The Greatest Entertainment Launch in History

By: American Decency Staff

We have just witnessed the greatest entertainment launch in human history, though I suspect few of us noticed. We remember the buzz around James Cameron’s Avatar which quickly became the highest-grossing film of all time, raking in over $2 billion since its 2009 debut. Well, last week Grand Theft Auto V, a video game, put it to shame, raking in $800 million on launch day, and surpassing the $1 billion mark on its second day….

We are accustomed to looking to the movies or to television to take the pulse of the culture around us, to see what people believe, and to see what they deem important. But this week proves we should be looking to video games as well. GTAV is a cultural phenomenon. Smashing those records must mean something. And as it smashes those records, it is piling up rave reviews, currently holding down a 97% at Metacritic, a site that collects reviews and offers an average score….

I have not played GTA V, so have relied on reviews to tell me what it is all about. I did not need to read much about it to see how and why it appeals to that crowd. The game takes full advantage of modern hardware by presenting a fun, interactive and beautiful world; there are many side activities to provide fun as players progress along the main storyline; there are well-developed characters; there is enough complexity to make it difficult, but not overwhelming. The $260 million in development costs were put to good use in creating an interesting and vibrant experience.

 

But those are not the only things that give the game its appeal. It is also pervasively violent, crude and sexualized…

Read More: http://www.challies.com/articles/the-greatest-entertainment-launch-in-history#keep-reading

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