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GRAND THEFT AUTO III (2001): THE CONSOLEJACKING LIFE
Although Rockstar Games’ 2001 Grand Theft Auto III, or GTA III, for the Sony PlayStation 2 (PS2) was by no means the first open-ended or “sandbox” game,1 it was the first with a believable, fully 3D world that was designed with Western audiences in mind. This fact may account for part of its blockbuster commercial success over Sega's innovative Shenmue (1999; Sega Dreamcast), which—while an amazing achievement—played out at times like a slow-paced Chinese soap opera. GTA III impressed gamers with its realistic simulation of a modern city and its inhabitants, as well as its almost comical, over-the-top violence and tongue-in-cheek parody and satire. Gamers enjoyed exploring this vibrant virtual ...
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