Grand Theft Auto IV Offends New York Types

Grand Theft Auto as a notion is sickening - a gleefully immoral crime escapade in which players are rewarded for stealing vehicles, gunning down pedestrians and generally embarking on insane killing sprees.

It goes without saying, then, that it is the greatest game franchise in the known universe. In fact, the last instalment - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - was so maddeningly addictive that hecklerspray spent the first half of 2005 doing nothing but playing the game 18 hours a day, living entirely on a diet of milk and peppers like a mentalist mid-70s David Bowie.

It goes without saying, also, then, that we've already made plans for the upcoming October release of Grand Theft Auto IV. All public engagements have been cancelled, an account has been set up with the local Domino's Pizza (along with the installing of an extra-large letterbox to squeeze the boxes through) and we're finally going to set free that cheerleader we keep in the basement. Let's face it - who needs her sobbing screams when you're trying to complete all the additional Ambulance Missions?

Oh, yes. We're certainly looking forward to Rockstar's latest.

Unlike the City Council of New York. 

While most people saw the recently unveiled Grand Theft Auto IV trailer and thought "shitting Christ, that looks like the best thing since the ability to wee-wee," those NYC councillor types took a brief scan of the game's setting - which includes a Statue Of Liberty and seems to be an exact recreation of New York itself - and stamped their feet in annoyance.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has released a statement saying that he:

"…does not support any video game where you earn points for injuring or killing police officers."

Members of New York's Public Safety Committee have announced that they think the game's setting is 'ironic', given that New York is apparently one of the safest places in the whole of the United States.

Maybe they have a point. Maybe they could set the next instalment somewhere really frightening - like Grand Theft Auto: Watford, an all-action thrillfest in which the main objective is to mow down as many Burberry-wearing pikeys as you can before the rubbish council tarmac crumbles beneath your wheels. Or possibly Grand Theft Auto: Bolton, in which the main objective is to get out of Bolton. Immediately.

Purists, of course, will note that Grand Theft Auto IV isn't technically set in New York… rather, it's based in Liberty City, the game developer's representation of a wholly imaginary place. That just happens to share all the same landmarks.

So that's alright then.

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New York Balks At Next Grand Theft Auto - Sci-Tech Today