On paper, the “Grand Theft Auto” games are shorthand for everything wrong with America: Violence. Prostitution. Drug smuggling. Gun-running. Political corruption. Racial tension. And — oh yeah — grand theft auto.But despite the criminal themes, the “Grand Theft Auto” games are some of the best-selling and best-reviewed in the business. “Grand Theft Auto IV,” which is being released to ecstatic fans on Tuesday, could smash not only video-game sales records but opening-day box-office numbers, too.
What is it about “GTA” games that appeal to gamers? Why is it fun for otherwise law-abiding citizens to roll hookers, shoot at cops and steal helicopters?
“I get to indulge my dark side a little bit, but it’s more the story elements,” says Matt Slinger, a 36-year-old gamer from Seattle. “You get attached to the character. I don’t feel like I am the character, but I empathize with the character, especially after 40, 60, 80 hours of gameplay.”
Read More
