Take-Two seems to be feeling the pressure other game companies are feeling around the world.
RockstarIntel explained that there are changes currently being planned with Grand Theft Auto 5 Enhanced Edition’s text messaging for its GTA Online component.
Where Is Text Messaging On Grand Theft Auto 5 Enhanced Edition?
Grand Theft Auto 5 Enhanced Edition launched with text messaging deactivated, and it still has not been brought back.
For now, Rockstar has not given us an explanation for why they did this. But fans did try to find answers on their own.
Dataminers found that the game code had the message “text chat option not yet added to Gen9. Coming soon.”
This text was found in the pause menu file, but it doesn’t actually display for players.
Grand Theft Auto 5 Legacy Is Getting Changes Too
Tez2 found that Rockstar is making changes to text messages in the original version of Grand Theft Auto 5. Apparently, this version will soon be called Grand Theft Auto 5 Legacy.
Tez2 claims that text messaging will be disabled in countries and regions that require age verification. He also believes that this will eventually be applied on Grand Theft Auto 5 Enhanced Edition. At least, when text messaging is reintroduced to that version of the game.
Why Is This Happening?
Do you remember the controversies surrounding payment processors forcing Steam to remove “adult” games? That turned out to only be the start of a new trend.
The US and the UK have started implementing new laws regulating online content for child safety.
The US has the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). The UK, for their turn, has the Online Safety Act (OSA).
This, in turn, is a reaction to broader concerns surrounding child safety that have existed for years.
For example, Cognosphere added age verification to Genshin Impact. This ensures younger players won’t get monetized the same way older players are, in compliance with COPPA.
On the flip side is Roblox. The game platform is facing a lawsuit from the State of Louisiana.
Louisiana’s Attorney General Lisa Murrill alleges that Roblox’s safety measures aren’t sufficient to protect children. We’ll have to wait and see how that lawsuit plays out.
Will Grand Theft Auto Itself Change?
Both Genshin Impact and Roblox are played by children, while the Grand Theft Auto franchise has been regulated so that children would not be able to play them at all.
It does not look like these new rules will fundamentally change Grand Theft Auto itself, any more than other games that now cater to adults. But we can expect even more smaller changes like this to comply with these new rules in the future.
