Why so much hype around the new Grand Theft Auto?
Panel of UC experts weigh in on game's content, impact
A decade in the making, Grand Theft Auto VI is set to launch later this month. Local 12 turned to multiple UC experts to see what the release will mean not just for gaming, but the broader culture around entertainment.
Evan Torner, professor and program coordinator for Games & Animation at UC's College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP), told Local 12 that the launch will have an impact much wider than just in the gaming sphere: “It's going to be a sort of meteor that crashes into not only the games industry, but the entertainment industry overall.” Torner even called Grand Theft Auto VI “the video game equivalent of Coppola's 'Godfather' to cinema.”
One of the biggest selling points? The game's huge immersion factor. “The way in which the world and the characters respond to you are going to blow everyone's socks off,” Torner said.
“Games that are opened world, it's not as much about the story, it about the world itself,” Assistant professor-educator of Games & Animation Nick Brummer said. “The world is the character. Your interactivity with the world is story.”
Sunil Ketty, another assistant professor in DAAP's gaming program, added that the open experience of the game will keep players coming back for more. “They want to try to generate more of a human-like feeling to how you interact with world,” he added. “Every day you could go into it with a brand-new experience.”
But that experience isn't necessarily family-friendly. The Grand Theft Auto series is notoriously violent and mature, and the newest installment is certainly no exception. Dr. Chris Tuell, psychiatry professor and clinical director of addiction services at the Lindner Center of HOPE, warned Local 12 that the mature label is there for good reason.
“Young kids will probably want this game for Christmas, but parents really have to be mindful of what this content is,” Tuell said.
He also emphasized staying mindful of the fiction of the game versus real life. “I think for many people, it's easy to really become desensitized to that," Tuell said. "Do I become more familiar or comfortable with violence or violent acts because of the game?”
Cincinnati is our city
Cincinnati is our extended classroom, lab, career network and a place to explore, learn and serve. UC’s urban location gives students unmatched access to real-world learning, artistic inspiration and vibrant culture. Our research and community engagement continually benefit the city we call home.
Featured image at top of a person holding a video game controller. Photo/Pixabay
Related Stories
The ‘6-7’ meme can be annoying. But kids are shouting it for good reason.
October 22, 2025
In a CNN.com article, UC communication scholar Gail Fairhurst explains how viral slang helps young people connect. The slang discussed in the article is the use of '6-7' as a nonsense term amoung young people that is currently trending.
Risks in AI-powered mental health support
September 10, 2025
Assistant Professor Kelly Merrill Jr. warns AI technology is far from ready to replace human therapists. Merrill, who studies the intersection of technology and health communication, was interviewed by Spectrum News to discuss safeguards over AI and health communications.
How ‘CoComelon’ became a mass media juggernaut for preschoolers
November 18, 2024
UC children's media expert Nancy Jennings was featured in an article in the L.A. Times that discusses the rise of children's entertainment programing "CoComelon" to the top. Jennings describes the program as relatable and wholesome.