GTA, Humor, and Protagonists - Wordplay and the Discourse of Video Games - page 95

likely to be behind the controls of the game. In sports games, players are
encouraged to create a self-replica, a feature I would be stunned to see in
GTA . The design of GTA is predicated on division and dif erence between
the game and the player, which are part of what enables gamers to divorce
themselves from the content others fi nd objectionable.
The schism between the public criticism of GTA and gaming discourse
about the game indicates a number of interesting things about wordplay.
First and foremost, it is clear that there are dif erences between gamers
and critics of gaming that are not likely to be bridged in any circumstance,
but a deeper understanding by both sides might lead to a more productive
discourse about an important media form. Both sides exaggerate and nega-
tively characterize the contributions of the other, resulting in an impasse
where any potential point of the 'opponent' is lost in the discussion. Jesse
Carey contends that in discussions about video games, one must remember
that “ what you say isn't as important as how you say it ,” especially as
the tone of criticism “has made the video game industry enemies with the
critics.” 48 Though the two sides need not agree, a productive discussion by
intelligent people with dif ering feeling about games would likely lead to a
better understanding of the medium. Part of this is recognition that games
need to be played to be understood, but beyond that the inclusion of more
voices into a productive discussion about the role of games in contempo-
rary society stands to enhance the understanding of games as a whole.
Reviews of GTA also of er an opportunity to better understand how
video games function. Procedural rhetoric may be exclusive to games, but
the processes in games are not the only symbols infl uencing players. They
cannot be understood without being placed into context. The discourse sur-
rounding the game and central game mechanics, along with the seemingly
unnecessary touches like the script, sound, and development of the pro-
tagonist, work together to make GTA games a coherent package. Analyz-
ing video games requires reaching beyond the games themselves to examine
how they are discussed by those who play them and those who do not. In
this case, GTA games of er a complex example of how games function
rhetorically. Comprehending the breadth of the series requires looking well
beyond the bounds of the processes contained within the games. Investigat-
ing these external texts and how they interact with the procedures inherent
to games is a perfect setting for applying wordplay.
Finally, discussion about GTA marks another example of video games
as a rapidly maturing media form with complex stories and design elements
that of er inviting worlds that need to be studied and better understood. At
the same time, the uproar about what is possible within games marks a ver-
itable rite of passage, as the furor over games like GTA matches the atten-
tion paid to almost any emergent media form. Books, rock and roll, and
movies are perceived of as far less of a threat now than they once were, in
large part because we better understand them. Part of better understanding
video games is charting their discourse with a particular eye to what makes