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Only a Game?

12/6/2014

 
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People’s preferences for entertainment are about as varied as they are for food.  And like our food choices, others generally don’t question our recreational pursuits—everybody has their own entertainment tastes, which others should respect, right?

What happens, though, when one’s taste is for games that glamorize activities that are both explicitly illegal and extremely violent?  In Australia, discount retailers Target and Kmart recently decided to stop selling one such video game--Grand Theft Auto V.

If you’re not familiar with the multibillion dollar video game industry, this decision might elicit a “so what” response.  You should understand, however, that Grand Theft Auto V, the latest in Rockstar Games’ extremely popular series , is not only the best-selling video game ever, it is the “the fastest-selling entertainment product in history, passing $1 billion of sales in the first three days.”

To put this success into further perspective, Forbes estimated sales of Grand Theft Auto V to be nearly $2 billion in May 2014.  If the game were a movie, that would put it third on the list of highest grossing films of all time, only behind Avatar ($2.78 billion) and Titanic ($2.18 billion).  Suffice it to say, Grand Theft Auto V is no niche market product.

What led to Target’s and Kmart’s decisions to pull the highly popular game from Australian stores?  Three women, Nicole, Claire, and Kat, started a Change.org petition calling for Target to stop selling Grand Theft Auto V because it encouraged sexual violence against women, including murder.  As of this writing, the petition has garnered over 47,000 signatures.  Kmart, which is owned in Australia by the same retail group as Target, Wesfarmers, followed suit and also pulled the game.

Here are excerpts from Common Sense Media’s review of Grand Theft Auto V:
“Grand Theft Auto V is an M-rated action game brimming with gang violence, nudity, extremely coarse language, and drug and alcohol abuse.”
“Playing as hardened criminals, players kill not only fellow gangsters but also police officers and innocent civilians using both weapons and vehicles while conducting premeditated crimes, including a particularly disturbing scene involving torture.”
“Women are frequently depicted as sexual objects, with a strip club mini-game allowing players to fondle strippers' bodies, which are nude from the waist up.”
“None of the main characters in the game makes for a decent role model. All of them are criminals who think of themselves first and others rarely at all.”

As the sales data suggest, not everyone has agreed with the two retailers’ decisions.  Another individual, Brett Herbert, has authored a countervailing Change.org petition that has gained over 18,000 supporters.   Herbert argues that the game is restricted to people 18 years and older, that the violence is equal opportunity, i.e., players earn points by killing men as well as women, and that the connection between video game violence and actual violence is tenuous. 

Herbert is right that research results linking video violence to actual violence have been mixed: some studies have found a connection, while others have not.  Part of the unpredictability of this relationship has to do with other key factors that are at work, e.g., individuals generally will not commit acts of violence without a specific motivation, a clear opportunity, and the necessary resources.  It’s very difficult for a research study to take into account in a realistic way all of these factors.

Even if it’s difficult to conclude that video games cause people to act more violently, it’s not hard to imagine that violent video games desensitize people to violence, which studies have found and which is also very problematic.  Even if people do not commit violent acts themselves, what are the societal implications of citizens who are increasingly less concerned about others’ acts of violence, not to mention other forms of abuse and acts of crime?  Are these the predispositions we want in individuals who might be serving on our juries, teaching our children, or patrolling our neighborhoods?

Although highly profitable, games like Grand Theft Auto V that intentionally glamorize violence and other destabilizing behavior do not uphold important societal values such as peace, respect, and decency.  Target and Kmart in Australia should be commended for pulling the game from their shelves and for taking a stand against “Single-Minded Marketing.”

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Michael
12/9/2014 04:16:57 am

I agree that it was wise for Target and K mart to pull Grand Theft Auto V from its shelves but not because it is a violent game but because it got them the loyalty of their customers. I do not believe the game should have been pull because it is the most popular game out there right now. It is a violent video game but it does warn you that it is violent. The game has gotten a bad reputation due to the acts of violence that people rarely commit because they played the game, however those are people who cannot discern reality from fiction. I do agree that the torture scene in the game is brutal, and I know for a fact that it is awful what they do to the guy being tortured , but I also know that it is just a game that is simply playing on a stereotype. The whole game is a stereotype. Yes it is a brutal game, but it is just that a game and for this I believe the game should not have been pulled and the Australian Targets and K marts will suffer in sales.

Danny Brandt link
12/10/2014 12:53:32 pm

I find Target and K Mart's decision to pull Grand Theft Auto from their stores to be mindful and the right decision. GTA really pushes the limit on what is ok for kids to play. I personally played and watched friends play when I was a kid, and I would not want my kids to play the game, which today contains even more inappropriate content than the older versions.
Target and K Mart appeal to families due to their nature and what they sell. I know my parents wouldn't support this game and i wouldnt want my future children playing it, so from a family standpoint i think K Mart and Target are making a smart and mindful decision. However, you can not hide the fact that these stores are giving up the opportunity to sell a product that flies off the shelves, so from a financial standpoint, they are at a loss. However, I think it is worth it for the image of the stores.

