British civil servants were paid to play an online version of the iconic action game Grand Theft Auto alongside ordinary citizens. The experimental policy development group at the UK Department for Education (DfE) conducted focus groups on the game, trying to create an «emotionally safe space» for the study participants.
British civil servants were paid to play an online version of the iconic action game Grand Theft Auto alongside ordinary citizens. The experimental policy development group at the UK Department for Education (DfE) conducted focus groups on the game, trying to create an «emotionally safe space» for the study participants.
This is stated in the material of The Telegraph.
The project was initiated by the Policy Lab, a small experimental laboratory in the heart of Whitehall that develops new approaches to shaping government programs. In late 2024, the unit brought civil servants into the virtual world of GTA to explore people’s «real-world experiences.» Civil servants joined the multiplayer online game and interacted with players directly while completing in-game missions.
The nature of Grand Theft Auto involves some pretty brutal gameplay, from robbing jewelry stores and assassinating corporate executives to stealing cars and escaping from the police. Despite this, the government report claims that the format has helped «reveal important insights into people’s lived experiences.»
In particular, the researchers found that one participant «liked spending time in his own virtual nightclub or on a yacht,» while another person noted that simply driving a car and talking to government officials in the game «was very easy.» The authors of the experiment also concluded that such «virtual meetings are especially useful for people from remote regions» and those who want to experience experiences that are not available in reality — for example, «running a successful business.»
But not everyone in Whitehall was happy with the gamification of the public sector. A government source described the project as «nonsense» and a «hangover syndrome» from the previous Conservative government that the current leaders are trying to eradicate. In addition to the GTA, the same lab has also run workshops for civil servants on clay modelling, knot tying and hired an artist to draw welfare recipients to «highlight their shared humanity».
The initiative was harshly criticized in the shadow Cabinet of Ministers.
«Hardworking families will not believe that their taxes are being used to fund this nonsense. Public sector productivity is falling while civil servants are busy playing board games, video games and clay modelling. It is important that civil servants have the right skills — but playing Grand Theft Auto is not one of them. The government must stop this absurd waste of resources immediately,» said shadow cabinet minister Mike Wood.
Previously, dev.ua reported that the Vitrugan training center for military drone operators, which also develops UAV, EOD, and electronic warfare systems, integrated an FPV simulator into the game Grand Theft Auto V. This solution allows pilots to train and relax in the open world of the game and supports professional remote controls.
