On Tuesday, BBC Two aired The Game Changers, a docudrama about the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas era fight between Rockstar Games (specifically boss Dan Houser, as portrayed by Daniel Radcliffe) and anti-video game lawyer Jack Thompson (Bill Paxton). Rockstar sued to try to stop the airing, but the broadcast went ahead anyway, with a disclaimer that certain details were enhanced for dramatic effect. (Because working at Rockstar isn’t already dramatic enough?)
It didn’t take long for Rockstar Games to deign the film to be “random, made up bollocks.”
@BBC Was Basil Brush busy? What exactly is this random, made up bollocks?
— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 15, 2015
Hmm, that tweet could have used more mime-punching.
Former employees and fellow developers also weighed in, as pointed out by VG24/7:
Current mentions of development team: zero. Current mentions there IS a development team: zero. Going very well #gamechangers
— Brian Baglow (@flackboy) September 15, 2015
I think games writing/acting is embarrassing. But watching this GTA drama, it seems TV writing/acting is even worse :D
— cliffski (@cliffski) September 15, 2015
GTA being created in 1996. Everyone wore their own clothes and not company branded apparel! #TheGamechangers pic.twitter.com/rB0Q5qCDAX
— Steve Hammond @snap2grid@mastodon.social ⌨️ (@snap2grid) September 15, 2015
One day, the media will talk about a game, and not try and make out only one person was responsible…one day#IHaveADream #TheGamechangers
— Mike Dailly™ 🏴🇺🇦🇵🇸💙 (@mdf200) September 15, 2015
You can see some more of the Twitter reactions over at VG24/7, or we can simply sum them up with a GIF:
