Transphobic Content Removed in GTA 5 Remasters.

Rockstar Games has removed transphobic content from the remastered versions of Grand Theft Auto 5 for modern platforms, including PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

One Reddit user, JayProspero, reached out to the GTA Online subreddit after discovering that the developer had REPLACED the figurine of Captain Spacetoys Intergalactic from an in-game arcade (via ArsTechnica). The post, which includes a comparison of screenshots between the PS4 and PS5 versions, shows that the original figurine wore a pink swimsuit and had “interchangeable genitalia” on the packaging. Now, in the current-generation version, the figurine is dressed differently, and the label on the front reads “positive puke direction.”

In addition, Kirsti Cloud, an administrator of the GTA fan site GTANet, also pointed out on Twitter that Rockstar has removed caricatures of trans individuals, previously labeled as “drag queens” in the game, from the area near Cockatoos. According to Cloud, “this could be the result of a request from OutMakingGames last year,” referring to an LGBTQ+ gaming professionals group that issued an open letter to Rockstar demanding the removal of offensive content from GTA 5.

However, the models still exist in director mode, although the dialogue options with these NPCs have been removed. “Presumably, this means that the dialogues of protagonists with these NPCs regarding hormone use, etc., are also no longer used,” Cloud added.

OutMakingGames responded to the changes in a new statement, saying, “Grand Theft Auto V is a wildly popular game with millions of players worldwide, and this change could have a huge impact on how these players perceive transgender individuals.

“Thanks to everyone at Rockstar who prioritized this issue – we are game developers ourselves and understand that even small changes like this require coordinated time and effort.”

The post has been updated 07.01.2024 19:20. There is new relevant information.
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