Grand Theft Auto Crashes Party

When DMA-developed Grand Theft Auto lands on US shores, it may well join the list of games, which due to "violent content" are currently under the close scrutiny of congress, retailers, and parents.

Games such as Carmageddon and Postal and now Quake II have been broadsided with complaints - some impactful (Quake II's current ban in Germany, Postal's ban in Australia) and some theatrical (CompUSA's refusal to sell Postal at retail).

Well, next on the block is Grand Theft Auto, a British import that ASC Games will release for the PC in February and the PlayStation in April.

The game already went through a hotly watched, hotly debated approval process in Britain. Ultimately, the British Board of Film Classification rendered a less-than-dramatic decision and tendered an "18" rating to the title.

In this country, ASC's enthusiasm for the game precedes its release. ASC likes the game and is ready to give the title a major marketing push - anticipated complaints notwithstanding. "No matter what you do, someone's going to complain," ASC's Sharon Wood told GameSpot News. "It's a new genre."

ASC's attitude is to let the buyer decide what game to buy. "There are different games for different people," Wood says.

As we said in our preview of the title, "Your goal in Grand Theft Auto is to work your way up the ranks of an organized crime syndicate by boosting cars and committing felonies in a variety of metropolitan areas. Using a top-down view and zooming camera angles, you do just about whatever you want in this game. To earn points, you must commit a variety of dirty deeds - from running drugs to drive-bys to mowing down crowds of people; needless to say, this game will bring out the "thug" in you. Be careful, though: Once you start attracting attention, the 'po-pos' will start to swarm (and you'll have to blow them away as well)."

ASC intends to make it obvious that the title isn't being marketed to children. There will be a warning on the front and back of the box addressing the game's language, but there will be no changes to content. "Absolutely not," Wood said.

So hold your breath. It won't be long before the stealing, shooting, and general vehicular mayhem are yours for the buying.