The high-profile French JRPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 became a major hit and was praised by various politicians, up to and including French President Emmanuel Macron. Some gamers wondered why the same does not happen with games in the Grand Theft Auto franchise — after all, their developers are from the United Kingdom.
Recently, Chris Dring from The Game Business spoke with a British politician and received an answer. He noted that he does not see games being promoted in the United Kingdom as actively as Expedition 33 was in France.
The Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts, Ian Murray, explained this as a national trait — the British tend to downplay achievements and avoid self-congratulation. He cited the United States as an example:
If we were the United States, we would be puffing out our chests with pride, hanging flags everywhere, and marching down the main street celebrating what we do. However, historically we have not acted that way from a cultural point of view.
There may be more than just a "cultural aspect" involved here. The GTA franchise is known for various scandals and satire, so that could also have been an additional reason for politicians to distance themselves from Rockstar Games titles.
The release of Grand Theft Auto VI is expected in November 2026.
