotic as is questioning our governments policies, blind obedience and jingoism is dumb and dumber.

el tonot @ Jul 14th 2007 1:23PM

I once had a finance professor in college that said that procreation is a sure way to poverty in America!! He want on to say that he wouldn't be surprised if 60-70% of the people in this country that have kids had them just to fit-in not that they really wanted them in the first place.