We love video games here at GAMINGbible (if that wasn’t already obvious), but even we must admit that there are some ugly sides to it. It’s a side of video gaming that GTA V’s Michael actor found out the hard way after he was swatted during a stream.
It’s something a lot of streamers live in fear of, with cases of swatting sometimes becoming deadly. Oftentimes, it’s less life-threatening, but the results are much the same: people feel vulnerable and at risk.
Let's lighten the mood with some GTA: Trilogy wins and fails. We need it!
Ned Luke, the voice behind GTA V’s Michael, fell victim to swatting on 23 November while playing GTA Online. Fans looked on as Luke answered a phone call, quickly getting up from his chair and asking “They’re what?”, before looking out the window to see what was going on. With a weary sigh, the actor sat down and said, “Alright, I gotta go, now these assholes have swatted my house.” You can hear the disappointment in his voice.
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Due to his abrupt departure, fans took it upon themselves to speculate that it was Rockstar Games’ fault for this happening. “Rockstar failing to hide people's IP addresses from modders could've resulted in one of the lead actors for GTA getting shot and killed,” posted @IIstura on Twitter. “Rockstar should've solved this problem YEARS ago. This is completely unacceptable.”
It’s quite a large jump to make to believe that Rockstar should be able to prevent swatting, especially when it’s easy for people to find what they’re looking for with enough determination and know-how. This is something Luke addressed after seeing blame falling at Rockstar’s feet.
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“Y’all jumping to some large ass conclusions. This had nothing to do with Rockstar. These assholes leaked my private info years ago and have been doing this shit since. Anyone’s info is available online if you are sick enough to really wanna find it.”
In truth, it isn’t anyone’s fault but the swatters'. Hopefully, with the GTA VI trailer coming soon, GTA fans can put this nasty experience behind them and look forward to the positives of the franchise.
Featured Image Credit: Rockstar GamesTopics: GTA 5, GTA 6, GTA Online, Grand Theft Auto, Rockstar Games, Take-Two, PC, PlayStation, Xbox
