5 most controversial things GTA series has been linked with since 1997

The GTA series kicked off in 1997 with its first installment titled Grand Theft Auto. Although it has been praised for its technological advancements and narratives over the years, the series has also been involved in numerous controversies. A big reason for this is its violence, which is integral to the gameplay but can sometimes be off-putting.

Grand Theft Auto 6's debut trailer, released last month, has also come under fire for similar reasons. With that said, let's take a look at the five most controversial things the Grand Theft Auto series has been linked to since 1997.

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Hot Coffee Mod and 4 other controversial things the GTA series has been linked with since 1997

1) Grand Theft Auto sparks protest

The Grand Theft Auto series has been surrounded by controversy right from its inception in 1997. Around the time of the series' first title's release, former English publicist Max Clifford highlighted the game's violent aspects in the media. According to the Fandom website GTA Wiki, some children's guardians even campaigned against the game.

However, as we know, the first Grand Theft Auto game was a huge success for Rockstar Games. In fact, the series is one of the biggest names in the gaming industry today. The franchise's 2013 installment, Grand Theft Auto 5, alone has sold around a whopping 190 million units as of writing.

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2) Grand Theft Auto 3 banned in Australia

Grand Theft Auto 3 Definitive Edition's official screenshot (Image via Rockstar Games)

Grand Theft Auto 3 revolutionized the gaming industry upon its release, introducing many gameplay elements in the open-world genre. However, the violent nature of the title resulted in it being banned in Australia.

The title was initially refused classification by the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC), resulting in a ban in the country. Rockstar Games then made some changes, releasing a more censored version without the gore cheat code and the ability to pick up pros*itutes.

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3) Hot Coffee Mod

Grand Theft Auto San Andreas' Hot Coffee scandal is arguably the most controversial situation the series has been involved in. The original game allowed players to have the protagonist, Carl CJ Johnson, get into relationships that didn't really involve anything explicit.

However, the Hot Coffee Mod, released in 2005, allowed one to engage in a se*ual intercourse mini-game hidden in the game's code. This incited plenty of backlash, after which Rockstar released a Cold Coffee patch, disabling the explicit mini-game.

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4) Grand Theft Auto Vice City's dialogues

Grand Theft Auto Vice City's map is set in a fictionalized iteration of Miami. Among the in-game population are those representing Haitian and Cuban nationals. However, Rockstar Games' 2002 release came under fire by both groups, being accused of inciting hate crimes as per a 2003 report by CNN.

In response to the criticism, the developer removed several dialogues from the title. Additionally, GTA Vice City's 2004 version further replaced many of those dialogues. The franchise's next entry is heading back to Vice City, and there are many features GTA 6 should adopt from the series' previous titles and improve upon.

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5) Lindsay Lohan and Grand Theft Auto 5

Actress Lindsay Lohan tried to sue Rockstar Games in 2014 as she believed that a character in GTA 5 named Lacey Jonas was based on her. The controversy went on for a few years; however, the courts ruled against the actress' claims on various occasions. A six-judge panel also unanimously rejected her case in 2018.

Interestingly, a similar situation emerged after Grand Theft Auto 6's debut trailer was released. Infamously known as the Florida Joker GTA 6 controversy, it involves an individual accusing Rockstar of copying his likeness for one of the characters featured in the trailer.