Of Video Games and Morality

I had an interesting discussion the other day on the nature and purpose of Grand Theft Auto. Not the crime, but the video game series.

Briefly put, the argument put forth was that aspects of GTA are repugnant, pointless, and should not be included in the game. Specifically, the infamous "pick up a hooker and then kill her afterward to get your money back" stuff.

Now, that part of GTA has no bearing on the plot of the game itself. Like many things in GTA, it is merely something possible, like running over pedestrians, robbing a store, or otherwise being a ne'er-do-well.

But the point was made, and I have yet to find a strong rebuttal, that such things--being unnecessary to the plot--are merely in the game for sensationalist reasons and serve no value whatsoever.

I tend to agree, I guess, but I remain reluctant to say that such things should be government controlled. That is, I don't believe that any laws or regulations should exist to prevent video game developers from putting in such gameplay devices, except where other laws (such as those relating to child pornography) apply.

Do video games deserve the same non-censorship treatment as other "art" forms? If such a scene existed in a movie, it would be part of an overall plot. If, in the middle of The Godfather, Michael Corleone stopped on the street and beat a hooker to death, and then it was never referenced again, it would be a jarring, screwy moment and would likely lessen the entire impact of an otherwise stellar film.

Unlike other kinds of art, video games force the viewer to take an active role in experiencing the medium. You don't just watch it happen; you participate. The more open-ended a game is--case in point, GTA, where you can run around for days doing nothing but punching pedestrians--the more involvement the actual player has in determining what makes up his/her experience.

So then, while a painting of a beaten prostitute reflects only the viewpoint of the painter in displaying such an event, the inclusion of the same "scene" in a video game is... what? If it's not part of the story, but you can make it part of the story, what responsibility do we then put on the game designer? On the player?

Saying "it's just a video game", by the way, is not an answer. Some of the more recent games to come out have had plots rivaling that of films and (good) TV. At worst, GTA4 would be a solid C+ or B- movie; so it's unfair to dodge the question by crapping on the entire medium.