GTA 5 for a 15-year-old

[Merguez]

Interested in hearing from parents whose sons have this.

DS 15 is really piling on the pressure to get this game as 'all his friends have it'.

Are you comfortable with your son playing it?

I would not let him see an 18 movie, so I feel the same about this game.

But we are also getting a bit tired of FIFA 14.

I told Ds I was posting on here for advice and he said "Mumsnet is crap"! So please prove him wrong with your erudite advice …


Thanks you.

[Pointlessfan]

GTA is vile, I wouldn't want my child anywhere near it. However I can accept that a lot of his mates do have it and he feels left out. Could you do some research about it - there will be plenty of clips of people playing it on YouTube - and then see how you feel? If you are still against it you will be in a better position to explain why to your son. You could maybe even watch some clips together and discuss how women in the game are portrayed/treated, the crime etc.

[honeybeeridiculous]

DS (16) has it, he knows it's not real and sees it as big joke. He has a girlfriend who he respects and treats well.(she has played it) He only plays GTA occasionally on line with his mate, (headphones) from what Iv seen they drive round in cars on 'missions'
It is a horrible game and I wouldn't of let him have it before 16 but think he's mature enough now to know what's what.

[Merguez]

Thanks for the advice, both. DS has a 12 year old brother and I don't really se how I can shield him form it - but the pressure is relentless.

[myotherusernameisbetter]

I'm sad to say that I caved and my almost 13 year old and 14 year old have it.

I was holding out strong on that game and had the same view you do. I am fairly strict. No 18 movies and only a few 15s once I have checked them on IMdB.

Then I found my younger son had already been playing it and had also borrowed it from a friend.

Both boys are well behaved, respectful and mature. They drive about and play on-line with friends - that is a big part of their social life as we don't live in the same town as their school and friends. They were missing out and friendships are important too.

However, it was a bit of a phase. They played for a few weeks and then moved on to something else - they rarely play it at all any more.

[Elise101]

It depends what you are happy with him seeing/hearing. GTA has very graphic strip clubs where the player can pay for a lapdance and it is realistic with nudity and suggestive movements. There is also swearing, the option to pick up prostitutes for sex which can be heard, weird cults, violence etc. it has a good storyline but it is very much for an adult audience.

[noblegiraffe]

No. It's disgusting. I would think less of any adult who played it too.

[ThatWasNice]

This is the ESRB rating for GTA 5

I won't let it in my house even though my DC are adults. They agree with me. Read the description and see what you think.
++++++++++++*

Grand Theft Auto V


Platform: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Rating Category:

Content Descriptors: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol

Other:
Includes online features that may expose players to unrated user-generated content (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3)

Rating Summary: In this open-world action game, players assume the role of three criminals whose storylines intersect within the fictional city of Los Santos. Players can switch between each character to follow his storyline, completing missions which often include criminal activities (e.g., stealing cars, executing heists, assassinating targets). Players use pistols, machine guns, sniper rifles, and explosives to kill various enemies (e.g., rival gang members); players also have the ability to shoot non-adversary civilians, though this may negatively affect players' progress as a penalty system triggers a broad police search. Blood-splatter effects occur frequently, and the game contains rare depictions of dismemberment. In one sequence, players are directed to use various instruments and means (e.g., pipe wrench, tooth removal, electrocution) to extract information from a character; the sequence is intense and prolonged, and it involves some player interaction (i.e., responding to on-screen prompts). The game includes depictions of sexual material/activity: implied fellatio and masturbation; various sex acts that the player's character procures from a prostitute—while no nudity is depicted in these sequences, various sexual moaning sounds can be heard. Nudity is present, however, primarily in two settings: a topless lap dance in a strip club and a location that includes male cult members with exposed genitalia in a non-sexual context. Within the game, TV programs and radio ads contain instances of mature humor: myriad sex jokes; depictions of raw sewage and feces on a worker's body; a brief instance of necrophilia (no nudity is depicted). Some sequences within the larger game allow players to use narcotics (e.g., smoking from a bong, lighting a marijuana joint); cocaine use is also depicted. Players' character can, at various times, consume alcohol and drive while under the influence. The words “f*k,” “cnt,” and “n**ger” can be heard in the dialogue.


www.esrb.org/ratings/synopsis.jsp?Certificate=33073&Title=Grand%20Theft%20Auto%20V

[ThatWasNice]

There are loads of other games that don't feature the offensive crap found in the GTA games

[FavaBeanPyramidScheme]

I have GTA5 myself - it's a great game! I grew up playing computer games and have turned out to be a perfectly normal person... as normal as anyone is anyway . I'm a solicitor, mother of one.

I am a trillion times more disturbed by the awful stories reported in the news every day than by any computer game. Sadly real life is far worse than fiction.

