Addressing relevant issues within the game’s story

Oh, Big Theft Auto. That one franchise that doesn’t shy away from addressing misogyny, racism, groupthink, sexualization, and a whole host of other societal ills. GTA 6 will not close his eyes to this either and will portray matters in the most exaggerated ways.

Nearly every Rockstar Games title has a protagonist who believes in certain values ​​and tries to navigate the tricky world of right and wrong. Well, usually the latter. We’re talking about violent sociopaths, after all.

Retain GTA’s rich history and the studio’s last major project (Red Dead Redemption 2) keeping in mind, there are certain parallels we can draw GTA 6 and expect another parody of the real world, with the story of two bandits as the main character.

Leonida – A Canvas for Madness and Inequality

Rockstar Games has a clever habit of using an open world as a systematic approach to its story. In GTA 4we were introduced to the dark, metropolitan character of New York, which highlights the survival of an immigrant in a city that thrives on clichés about a concrete jungle.

In GTA 5drugs, money and other vices were in the spotlight, allowing three protagonists to swap their life choices to entertain the audience. Almost as if they were in a video game that was going to make millions of dollars.

Then there was Red Dead Redemption 2 which presented a concise history of America’s violent past, seen through the eyes of a protagonist trying to embrace the birth of a new civilization in 1899.

By GTA 6‘S trailer we can see how clearly it is that the events in the state of Leonida (a fictional Florida) are an active part of the game’s story. I wrote about this extensively last yearand it’s a phenomenon that will continue to shape the future of the game.

Leonida will use in-game social media to shed light on his world in a relatable way, and maybe even help us introspect a little. Do we respond to the game’s world the same way we do to real-world problems? Cue The X-Files theme song.

The grim tales of outlaws and morally bankrupt rulers often form the backdrop to stories in Rockstar Games’ worlds, and GTA 6 is no different. So how does a modern western portray a morally bankrupt world?

Bonnie, Clyde and the infected world

It’s not ironic and almost deceptive how GTA 6 looks like another western, but doesn’t look like it at all Red Death SalvationThe masked heists, the cunning plans for a richer future and a couple that looks like Bonnie and Clyde are somewhat reminiscent of the Western Spaghetti era that many of us have come to love and cherish.

Simply put, many parts of GTA 6 might feel like a story told in the 19th century, except that it’s not told through the eyes of a tough protagonist from 1899. Instead, this time around we have two playable characters: Lucia and Jason, both of whom show promise in portraying ambitious personalities looking to build a better life for themselves.

Regardless of the era in which a story is set, human behavior can pervasively propagate the wrong ideas, contributing to social injustice. Red Dead Redemption 2Arthur Morgan came into contact with morally bankrupt groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and The Dalton Gang.

In GTA 6it is likely that Lucia and Jason will also regularly witness social injustice. How they deal with this can be done in two ways: first, commenting. Second, acting on it.

Just like you, GTA 6 characters will also have opinions

When Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption 2 strangers and sociopaths from all walks of life, he often has an opinion on things. For example, there is a man in Saint Denis who loudly promotes white supremacy on the streets of the bustling city. When Arthur notices him, he speaks out and lets him know that the world is moving forward and that he should too.

You can watch this encounter in a gameplay clip shared on YouTube by user ZanarGaming.

How does Arthur express his opinion? He can make a sarcastic remark and leave things as they are. Or he can take his gun and shoot him in the face. He can even tie the man up and take him for a ride on the railroad tracks.

I have friends who are Mexican. Friends who are Indian. I have known blacks, Irish, Italians… good and bad in everything. I have known good white people and bad white people. And most of all… stupid white people.

–Arthur Morgan (Red Dead Redemption 2).

The best part? If Arthur decides to kill this man, his honor won’t be diminished! Is this Rockstar Games’ subtle way of teaching us a lesson in open-mindedness? Maybe.

This level of interactivity opens up the possibilities for a morally diverse range of stories. If GTA 6 decide to follow a similar path, Lucia and Jason will have a lot to say about the modern world.

In another example, let’s take Niko Bellic from GTA 4 who protects his friend from a homophobic bully. Reddit user Streegliver shared a video clip of the same, reminding the community that this game came out in 2008. The main objective of that mission is literally “Take down the hater.”

A lot has changed since 2008 and a brand new GTA will kick things up a notch. But we can safely expect similar mission design that turns social injustice into gameplay-driven storytelling.

Thicker skin, thicker game library

Earlier GTA games didn’t feel as complex. Like Rockstar Games, some of the franchise’s iconic protagonists, like Claude and Tommy, had little to no say in the social inequalities that played out in their vast open worlds. Gamers were generally fine with this, but we don’t live in that world anymore.

Since then, games have come a long way, with topics like diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) often leading to heated conversations about creative freedom and the portrayal of certain members of the gaming community.

Sure, you can always turn a blind eye to virtual characters tackling polygon issues in a world that isn’t real, like our own. But it’s hard not to have a conversation about it when social injustice can be discussed so freely on the internet.

Fortunately, an ever-changing world can work to Rockstar Games’ advantage. Take the example of GTA Online – a world that is extremely dynamic and introduces new content over time.

This social commentary will continue to feel open-ended with the introduction of GTA 6, and we’ll likely see the game mimic the ongoing real-world problems in Leonida.

What do you think of GTA 6 address social injustice through his story? Do you think Leonida and its residents will speak out? Let us know in the comments below.