'GTA IV': Breaking or Making a Stereotype? Video Game as Propaganda

Authors

  • Vesna Lopičić

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18485/bells.2009.1.13

Abstract

This paper problematizes the effect of one of the latest Rockstar Games’ productions, Grand Theft Auto IV (GTA IV). The alleged intention of this video game developers was to break up the stereotype of a video game character in terms of character complexity and moral dichotomy. They even endowed the main character with a name, Niko Bellic. A brief analysis of his psychological profile leaves doubts as to his originality, but not as to his ethnicity. The stereotype formed on wrong assumptions consequently does not seem to be broken at all, if indeed that was the original intention. Knowing the power of the entertainment industry to influence young players, it seems that Rockstar Games reinforced an erroneous stereotypical image of Serbian nationals that should be corrected rather than reiterated.

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Published

2009-11-16

How to Cite

Lopičić, V. (2009). ’GTA IV’: Breaking or Making a Stereotype? Video Game as Propaganda. Belgrade English Language and Literature Studies, 1(1), 211–220. https://doi.org/10.18485/bells.2009.1.13

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2009): BELLS - Volume 1

Section

LITERARY AND CULTURAL STUDIES

License

Copyright (c) 2021 Vesna Lopičić

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