[Mindgone]

My DSs are 19 and 17 and I won't allow it in the house! They've stopped nagging now though, because it's not the latest thing anymore. Stand firm, because other issues will follow, and we need to practice being strong and believing in what's right for our sons. Eventually they nag less, because they know it's not going to get them anywhere! Good luck!

[pilcha]

As a general rule I just let my son(16) play what he wants,although it depends on he child. At first i was hesitant to allow him 18s as my friendshave children who exhibit horrible withdrawal style symptoms after playing but touch wood my son seems to be fine. the key is to introduce adult content slowly and look at how they behave whilst playing them.On top of that DS has always been fairly mature particularly when it comes to shutting off the tv when people are around who shouldn't see what hes playing and understanding that whats in the game stays in the game and doesnt come into real life ( swearing etc..)

[Whiskwarrior]

This is a game where the protagonists are all male and you can have sex with a prostitute - the decide to kill her to get out of paying.

Wtf? Why does anyone want to play this? There are so many other amazing games out there to choose from.

And I'm a gamer too. I wouldn't be seen dead playing this. And over my dead body will either of my sons have it in my house either.

[Whiskwarrior]

Oh, and there's been a mod designed online that allows players to hold down and rape other players.

Nice. But it's only a game, eh?

[QisforQcumber]

I'm not a gamer, DH is though and its not a game we have in our home either. Its sick.

DH recommends the following: (console depending of course)

Assassins Creed (Black Flag)
The Last Of Us
Farcry
Batman Arkham Origins

[Heyho111]

My boy had it at that age. He understood that it was reality and just saw it for what it was, a game.
Your younger lad has probably already been exposed to it already if not played it already.

[Heyho111]

It was not reality. Oops

[noblegiraffe]

No, it's disgusting and I wouldn't allow it in my house. If boys want to drive around in cars or play a shoot'em up, other titles are available.

There's a wealth of video games out there, good ones, where there isn't an option to rape prostitutes.

[NoraRobertsismyguiltypleasure]

There's a guest post about the violence and misogyny in games like that, it's very interesting. Opened my eyes to the actual content of these games, quite frankly I would be disturbed if my adult partner was enjoying playing it. Playing these types of games desensitises a person to the types of behaviours are watching.

[AFewFallenLeaves]

It's offensive but all done under the banner of being "ironic".

To which my response is "Whatever"

Prefer Assassin's Creed and Skyrim.

[NewYearNewBrie]

me and dp have it, been playing gta for years. i first watched nightmare on elm street at 6 and its never effected me. i would. he's 15 and understands all that, or he should.

[chiefbrody]

It is a criminal offense for me to sell this to a 15 year old.

It is a criminal offense to sell this to a parent if I think it maybe for the child that is with them.

Is it a criminal offense to let a 15 year old play a 18 rated game?
Not sure.

But in answer to your question it is rated 18 because is it suitable for over 18s.
There I would carry on saying no, my 13 year old son has asked for this I said no and that is the end of it. He asked when he could have it, I said when he gets his own house it will never be in my house.

IT IS VILE BEYOND BELIEF.

[JohnQuig]

So, basically, noblegiraffe, whiskwarrior, norarobertsismyguiltypleasure, mindgone, thatwasnice, pointlessfan, I must be a weird and twisted deviant because I enjoy playing GTA? The fact you have so little respect for the wishes of your husbands/partners/adult children/adults in general who may want to play the game says it all, really.

I have played GTA since I was about 13, and have never, in real life:

• Killed a prostitute
  
• Stolen a car
  
• Visited a strip club
  
• Blown up a police helicopter with a bazooka
  
• BASE Jumped off a building
  
• Crashed an aeroplane into the sea
  

These are all things you can do in GTA. However, unlike the misinformation spread by people who've never played the game in this thread and on this site, the game does not revolve around them AT ALL. I have completed every GTA game since Vice City and have never once killed a prostitute in the gameplay.

As for your question, OP, I would say if you think your child is mature enough, let him have it. At 16 however he is old enough to start making his own decisions.

[SauvignonBlanche]

I'm pretty laid back about video games but I wouldn't let DS have GTA at 15, I didn't give a shite what his friends were doing. There are loads of other games to choose from.

[ChoochiWoo]

Sorry to hijack but what about GTA is so bad particularly?

[NewYearNewBrie]

choochi nothing. Nothing because you don't have to go to a prostitute at all, let alone kill them. it's a fun game with beautiful graphics. I'm not a huge fan but i'm a big believer in gaming. yes its 18 for a reason but if you believe your dc are mature enough, get them the game, lighten up.
it seems its only people on mumsnet that won't get it. i don't know anyone who hasn't got it, either on xbox or ps4. its an excellent game.
i only play 15+ apart from Pokémon anyway!