gta v

1. Explain why your case study can be considered postmodern
GTA as postmodern
Postmodernismisaconceptthat can be foundina varietyof areas of workincludingliterature,art,
musicand architecture.It’sthe ideathatall metanarratives(systemsorgrandstories) are suspect-
whetherreligiousornot.Nouniversal foundationfortruth,morality,humandignityexists.
Postmodernismcame asa resultof WW2 aftermodernismwhenpeople actuallystartedto
questionsideasratherthanjustacceptingthem, thiswasafterpeople lostfaithinthe government
and startedto believe theirownideas.Where isinthe modernismerapeople acceptedwhatever
theywere toldlike the ideaof godandreligion,theydidn’tventure tolookatwhyor questionitin
any way nor didtheyquestionauthority.
The case studythat I have chosenas myvideogame isGTA 5 because itincludesmanyelementsthat
make it postmodern. Itstartedin 1997 withGrand TheftAutowhichwasin 2D for PS1, itwas basic
game,but itgaineda lotif attraction,thentill 1999 itlaunchedthree versionswhichshowedthe real
successof GTA andfrom there onwardsRockstarhas startedhas made itsmindto continue itsGTA
series.Followingthe successogthe firsttwothe makersof GTA decidedtogo furtherandmake
three more.The playersof the game are initiallysetloose inanychosenAmericancity,theyare
givena setof tasks to complete,theseinclude thingslike assassinationsandheists,if the tasksare
completedthe playersgetthe rewardof money.
In short,GTA V wantsto be regardedalongside the highlyacclaimedgangsterfilmsandTV showsof
itstime.Yetit is‘postmodern’notsimplybecauseittriestodissolve barriersbetweenhighandlow
culture,butinthe wayFredricJamesonfamouslyunderstandsthe concept.Inotherwords,GTA isa
cultural productthat displays‘anewdepthlessness’anduses‘pastiche’assubstitute foritsinability
to create ‘parody.The ‘new’ismerelyanalternative combinationof whatalreadyexists,promoted
as controversial inaself-inflatingmediasphere,thusdisguisingthe near-absolute stabilityof the
devicesof production.
A majorfeature thatclassesGTA underpostmodernissimulacraandsimulacrum asthe boundaries
of highandlowculture or evenvirtual andreal are clearlyblurredanexample of thisinGTA V is
where the playersare able tocreate theirowncharacters ina virtual worldwhere theyare alsoable
to whatevertheywantincludinggoingtostripclubsandkillingrandompeople.Flow andimmersion
can alsocome intoplace here,Immersiondescribeshow the gamerinvestsimaginationinthe game
and issubsequentlyabsorbedinthe game world,Withinthe flow,immersionbecomesdifficultand
challengingwhilealsofeelingcreative andpleasurable,sothe feelingof being‘lost’inthe game
worldleadstoand enhancedstate of ‘ happyhyperreality.
Lyotard’sincredulitytowardsMetanarrative canbe consideredinthisvideogame asthe game is
dependentonthe waythe playersdecide toplaythe game makingthemthe onesincontrol,when
not giventasksplayerscando whatevertheywantmeaningthereisnochronologyinthe waythe
game is beingplayed.There are manyintertextual referencesthatare includedinthe game e.g.
whenreferringtospeedotheymake funof the brandbycallingitSpeedophileasthe brandsocially
ismockedquita lot,GTA tendstomake fun of social affairsall the time howeverbydoingsothere
are notintendingtocriticize it,theyare more likelycelebrating it.

2. GTA can clearlybe consideredaspostmodernbecauseof the intertextual referencesincludesaswell
as the differenttheoriststhatapplytothe videogame sucha Baudrillardstheoryof hyperreality.
viewthisgame tobe postmodernbecause itjustfollowsthe conventionsof anypostmoderntext,
there are elementsthatcanbe lookedatandinstantlybe understoodaspostmodern. Ithinkthat
GTA will continue tomake more gamesinthe future thatwill be more postmodernthanitalreadyis.