Rockstar Games, the company behind the extremely popular video game franchise Grand Theft Autointervened this week to prevent users from recreating the public murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in the online version of the game, according to multiple specialized media in the sector.
Key data
Rockstar removed several player-created missions in Grand Theft Auto Online and added Charlie Kirk’s name to the game’s offensive language filter, preventing users from creating or searching for content using his name.
One of the removed missions showed players stationed on a roof overlooking a scene similar to where Kirk was murdered, and then being instructed to use a sniper rifle to shoot a character named Charlie Kirk, it was reported. Variety.
The mission was titled “We Are Charlie Kirk”.
Before the ban, there were at least half a dozen missions related to Charlie Kirk in Grand Theft Auto Onlinereported PC Gamerand there are still other missions that use spelling variants of its name.
Tangent
The retired mission of Grand Theft Auto shared his name with a song that topped Spotify’s viral songs chart after Kirk’s death. “We Are Charlie Kirk”apparently created with artificial intelligence and attributed to a project called Spalexma, was published days after his death and has accumulated more than 4 million views on Spotify. “We are Charlie Kirk, we carry the flame / We’ll fight for the Gospel, we’ll honor his name”says the chorus of the song.
Context
Kirk, a right-wing political activist, was shot and killed during a speaking event at Utah Valley University last September. The event was organized by his organization, Turning Point USA, which promotes conservative policies on college campuses. The murder immediately highlighted the political polarization in the United States.
President Donald Trump and other Republican leaders immediately blamed the “radical left” for the attack, before a motive was confirmed. Progressive media outlets described Kirk as a “controversial” and “divisive” figure in their coverage, while conservative outlets called the murder a direct attack on conservatism.
On social media, some praised Kirk as a brave patriot willing to say what others dared not, while others celebrated his death as deserved retaliation for his stances, including his well-known support for gun rights. Top officials, including Vice President JD Vance, pressured companies to discipline employees who celebrated Kirk’s murder online, leading to at least 145 firings or suspensions. ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show after the host spoke about Kirk’s death, following threats of action by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
This text was originally published in Forbes US.
Follow information about business and current affairs in Forbes Mexico