The game, as it always has been, is stylized as showing off the central and supporting characters holding guns, riding stylish vehicles, or implying acts of crime and violence. There’s Michael, a retired criminal in the midst of a midlife-crisis, Trevor, who is often portrayed as being emotionally explosive and possibly psychotic, and Franklin, a young black teen determined to be a big-shot criminal. GTA V was released in 2013 and the game’s central characters are that of three male characters. The essential goal of the exhibit will ultimately confirm video games as a medium more than just ‘playtime’ and ‘escapism’, but rather as a medium containing hidden sociological messages that ought to be deciphered. The research provided will explore the relationship between video game representation and player’s initial response and influence as a result. This exhibit seeks to identify the role of video games’ representation of its male characters using Grand Theft Auto V, or GTA V as it is usually stylized, and other video games and explore the different ways these games influence players.
Video games’ representation of characters presents the role the player is expected to play throughout the game and speaks to players on various psychological and social aspects. In regards to video games as a medium, the notion of representation is worth examining to uncover hidden and overlooked messages video games convey. Representation is an important factor that actively, and at times passively, influences the player in terms of normalcy and identity expectations. With introduction to new video games touching upon more psychological and sociological themes, examination and analyses on these games should be considered.
However, as video games become popularized in media, the role of video games have begun to change in terms of social and personal influence. The role of video games tends to be overlooked as merely games for the sake of satisfaction and playtime. © Copyright 2017 Kristian Saflor, Ryerson University