When hackers released a treasure trove of assets from Rockstar Games’Grand Theft Auto 6last year many gamers were excited by the chance to get a glimpse of a title they’d long been anticipating. But even as fans discussed what bits of story and setting could be gleaned from the screenshots and videos released in the massivehack ofGTA 6assets, Rockstar and publisher 2K Games became embroiled in a controversy that seemed wholly new for the long-running series. Instead of the usual complaints about excessive violence inGTA, Rockstar instead found itself facing often vitriolic backlash for finally placing a female character, Lucia, in a lead role for the series.
Although theGTAseries has never shied away from introducing characters that break away from the overwhelming male, usually white, and nearly always straight archetypes that have historically dominated gaming, giving the Latina character Lucia a lead role inGTA 6was apparently a bridge too far for some. While the complaints largely came from a vocal minority online, with manyGTA 6fans praising Lucia’s inclusion as an example of Latina representationin gaming instead, it could set the stage for Rockstar to do something bold and respond to the criticism by delivering aGTA 6that not only features a strong female protagonist, but a decidedly queer story.
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The GTA Series Has a Long, But Sometimes Shaky, History of Inclusion
With any inclusion of female or queer characters likely to be met with the same sort of backlash that used to be reserved for the series often over-the-top violence, Rockstar should lean into the controversy as it always has and let these sorts of characters take center stage inGTA 6. The franchise has never steered away from featuring LGBTQIA+ characters, though it wasn’t untilGTA 4’s acclaimed single-player expansionThe Ballad of Gay Tonythat they really began to be depicted as more than one-dimensional stereotypes played mostly for laughs.
Now would be the perfect time to move these sorts of characters to the forefront. Making Lucia a queer protagonist wouldn’t be entirely uncharted waters for theGrand Theft Autofranchise, either. While it was never a focal point of the game’s story,GTA 5’s hot-tempered Trevor Phillipswas openly bisexual, stating as much to fellow protagonists Michael and Franklin at one point in the game.
Grand Theft Auto 6 Can Look to Film for Inspiration
If Rockstar wants a story witha strong female protagonist forGrand Theft Auto 6, one source of inspiration could be Ridley Scott’s acclaimed 1991 movie,Thelma and Louise. The unabashedly feminist film featured Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis as two women on the run from authorities and the men in their lives after using deadly force to prevent an assault. This cat-and-mouse tale of two women taking a stand against the powers that be could make great fodder for a potentialGTA 6narrative.
Another film Rockstar could draw from that would fit well with theGrand Theft Autofranchise is 1996’sBound. The directorial debut of Lilly and Lana Wachowski,Boundis a neo-noir thriller that follows two women who become lovers and partners in crime as they plot to steal millions in Mob money. With strong feminist and queer themes all wrapped up in a thrilling crime story,Boundcould provide a template for an inclusiveGTA 6story that feels true to the franchise’s roots.
Rockstar shouldn’t do what it did withThe Ballad of Gay Tonybywaiting for the release of DLC forGTA 6to tell a more inclusive story with a diverse cast of characters. By challenging the series’ narrative norms and placing women and queer characters squarely in the spotlight, Rockstar’sGTA 6could break new ground and reinforce its reputation as a studio unafraid to take risks in service of creating great games.
