While GTA 5 is one of the most commercially successful games ever, it has not been without issues. In particular, the “By the Book” mission of the game puts players in a tough situation where they have to torture a character to extract information. This became a topic of controversy, with some fans even demanding the mission be removed from the game.
What’s interesting is that the same mission that landed GTA 5 in controversy is the same type of gameplay that Call of Duty got away with many times. In fact, 46 instances in Call of Duty could have gotten it in trouble. Nevertheless, Rockstar might have to rethink the gameplay if they have anything related to torture in the upcoming GTA 6.
Call of Duty Might Have Escaped Criticism for Showing Torture, But Trevor, from GTA 5, Did Not
In the game’s“By the Book” mission, Michael and Trevor are tasked with extracting information from a man named Mr. K, who is suspected of having information about a terrorist. On the surface, this might seem a straightforward mission, but this is the same quest that brought a lot of criticism to the game. This is because Trevor has to torture Mr. K using various tools at his disposal.
Trevor beats the victim with a wrench, uses a plier to extract teeth, and even electrocutes him. Of course, the mission doesn’t project a pretty sight, and that was the reason the game was heavily criticized.
On the other hand, Call of Duty has a long history of showing torture in the game. In Modern Warfare 3, the player assumes the role of Yuri, who partners with Captain Price and Soap MacTavish during the “Blood Brothers” mission. At one point in the mission, Price and Yuri capture an enemy combatant known as Waraabe and torture him brutally to extract some information.
There are several other instances where a Call of Duty game has crossed the line of what one would consider morality. The infamous “No Russian” in Modern Warfare 2 is notoriously famous because you assume the role of an undercover CIA operative who participates in a terrorist attack at a Russian airport, resulting in the mass killing of civilians.
Is Grand Theft Auto 6 Going to Test Its Luck by Adding a Gruesome Mission?
It’s hard to say if Grand Theft Auto 6 will include a mission where players have to indulge in a torture session. However, given the nature of the franchise, it’s not hard to believe. A city filled with gangsters, mafias, and corrupt law enforcement could lead to a situation where the player has to do the unthinkable.
Ideally, it would be better for Rockstar not to add any such mission. However, in case they do go ahead with it, an option to skip the whole scene will definitely make it better. Regardless, reducing over-the-top violence could make the game more appealing to a mass audience.
It’s worth noting that while Call of Duty had the luxury of bypassing objections, the same cannot be said for Grand Theft Auto 5. Hence, Rockstar needs to be very careful with how it approaches any sensitive content.
What do you think about GTA 5’s torture scene? Do you think we could see similar content in GTA 6? Let us know in the comments below.
