Grand Theft Auto has become the poster child for everything wrong with video games. From glamorizing criminal activities to shooting cops to abusing women and engaging in every kind of illegal activity, GTA does seem pretty bad. But as the book Everything Bad Is Good for You points out, there are many benefits missed when you judge a game by its box. I’m not making a judgment about whether 4-year-olds should play GTA (maybe a really really mature one), but I think parents and even adult gamers should look at what GTA really offers.
7. Fantasy is good
Imagination is healthy and rewarding. Video games help bring that fantasy to life. Sure it’s a morbid twist on good ol’ cops and robbers, but that doesn’t make it any less fun. GTA is a chance to pretend to be something most of us could never be. The key is to…
6. Learn right from wrong
And hopefully parents, or adults, can us GTA as an example in right and wrong. Specifically, anything you do in GTA is wrong. Easy to understand, right. So go crazy, enjoy yourself, but remember, don’t try this at home…without a game controller.