Kelly
12/10/2014 11:41:42 am

While I am personally not a fan of Grand Theft Auto, I don't think what they moms who created the petition wanted to achieve was actually accomplished. While Australian youth may not walk by copies of the game in Target and Kmart, if they are in the market to purchase the game they can easily find it somewhere else.

Matthew
12/10/2014 12:14:39 pm

I think that it is commendable to pull a video game, that I would say upholds immoral values. Unfortunately, I do not believe that they have pulled the video game for that reason. It was purely a way to keep customers loyal, which is a legitimate reason to bull a product. I do not know, though, if we should be praising them for pulling this product to uphold a certain value. They waited until someone complained and then pulled the product. A company like CVS could be praised for pulling all cigarettes, because they did this, not because a gross amount of customers petitioned for it, but because they wanted to uphold a new value as a company. This situation is far different from CVS and they shouldn't be getting a lot of praise for this reason.

Benji
12/10/2014 01:17:17 pm

I respect Target and Kmart for pulling Grand Theft Auto V from their shelves. Although they will take a hit financially, they are protecting their family-friendly brand. It is important to take a stand on moral issues, especially when it affects brand image.

Joseph
12/10/2014 01:33:16 pm

I have mixed feelings on this article. The final point of the article is to congratulate Kmart and Target for pulling the video game from their shelves and the justification for that is because the game "glamorizes violence" and "[does] not uphold important societal values such as peace, respect, and decency." However, I feel like Grand Theft Auto V is being treated unfairly. While many of the acts within the game are morally, legally and socially unacceptable, the activities are not necessarily encouraged and the characters that commit them often suffer repercussions. As such, the claim that "None of the main characters in the game makes for a decent role model" is true, but is not a valid point. The same could be said for the main characters of the aforementioned "Avatar" film, where most of the human characters are portrayed as selfish and heartless. However, people don't walk away from the movie thinking that all humans are cruel and prone to violence, because it's just entertainment. The game is also entertainment and those who decide to play it know what they are getting into, it is a game that fictionalizes gangster life and therefore the warranted content is to be expected. The debate of whether or not morally grey characters should be portrayed in media, though worth discussing, is a separate issue altogether. While Kmart and Target SHOULD be commended for listening to their customers, the customers that made a stand should reconsider their position as two retailers pulling a single video game solves very little of the underlying debate.

Jenna
12/10/2014 02:39:45 pm

I think it was definitely the right decision for Target and KMart to pull the game out of their stores in order to keep their images' in tact. Because this game has caused extreme controversy in regards to its moral implications, I believe it is good for these stores to take a stand for what they believe to be right. Although they will see and feel a hit financially, I believe overall this will keep their customer base (a more family oriented/based consumer) loyal.

Sarah
12/10/2014 03:17:00 pm

By deciding to pull Grand Theft Auto from the shelves, Target and KMart demonstrate a commitment to customers a respectful attitude to public opinion of their products. Although Target and KMart will probably lose a few customers from their marketing decision, overall, their decision protects their wholesome, family-friendly brand.

Zack Bosshard
12/10/2014 03:40:24 pm

I find it smart for Kmart and Target to pull these games. Obviously they will hurt a little bit financially from not selling these games, I think that other parents who read about this will be persuaded to shop at these stores instead of Walmart, or other stores that sell this game. Besides that point, it is important for business owners to act upon their moral values, not just money.

Joshua Clippinger
12/11/2014 01:12:13 am

Grand Theft Auto has been a problematic video game for a long time. I believe that what the retailers in Australia did was right. The game is promoting the wrong thing to society. I find the desensitization towards violence to be alarming. The immediate effects may not be seen, but in an underlying way can create a more volatile society. I hope that more stores follow this example, and look at the purpose beyond the profit.

Bree Whitelock
12/11/2014 01:43:47 am

Grand Theft Auto is a game I hear brought up in conversations periodically and one I see my brothers playing frequently. Personally I'm not much of a fun of the way the game portrays women and that has always been one of the biggest turn offs of the game for me. I think Kmart and Targets in Australia made a wise, although I'm sure tough, decision to remove the product from their stores. These large companies probably won't be affected too greatly by losing the revenue of one product, but will hopefully see positive feedback from many customers who don't appreciate the game. I definitely applaud them for making such a bold move and being mindful of their customers.

