The Anti-Woke Right Can’t Figure Out How to Stop ‘Grand Theft Auto VI’
A subset of male gamers have spent years warning that the transgressive series has been neutered by progressive developers, but the backlash isn’t taking hold.
Parents and activists have long criticized the GTA franchise for exposing children to explicit content. Elon Musk even stated he refused to play GTA V due to a character's violent actions. Now, with the release of GTA VI on November 19, the right-wing backlash has shifted from worries about impressionable kids to concerns over the game allegedly promoting "woke" ideologies.
Despite little knowledge of the game's content, detractors claim it pushes gender equality, LGBTQ acceptance, and racial diversity. This backlash has been fueled by paranoia surrounding women and LGBTQ+ developers in the gaming world, exacerbated by the anticipation surrounding GTA VI. Clips showcasing male protagonists being submissive to female characters and criticisms of the game's depiction of masculinity and femininity have fueled this narrative.
Despite leaks revealing the game's realistic portrayal of diversity, these critics continue to find reasons to condemn it.
Written by urgent.news from Wired's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
