Racial Stereotypes in the Grand Theft Auto Franchise

This paper provides a qualitative content analysis of the leading characters from nine the Grand Theft Auto titles across the 3D and HD universes.The analysis focuses on 11 protagonists to examine the extent of racialized stereotypes used in their creation.It reveals an over-representation of characters of color and immigrants compared to white/American protagonists, with a systematic use of stereotypes in their portrayal.The findings indicate that the Grand Theft Auto series perpetuates racial stereotypes and contributes to the hegemonic racial common sense by reinforcing prejudiced narratives about different ethnic groups.The study underscores the importance of considering race in the discourse surrounding video games, as the latter play a significant role in shaping contemporary socio-economic, political, and cultural dynamics.The study also contributes to existing literature by shedding light on how racialized stereotypes are embedded in the character design of one of the most popular video game franchises.