GTA Online parents guide: Is it safe for your kids?

GTA Online is one of the most popular multiplayer games in the world right now, but some parents may have an issue with their kids playing it. There are several aspects of the game that could bother stricter parents:

Violence (including blood)
Nudity
Drug use
Plenty of profanities, especially from other players
Various crimes ranging from theft to murder

If you're okay with your children experiencing all this in a video game, then GTA Online is safe for them to play. Otherwise, you may have an issue with them wanting to get this game.

Note: GTA 5 is similar to GTA Online in all these regards.

Depending on your parenting style, GTA Online likely isn't suitable for your kids

Official artwork for the game (Image via Rockstar Games)

Some parents don't mind having their children play violent games as long as they understand that they shouldn't do some of the fictional stuff in the real world. If you're very morally strict with what your kids should and shouldn't play, then GTA Online is absolutely not a game for them. Alternatively, you should continue reading if you're still on the fence about whether your children should play GTA Online.

Understanding GTA Online and what your kids will see in it

Generally speaking, most parents recommend that kids be over 13 to play this game (Image via Common Sense)

Common Sense Media is a public source that parents and kids use to rate how age-appropriate a show, movie, or game might be. In GTA Online's case, the common consensus is that the game should only be played by kids 13 years and older.

This doesn't necessarily mean that children younger than 13 should never play the game, but that will depend on the parent. Now it's time for a more in-depth analysis of what your kids will see in GTA Online.

There are plenty of guns in this game (Image via Rockstar Games)

This game is full of violence. The main protagonist is often tasked to eliminate other NPCs, often in large numbers. It is worth noting that the violence is rather simplistic for the most part, as explosives never realistically blow people apart, and there is no excessive gore from other weaponry.

If your kid already plays Call of Duty or other modern shooters, this aspect of the game shouldn't be remarkably different.

The Vanilla Unicorn (Image via Rockstar Games)

The next thing to discuss is nudity. It's a common misconception that this game has no naked people. However, that is not true. Most notably, there is an establishment known as the Vanilla Unicorn, where the protagonist can ask for a private dance.

Not only that, but there are also other lustful activities, including a 1st Person POV romantic rendezvous. It's not the most explicit experience, but the actual action is pretty obvious and easy to access.

A Weed Farm is a business that the protagonist could run (Image via Rockstar Games)

As far as drug use goes, there are two main things to consider:

Your protagonist can manufacture and sell drugs.
Your protagonist can use drugs.

Although it is possible to avoid associating the main character with drugs while playing the game, it wouldn't be possible to complete the game 100% without it. Apart from that, the game allows players to commit various petty crimes like Grand Theft Auto.

Verdict

The game isn't suitable for everybody (Image via Rockstar Games)

This game isn't the best option for a child to play. Ideally, they should at least understand basic morals and have a clear framework of what they should and shouldn't do in the real world before attempting to play this multiplayer title. For some parents, that means their children might need to be at least 13 years old.

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Poll : Would you let your child play GTA Online if they were under 13?

Yes

736 votes

Edited by Siddharth Satish