Images of the City: On the depiction of the city in Grand Theft Auto V

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2015-07-16
Language
en
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Abstract
In this research I answer the question what kind of ideological messages about the city are being portrayed in the computer game Grand Theft Auto V. The fictional city Los Santos is being designed and depicted in a certain way, thus conveying certain messages. The conceived space of the city to give the player the fake impression of freedom at first but quite often the city can also be very oppressive and restrictive as well. The game seems to nudge the player into the direction of spatial practices which are related to violence and reckless behaviour. Finally, the game adds many layers of ironic interpretations of American or Western culture to the city, yet offers no alternative. This way the city which is depicted in the game effectively becomes a parody on American society.
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