14 DAY TRIAL // The three actors behind the three main characters of Grand Theft Auto 5 believe the game shouldn't be criticized for the violence depicted or the disrespect to women, as it's just a work of fiction, just like movies, TV shows, or comic books.
Grand Theft Auto 5 appeared last week and impressed millions of gamers worldwide, quickly breaking sales records on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms.
While the game received almost universal acclaim, some critics pointed out the disrespect towards women in the game, not to mention the lack of a woman protagonist, as the three heroes are all males, in the form of Michael, Trevor, and Franklin.
This criticism is unwarranted, according to some of the main actors, as it's just a work of fiction, similar to movies or TV shows.
"It has to be treated the same way as the movies," Shawn Fonteno, who played Franklin, told GQ. "Scarface. Boardwalk Empire. You see all the same stuff that’s happening in these games in comic books and TV shows. It’s just a script. We’re having fun. They have to treat this the same as they treat the movies."
Ned Luke, who brought to life Michael in the new title believes people should expect the same type of satire found in previous GTA games.
"GTA is what it is. Anybody that expects anything different is fooling themselves. I love women. I’m crazy about them. I have a beautiful wife, who’s the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me, and I teach my son to respect women and other people’s position in the world, whatever it is.…People are always looking for something to hate on. If this is something for them to target and hate on, that’s their thing. I look at it as satire."
GTA 5 is set to receive a bit update on October 1 that adds GTA Online, the dedicated multiplayer mode.