GTA 6 is all set to be released in 2025, and since it is a GTA game, it will most likely be rife with elements of social commentary and satire that are present in every other title in the franchise. Rockstar Games has been one of the very few studios that have successfully dished out titles brimming with commentaries on the sociopolitical and socioeconomic scenario of the world.
Regardless, suffice it to say that while we cannot expect the title to get the same crass treatment with satire that its predecessors received, it will most certainly get a similar one. And that is more than evident from the one-and-a-half-minute trailer published by the studio.
GTA 6’s Trailer and How It Extends the Franchise’s Satirical Flavor
Titles in the Grand Theft Auto franchise always traverse a small line between their remarks filled with satire and light-hearted elements incorporated to make the games fun to experience and not too heavy. They certainly make one think and do a fine job at that, but they also provide an immersive and enthralling gaming experience that is second to none. One might question how Rockstar can do that time and again.
Firstly, none of the GTA titles take themselves too seriously all the time. There are moments where one may feel the intensity rising, but it only happens sparingly throughout the game’s entire narrative. As a result, some elements look harmless and comedic in hindsight, but when deliberated upon, they signal something to the player.
One of the most prominent examples in the last GTA title has to be the opening scene after the prologue when Michael is talking to his therapist. His monologue is filled with phrases that accurately describe both the world of the game and the natural world in 2013.
This is an excerpt from Michael’s monologue when his therapist asks if James De Santa, Michael’s son, is a good kid:
A good kid? Why? Does he help the f**king poor? He sits on his a** all day, smoking dope and j**king off while he plays that f**king game!
James is a character who has been exaggerated for satirical purposes and is in no way meant to generalize young people in the real world. Despite that, it is a fact that young people with a lifestyle like James’s are becoming increasingly common worldwide, and the game, despite being a medium for escapism itself, is trying to draw attention to that fact using satire.
Immediately after that, the game cuts into a real-time rendered cutscene showcasing the culture of Los Santos, essentially an interpretation of Los Angeles in the USA. Then we play as Franklin, who is trying to engage in the repossession of vehicles, which is, again, reflective of a criminal lifestyle.
But, to not get all preachy, the game allows players not just to witness Franklin boosting a slick sports car but also allows the player to drive it! This is precisely where the title balances fun gameplay and social commentary. This is just one of the many examples that are clearly present in the trailer.
Now, coming to the trailer for GTA 6, we see similar themes right from the beginning of the trailer. For example, a shot in the trailer shows a beach. One can notice an individual filming a lady’s posterior as she is leaning forward.
Considering that multi-billion dollars have gone into the title and every frame of the first trailer must have been thought about meticulously, this isn’t something added for fun. It is added deliberately so that people notice the attention to detail and commentary on today’s society.
What is it supposed to commentate upon? The social media culture and the instant gratification one receives on social media! The fact is that the current generation believes in filming everything they see in the world.
This can also be noticed in the next frame. On the seat of an open-top car, which is reckless driving, the car in the front has a man sticking his head and arms out the window to record her. And one can see precisely this instance of people recording dangerous acts throughout the trailer!
But then again, balance comes into play to not make the viewer feel like this will be more of a satirical documentary of a video game than just something fun to play. The next scene immediately cuts to a visual of a car meet. Showing detailed car customization and tons of vehicle variety would appeal to users and make them glare in awe! This isn’t to criticize this methodology for incorporating satire with game mechanics; if anything, most players are all for it!
Once again, the next scene shows the famous Ocean View Hotel that series veterans will recognize from GTA Vice City, and a fleet of sports cars and crotch rockets parked against the sidewalk. Right beside a red-colored vehicle, we see a homeless man who is appealing for tips from pedestrians. Once again, it is a very accurate description of the stark difference in lifestyle!
Then again, we see a panoramic shot showing exactly why the world in the game will be more than visually stunning to experience. Witnessing vast waters and islands connected with bridges and expressways and how it would feel to cruise and explore the vast world of GTA 6 is spellbinding.
Perhaps the next two shots are the most important in terms of the scope and subject of the article. We see a sign that reads “Vice“; that is almost certainly part of a sign that reads “Vice City,” the name of the primary city in the title. Keep in mind what the word ‘Vice‘ means, and right after that, we see social media footage of a yacht from a social media handle called “DadBodSquad” with the caption that reads:
Ay Papi! Save some sugar baby for the rest of us.
Again, this is Rockstar Games being itself because subtle social commentary packaged with comedic relief doesn’t get better than this. If one doesn’t see it already, this sequence is commenting on the sugar daddy culture spreading like wildfire across the world and how it is, traditionally speaking, a “vice.”
This is quite literally only half of what the trailer entrails in terms of mixing comedy, social commentary, and satire with a game that is brainless fun when you want it to be. This balance is precisely why GTA makes headlines with every single title.
Titles like GTA help the average citizen, who could be located anywhere in the world, get a taste of the highly sought-after “American Dream,” which is precisely why they sell.
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