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The Grand Theft Auto games are a series with a controversial history. Each release was met with mainstream media and angry parents criticizing the game left and right for its brash approach to, and in some cases glorification of, sex, violence, and drug use. An uninformed public behind the times doesn’t seem to realize that the games are intended for an adult audience, and suddenly you have Fox News blaming the game and developers when an eight year old shoots his grandmother. I’m a huge fan of the series and will be the first to defend it when people want to drag it through the dirt, but that doesn’t mean I’m blind to some blatant issues when it comes to the way Rockstar approaches the series. Sure, the games largely deal with a seedy criminal element, but is sexism a necessary part of that formula? With Grand Theft Auto VI, is it time to see fleshed out female characters – or even a female protagonist? I sure think so.

Everyone has their favorite Grand Theft Auto protagonist, whether it’s Claude from GTA 3, Niko from 4, or the unique trio of protagonists in Grand Theft Auto V, there’s a decent amount of variation between characters. What all recent games have in common, however, is gender. All protagonists after the original game (which we’ll discuss below), and even all of the characters of substance (with few exceptions) are male. The criminal element is central to Grand Theft Auto, but there are female criminals in real life, so why not in the game? Rockstar has even shown that they can pull off a great and engaging story with more than one main character, so why can’t one of them be a woman in Grand Theft Auto VI? Rockstar’s games in general have almost exclusively featured male protagonists, with popular titles Bully and Red Dead Redemption also starring a male character, and it’s time for that to change with Grand Theft Auto VI.

Rockstar has proven that they have the chops to create engaging stories, but they’re not very diverse at all. The majority of female characters are portrayed as dumb, annoying, trashy, or “the bitch”. The argument that the genre in general lends itself towards male characters is flawed, too, as fellow criminal-centric series Saint’s Row allows for female character creation.

I’m certain fans of the series will be quick to point out the original Grand Theft Auto where players could choose between an equal amount of female characters, but story in Grand Theft Auto was non-existent and selection was just aesthetics. Calling them characters is even rather generous. If you’re going to stick to this point, the question remains: Why did Rockstar move backwards? Grand Theft Auto VI is the perfect opportunity for Rockstar to catch up with more progressive developers and show they have the ability to create more complex female characters that can actually past the Bechdel Test.

I’m not alone in the argument that the Grand Theft Auto series is misogynistic. Reviews were extremely critical of the title’s treatment of women. The New York Times spoke of the game’s “lack of interest in women as something other than lustful airheads”. Gamespot’s reviewer pointed out “exaggerations of misogynistic undercurrents in our own society, but not satirical ones. With nothing in the narrative to underscore how insane and wrong this is, all the game does is reinforce and celebrate sexism.” The game doesn’t just fail to include “great” female characters – it’s exclusively dominated by awful ones. Grand Theft Auto VI deserves a story that celebrates women (even if they’re criminals) rather than lazily using them as comic relief or a point of contention.

Critics of the diversity argument may point to Grand Theft Auto V’s online mode as a medium for female players to create their own criminal, but despite the huge community in Grand Theft Auto Online, the games are still largely single player experiences. There’s very little story behind online characters, and while players are free to make their own, a lot of people play games to be told a story rather than create one.

Video games are no longer a medium dominated by men. While men may be the majority still, an almost equal amount of women consider themselves gamers. We’ve seen other studios provide diverse characters that provide an inclusive experience. Bioware is well-known for their progressive approach to characters, albeit with mixed results, and their games have drawn in a wide audience from many different backgrounds. It’s long overdue for Rockstar to ditch tired cliches. Give us something fresh in Grand Theft Auto VI.

As Editor here at GeekReply, I'm a big fan of all things Geeky. Most of my contributions to the site are technology related, but I'm also a big fan of video games. My genres of choice include RPGs, MMOs, Grand Strategy, and Simulation. If I'm not chasing after the latest gear on my MMO of choice, I'm here at GeekReply reporting on the latest in Geek culture.

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This week’s massive Baldur’s Gate 3 patch and feature news!

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This week, Larian Studios will reveal Baldur’s Gate 3’s fifth major patch and new features for PS5. This update will fix slowdown from the previous patch and Astarion kissing scenes. A list of changes and tweaks will be released soon.

A follow-up tweet from the Belgian developer teases a community update this week that will discuss “some new features” for the game. Since launch, updates have focused on bug fixes and improvements, with only a camp mirror for changing your appearance. As a GOG achievement suggests, a permadeath mode may be added.

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Are there any features you hope Baldur’s Gate 3 will get?

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Game Awards’ Big Popularity Contest Begins

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Last year, Sonic the Hedgehog and Genshin Impact fans fought for the Players’ Voice award at The Game Awards. This fan-voted battle between some of the biggest games on Earth features multiple knockout rounds. The first phase is live!

The initial pool of 30 titles includes 2023’s biggest hits and those with meaningful updates. Choose ten favorites on the ceremony’s website:

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Gacha games like Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail have an advantage because HoYoverse can entice fans to vote by promising free in-game currency to spend on pulls. Baldur’s Gate 3 is leading this initial voting phase, which is typical of holiday Best Of lists.

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The Game Awards Will Remove World Premiere Banners

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World premiere. You heard The Game Awards’ now-iconic voiceover artist say those two words, right? Host Geoff Keighley says you won’t hear it this year because the organizer has tried to unify all announcements. Thus, it wants world-first trailers alongside deep dives, first looks, etc.

“You’ll see this year, we often put up those cards, ‘world premiere, world premiere’,” he told fans in a livestreamed Q&A. “We’re moving away from that because everything’s ‘is it a first look? An announcement? We consider it all great game content.”

We think this means fewer blockbuster moments, but Keighley denies it. He added, “I don’t know if there will be the same number of world premieres as last year. “Honestly, I haven’t counted. I think similarly but don’t know. I won’t quote a number because it’ll go viral. The show’s length and content are likely similar to previous years.

Keighley said he tried to shorten the show last year, but Chris Judge’s epic God of War Ragnarok acceptance speech extended it. He said, “It’s probably going to be similar to last year with a little bit shorter show.” The Game Awards have been criticized for being too long, but this isn’t a bad thing.

When are the Game Awards? We have a guide for your time zone. The nominees are out, and voting is live, so pick your favorites before it’s too late.

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