It’s Officially the End of an Era for GTA 6 and “Violent” Video Games

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Video games have become a massive, multi-billion dollar industry over the past hundred years. However, this success has also sparked concerns and controversies, particularly around violence in games. In the late 90s and early 2000s, people like Jack Thompson publicly criticized games like the Grand Theft Auto series. With the new GTA 6 about to be released, those same debates are resurfacing.

A recent example of this trend is Mexico, where lawmakers have approved a financial plan that includes a tax on video games considered violent. Although this tax only affects games sold within Mexico, other groups are also focusing on games like GTA 6, and these actions could significantly change the gaming industry in the long run.

Mexico Wants to Tax Violent Games Like GTA 6

Mexico is a significant player in the gaming world, often more than people think. It’s been a key location for making gaming consoles – even the very first Xbox was made there. In 2022, over 104 million people in Mexico played video games, generating around $1.1 billion in revenue. Plus, competitive gaming, or esports, is booming in Mexico, and its players are consistently ranked among the best globally.

As a gamer, I’m a little worried about what’s happening in Mexico right now. Gaming is super popular there, but the government is considering a tax on violent video games. It’s already passed one part of their government, but it still needs to go through a couple more steps before it actually becomes a law. Hopefully, it won’t pass, but it’s definitely something we’re keeping an eye on!

The new tax affecting gamers in Mexico is a worry not just for them, but for the entire gaming industry. It could lead to developers creating less violent games, and there’s a risk other countries might follow suit with similar laws, potentially eliminating violent video games altogether.

Video Game Censorship Is On the Rise

Lately, we’ve seen a growing number of efforts to censor video games, and some have actually worked. One organization involved in this is Collective Shout. They state they contacted Steam over 3,000 times, requesting the removal of games they disagreed with, but didn’t receive a reply.

Earlier this year, the group saw some success by pressuring payment companies like PayPal and credit card companies to convince Steam and other platforms to remove certain games. This tactic led to hundreds of games being taken down. While their recent efforts focused on games with sexual violence, Collective Shout has also campaigned against violent games like GTA in the past.

Following the release of GTA 5 in 2014, the group Collective Shout protested the game, arguing it promoted violence against women. While those protests didn’t gain much attention then, they could be more significant when GTA 6 is released on May 26, 2026. Collective Shout has discovered that pressuring payment processors can be effective, and they’re likely to explore other strategies as well.

Mexico is likely to approve a tax on violent video games because it’s included in a broader financial plan. If passed, this could set a dangerous precedent, potentially inspiring other countries – and groups like Collective Shout – to impose similar taxes on games they consider violent.

This tax wouldn’t stop people from playing violent games, but given that GTA 6 is expected to be costly, it could price some players out of being able to afford it. Game prices are already high, and this tax would only make that worse. Even if the tax only applies in Mexico, it could severely damage the gaming community there, which would negatively impact both players and the gaming industry as a whole.

Gamers Fought Back Against Censorship in the 1990s and 2000s

When video games first became popular, groups concerned with moral standards didn’t often focus on them. They were usually more concerned with questionable content in music or violence in films and television. But in the 1990s, the gaming industry started to receive a lot more attention and criticism. A well-known example of this was the Sega CD game Night Trap, which featured teenage girls being hunted by vampires.

The game focused on rescuing girls from vampires, rather than killing them, which many people found unusual. However, it still caused a lot of debate and even became a key topic during congressional hearings about violent video games in the 1990s, alongside games like Mortal Kombat. This eventually led to the creation of the ESRB, which provides ratings to help people understand a game’s content, but controversies surrounding video games continued.

In the 2000s, video games became increasingly lifelike, which sparked a lot of debate about violence in gaming. The Grand Theft Auto series, especially, drew criticism from many groups and activists who believed the games glorified murder. Attorney Jack Thompson became well-known for filing lawsuits against Rockstar Games and other companies, even trying to get some games completely prohibited.

Despite his efforts, Thompson’s campaign against video games failed, and he eventually lost his law license. Interestingly, he’s now admitted he was wrong about many of his earlier claims and even recognizes the educational benefits of gaming. Although he and others attempted to connect video games to violent crime, research consistently shows that while games might temporarily increase aggression, they don’t cause criminal behavior.

With Mexico considering a tax on so-called violent video games and the recent success of a campaign to remove games from Steam, it feels like the debates over violent games from the 90s and 2000s are happening all over again. This situation could potentially impact games like GTA 6 and others with violent content. However, gamers have successfully fought against censorship in the past, and they could do so again, preventing these games from being removed from sale or unfairly taxed.

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2025-10-24 04:14