2008 Game 'Grand Theft Auto IV' Banned in Thailand, Among Other Controversies

As Benjamin Franklin said, "In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." He later added the wait for Grand Theft Auto VI to the above as a true certainty in life (yes, the game finally has a release date, but whether it actually releases without more delays remains to be seen).

The wildly popular action-adventure video game franchise burst onto the scene with its first chapter in 1997, and it's been a gaming staple for almost 30 years. Created by David Jones and Mike Dailly and published by Rockstar Games, Grand Theft Auto has been awarded a whopping 10 Guinness World Records. Its sixth main installment in the series, Grand Theft Auto IV, also sits pretty with a Metacritic rating of 98.

Released on April 29, 2008, Grand Theft Auto IV has received universal acclaim from critics and gamers alike, lauded for setting "a new benchmark for open-world games," among other praises. It's also been hailed as one of the greatest video games of all time from outlets like Screen Rant, Polygon, and GamesRadar. In 2023, GQ included the game in its list of "The 100 Greatest Video Games of All Time, Ranked by Experts," where it sits at No. 91.

Despite its accolades and incredible sales, Grand Theft Auto IV was also plagued by a series of controversies around the time of its release. Some had a bone to pick with the game's depiction of graphic violence and for allowing players to drive drunk. In 2007, a Florida lawyer, Jack Thompson, who famously campaigned against the series, tried to halt the game's release, claiming that one character was based on him.

New York City officials lambasted the creatives for using NYC as inspiration for the game's setting. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) also criticized Grand Theft Auto IV for its aforementioned ability to drive intoxicated, asking Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive to stop distributing the game.

In August 2008, an 18-year-old was arrested in Bangkok, Thailand, for murdering a taxi driver. The student attempted to hijack the car after playing Grand Theft Auto IV, wanting "to find out if it was as easy in real life to rob a taxi as it was in the game." Thailand banned the game, and as of 2026, the entire series is still banned in the country.

This franchise has clearly made its mark on the games industry, for good and for ill.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 12, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 12, 2026 at 2:30 PM.