10. Controversy Sells
How many times have you heard a complaint about that GTA franchise; that it promotes psychopathic behaviour, dangerous driving or violence towards women? Im betting its more than you can feasibly remember and catalogue. Throughout its entire lifespan, GTA has been the butt of so many levelled remarks about the inappropriateness of its content that, if that sort of thing ever achieved its intended purpose, GTA would have been banned, buried and forgotten years ago. Ironically, boycotts like this, in my experience, usually have the opposite effect. If a person or group tells you that you shouldnt go out and buy a game, for whatever reason, what do you immediately do? Thats right, you buy it, if for nothing else to see what the fuss was about. Youd be a fool to think that R* are cowering at the controversy theyve caused; no, they welcome it, relish it, hell, I guarantee they do it on purpose. Why? Because in many ways, controversy is better for business than a $50 million advertising campaign.