GTA

GTA 6's ‘go woke, go broke’ argument gets brutally roasted online

GTA 6's ‘go woke, go broke’ argument gets brutally roasted online
Image via Rockstar Games

Written by 

Tom Chapman

Published 

4th Jun 2024 16:53

It's been 27 years since the first Grand Theft Auto changed gaming forever, and while the series is often slammed for its male-orientated humour of t*ts and a*s, it's easy to forget it's had plenty of moments of inclusivity.

Although the upcoming GTA 6 is billed as having the franchise's first female protagonist, remember you could actually play as a woman in the original game. GTA has always prided itself on its tongue-in-cheek take on society, but for a vocal minority, there are worries that Rockstar is going to make a 'woke' game.

GTA 6's 'go woke, go broke' argument is brutally shut down

We're not sure where things went wrong, but it seems that it's easy to brand everything as 'woke' these days. Recent examples include Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Hades 2, and Assassin's Creed Shadows - all as you beg for Stellar Blade's Eve to appear in less clothing.

The first GTA 6 trailer showed how it'll be taking its influence from real life, and with that, we can't imagine there won't at least be some sort of take on the likes of Trump's election, Black Lives Matter, and the #MeToo movement. GTA 6 is tipped to be one of the most important releases of all time, and with that, it's expected to break records.

Still, there are those who continue to complain the series will be hit by the idea of "go woke, go broke." It tends to be that go woke, go broke is used by a small minority to justify something's failure, and when it comes to GTA, one fan on Reddit reminded us that GTA has always been woke. 

In a now-deleted post from Republican Party candidate Lavern Spicer, she claimed that GTA 6 is going to go woke. A viral response shared a shot from GTA IV's "The Ballad of Gay Tony." When the exchange was reshared on Reddit, players couldn't help but chuckle. 

One fan pointed out, "Yes, but to some people, anything that depicts gay, black, non-Christian or female (especially any combination thereof) characters in a major way is automatically Woke." Another added, "I love when someone who has never touched a Gta game in their life spouts sh*t 🤣👍".

A third said, "The people claiming GTA 6 is gonna “go woke/go broke” are often the same people who claim they’re morally against GTA in the first place because you have to kill cops in some missions." This reminds us of Elon Musk and Andrew Tate explaining why they won't play the games.  

GTA's Michael calls out 'woke' complaints

GTA 6 trailer beach scene
Click to enlarge

It's not just casual fans who agree with the whole 'woke' argument, with GTA V's Ned Luke also wading into the debate. The Michael De Santa voice actor previously referred to critics as 'clowns,' making his feelings on the matter clear. 

With GTA V coming out all the way back in 2013, it was only natural that things have changed in the gaming industry since then. Alongside this, stories have developed, and even a franchise as in-your-face as GTA will have to change with the times. If you aren't a fan of that, maybe go and play Duke Nukem instead.

Sign Up To Our Newsletter

Get exclusive news, content, and discounts sent directly to your inbox

You've joined our newsletter. Thank you!
Sorry, there has been an issue in subscribing to the newsletter.
Tom Chapman
About the author
Tom Chapman
Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.
Trending
GTA 6 fans are worried it’s going to be just another GTA Online
Take-Two Interactive confirms GTA 6 release window for fall 2025
GTA players mock Dan Houser’s new game as ‘Major Larceny Vehicle
23 years later, GTA fans think they know what happened to Claude
16 years later, it’s time to remember GTA IV’s weirdest merch