Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto
The Historical Impact of a Controverisal Gaming Company
Rockstar Games is not afraid to push the limits to accomplish a dream they believe in. As a result, they have created some of the most influential games available today.
Rebellious. Controversial. Aggressive. Fearless. Anti-Authority. These are but some of the characteristics that help to define the role of the rock star in modern day society. Rock stars are unafraid to push the limits of an established set of rules. They constantly question authority and live to upend the social structures that help to define it. Their beliefs become their passions and they strive to share these with the surrounding world. Their aura is intoxicating and inspires others to follow their way of life. This is the life of a rock star. This is the unofficial motto of Rockstar Games.
The Influence of Grand Theft Auto
It is quite difficult to imagine that anyone is unaware of the modes of entertainment developed by Rockstar Games. To be quite honest, the company has formulated a solid and definitive identity through its games and their influence has reached staggering levels as a result.
The Warriors, Red Dead Revolver, Manhunt, and Grand Theft Auto (GTA) are just some of the titles that have been released under the Rockstar name. These games are extreme and in some critics’ eyes (government officials, religious groups and parents), they have come to represent a decline in established rules and moral codes. In other words, they have pushed the limits of what has been deemed acceptable by society.
However, it is impossible to ignore the influence some of these games have had on the gaming world. Without Grand Theft Auto, would there even be games like The Getaway or The Godfather? Would The Warriors or Manhunt ever have been conceived if it were not for Rockstar Games and their Grand Theft Auto series? More than likely, the answer would be no. The Grand Theft Auto series was innovative in regards to its structure as a game, its storyline and its refusal to censor itself. It provided people with what they had always wanted from a video game. The series became a financial juggernaut (according to Guiness World Records, Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas have earned a combined $40.8 million to date) which proved to other companies that this invigorated genre was a viabally safe investment.
Rock stars are uninhibited. They don’t follow the trends; they set the trends. People come to admire their work and try to emulate it somehow in their lives. The same can be said for Rockstar Games. Other companies, desperate for a mega-hit, witness the unbelievable successes of the Grand Theft Auto series and begin to envy the recognition the games receive. As a result, similar games begin to emerge on the market and exploit the popularity of the GTA name. As it is with any entertainment medium, the success of one creates many doppelgangers. Games such as Saints Row and True Crime: New York City, are clearly inspired in terms of style and game play by the GTA series.
The Importance of Grand Theft Auto
The Grand Theft Auto series has created countless imitators, some good and some bad. Back in 2001, Rockstar Games had extreme faith in this series and put a tremendous amount of effort into rejuvenating the video game industry with the release of Grand Theft Auto III. The game altered the way interactive media would forever be played because of the amount of detail involved within it. Grand Theft Auto III became a blueprint on how to tell an action story with an epic twist.
The game had it all. It was a crime game, a racing game, a strategical game. The most important aspect of Grand Theft Auto III was not its main or side missions but rather its gift to the gamer of allowing one to roam freely around the video game environment provided. One could go anywhere; do anything without affecting the storyline in anyway. This was a new wave in video game artistry. This was the breath that possibly saved the video game world from imminent death.
