Driving the streets of San Andreas in Grand Theft Auto Online is typically 140 mph, overtaking flying motorcycles and listening to sweet tunes on the radio. But life is a lot quieter on a GTA Online RPG server. People (mostly) obey traffic rules and stop to smell the roses. They even hold parades. On the New Day RPG server, the GTA community even got together for an in-game Pride event.
“As a player myself, I’m an LGBT youth who isn’t as lucky as others,” Peacheslatoure, the parade organizer, told Polygon about Discord. “I use role play as a medium to express who I want to be to the public.”
On the New Day server, Peacheslatoure takes on the role of Jeb Miller, who grew up in Sandy Shores with couch surfing and trailer hopping. “A lot of LGBT youth dream of moving to big cities and finding acceptance for who they are,” he said. “I wanted my character to represent the dreams of LGBT youth and I wanted to spread awareness, especially in the special month of June.”
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22694355/QnqosDZ.jpeg)
Image: Rockstar Games / New Day RP
Through its Jeb Miller character, Peacheslatoure is part of the vibrant New Day community that celebrates Pride with dances, beach parties and the final parade. The server’s public works department even came out to set up an official route through the city, and the in-game Twitter app lit up with messages of support.
“Some people are not lucky enough to go to a parade or party in real life, and I wanted to give them the opportunity to celebrate in the comfort of their seats,” says Peacheslatoure.
As the organizer, Jeb stood on the front car and watched the huge parade pull through the streets. A DJ kept some sick royalty free jams going, and no one attacked or otherwise interfered with the parade. It was a purely conflict-free event, driven by role-players who came together to mimic a real-life experience together. This is only possible within the curated cultures of RP servers and is a far cry from the standard experience in one of the open online worlds of Rockstar Games.
While many of the players on these servers take on the roles of cops and criminals, the spaces surrounding this fundamental conflict are animated by subcultures and communities. People play artists, activists, and even more mundane civil roles.
The bonds they develop go beyond the dramatic storylines and wild twists of the plot Grand Theft Auto 5 or GTA-Online. “Through role play, I have found a family that accepts me for who I am and supports me in my creative endeavors,” says Peacheslatoure.
