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Grand Theft Auto VI is a phenomenon – but there is much more to the gaming world
As Grand Theft Auto VI's marketing machine ramps up ahead of its release, a Guardian games columnist argues that mainstream media coverage of the title risks falling into a tired, condescending pattern rather than engaging seriously with the game or the wider industry. The piece warns that presenters will likely joke about not having played a game since Pac-Man, revive stale debates about violence in games, and treat the medium as a novelty needing justification, in contrast to the in-depth cultural analysis afforded to film. This matters because such coverage crowds out attention for other notable games and reinforces the perception that video games remain a niche curiosity rather than an established cultural force.
The article notes that GTA VI's Netflix preview drew huge numbers, topping viewing charts and briefly crashing the platform, with over 9,000 Twitch streamers generating more than 5.2 million hours of viewing. The writer contrasts this hype with other critically significant titles released since GTA V, including Elden Ring, Breath of the Wild, No Man's Sky, The Last of Us: Part 2, Silent Hill, Disco Elysium, Split Fiction and Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, arguing these deserved similar mainstream attention. The piece concludes that broadcasters, including the BBC, should move beyond treating every games story as an opportunity to explain and justify the industry, and instead recognise gaming as an established mass cultural phenomenon.
In short
- GTA VI's Netflix preview drew millions of viewers and crashed the site
- Columnist criticises shallow, novelty-framed mainstream media coverage of games
- Argues other acclaimed titles deserve similar attention to GTA VI
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Mainstream coverage should treat gaming as an established cultural medium and examine its works with the same seriousness afforded to film or television. Focusing only on GTA VI, or framing games through stale jokes and arguments about violence, can obscure the range of important titles and leave audiences with a narrow picture of the industry.
The case against
GTA VI’s scale and broad public interest make it a legitimate focus for mainstream coverage, and broadcasters may reasonably explain its appeal to audiences who do not play games. Limited airtime also means editors must choose which titles to cover, while questions about violence or the industry’s wider effects can be relevant when handled with care rather than dismissed as outdated.
Explained simply
Grand Theft Auto is a long-running series of games in which players explore large fictional cities and take part in crime stories. Its next instalment has attracted attention well beyond regular players, reflecting the scale of the games industry and its growing place in popular culture.
The wider debate is about how news organisations cover games. Some coverage has focused on familiar questions about violence or treated gaming as something that needs explaining, while critics argue that games deserve the same thoughtful cultural discussion as film and other media.
That matters because attention focused on one blockbuster can leave less room for other games and the people who make and play them. The discussion raises questions about whether broadcasters, including the BBC, reflect the breadth of gaming when they report on it.
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