Will Korzeniewski
12/11/2014 01:52:54 am

I found it surprising that the Grand Theft Auto video game series has not been pulled from more shelves of video game sellers in the United States and Europe. I think that Australia's example will cause more retailers to question the ethics behind the games that they sell and what type of behaviors they are promoting in selling those games. This reminds me of CVS's recent decision to pull tobacco products from their shelves, a decision that obviously has economic consequences for the company, but nonetheless they have taken a stand against something that they believe is not morally consistent with their company values. I applaud Kmart and Target for stepping out and choosing not to sell the violent game, even though doing so may be for their benefit economically.

Tyler M
12/11/2014 05:10:08 am

I don't agree with this decision. They are correct in saying that the game uses a lot of violence and moral-less behavior but it is rated M for MATURE. This means that its made for people aged 17+. These essentially are defined as "adults" in our society, meaning that they are expected to have enough common sense to know that most of what you do in that game is not possible in real life and other things are frowned upon such as strip clubs and prostitutes. I own and play this game and it is very well made on just a video game aspect and is very entertaining to play, however I have never gotten the urge to kill someone while playing it and there are minimal reports on this game causing any harm. I get more aggressive and bloodthirsty while wrestling. But I could never kill someone. I feel some remorse after killing an animal while hunting. This was a poor move. The game makes tons of money and the only way this could effect aperson's behavior is if they weren't raised properly or are playing this below the age it's rated for. (for which they need a parent/guardian to buy the game.)

Philip Rodo
12/11/2014 05:33:30 am

Growing up playing video games I have always heard the massive controversy behind the game known as Grand Theft Auto. I am not surprised that with its 5th game out there is still a wide following. I know that this game is based solely on getting money and being able to do whatever the player wants in the game. I do think that this game and other types with similar objectives have a negative effect on children playing. I know adults play it as well but children are still learning and are easily influenced unlike mature adults who’s brains are fully developed. I have never had an interest to play this game because I know what it is about and I know the connotation behind the game and what people think of the people who play this type of game and I have never wanted to be a part of it. I know kids can get around the age specification to buy the game with adults buying it for them. I think that it is a worthy try but this game is a huge game and I do not think that Target and Kmart will have a huge impact on it. I do not agree with Grand Theft Auto, i just do not think that pulling the game off the shelves will have as great if an impact as was intended.

Connor
12/11/2014 12:10:26 pm

I respect Target and Kmart for their decision. They are doing the morally correct thing, and are giving their stores a good reputation. Taking a stand like this shows reveals both companies true character.

Corbin
1/10/2015 11:03:39 am

Kmart and Target pulling GTA V from their line up of games is severely their opinion. GTA is one of the most profitable games in history. Though the game has completely wrong morals has no good influence in it what so ever the game brings in a great amount of revenue. I think Target and Kmart made a mindful choice on their part. Just like Chic-filet not serving on sunday due to religious reasons, Kmart and Target made this decision based on what they think is right.

Justin Baitinger
1/11/2015 05:19:03 pm

If some retailers decide to eliminate their inventory of this game, that will only result to a decrease in revenues. The reason why games like this are so popular that they produce BILLIONS in sales is because of their violent nature. No one want to play a video game where the main character has to walk around and follow all of the laws. The game is designed for users 18 and over. If users are 18+, it doesn't matter if they can virtually "fondle strippers' bodies, which are nude from the waist up," because they are of legal age to go do so in real life if they are so inclined. Violence is something that all video game users love, and thee games are not the only things that expose people to such violence. I agree with Corbin on this one. It is very mindful of such retailer to pull this product, but they are consequently missing out on huge revenues from this game alone. I think that it was simple Minded on Rockstar Games' part to make such a violent game, but they are obviously a for-profit company, who sequenced a line of extremely successful video games to reach their profit goals.

Tom M
1/12/2015 04:00:09 am

In my opinion Target and Kmart are making a mistake that will cost them a lot of money and hurt their business. The decision to take Grand Theft Auto V out of the store does not make sense to me, it is the fastest selling and largest revenue grossed video game ever. I do understand that the whole concept of the game is immoral, from killing innocent people to explicit scenes with women, but the game is rated M therefore only adults can purchase this game. People who purchase this game clearly understand what they are buying. I believe Kmart and Target both made a big mistake that will cost them monetarily.

Austin Parker
1/27/2015 01:22:13 pm

I think that this is definitely an interesting concept. This problem of violent video games seems to an up and coming problem that will be around for awhile. I personally have never really liked the Grand Theft Auto games. I have played games such as Call of Duty and others of that nature but there definitely is a case where maybe some violence in real life might be correlated not caused by the desensitization of violent video games. I'm not sure if I agree with Target and Kmart on the decision to pull this massive money maker game from the shelves. Like the post says, this game made $1 billion in the first 3 days. This question of violent video games will most certainly be seen again especially with the issue of gun control becoming such a prevalent issue in today's culture.


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