I don't think they expected it to be a success. I saw an article on Polygon about it. And most of the comments I read for their facebook post on said article were parroting some thoughts I'd mostly agree with. This is how 80% of people play GTA. There are people who enjoy violence and video games in general as just a simple video game to goof around in. They don't consider NPCs representative of real people. They're computers. So they have no problem killing them without any remorse. I don't think anyone who enjoys this game is really any less of a person. I don't think the game should be banned from being sold or released the way some people seem to think it will. I even seen the old argument about violence in games causing violence in life. Even annotations saying "Well it may not happen to normal people but this will affect those with mental issues". Sorry. But those people are already affected by whatever is affecting them

I'm all for freedom of speech and freedom of expression. Not because I agree with anything about it, I don't want the game, and I don't support what it stands for. But I support its right to exist. And if there's even the slightest chance it has an effect on people, I would imagine it'd be more positive than negative. People who enjoy that kind of violence and may also cause violence of their own, obviously need some sort of outlet before they actually do cause something. And this may be their catharsis. Just like I'd rather deprive/depraved and disturbed guys watch their rape fantasy porn rather than go out and actually rape chicks. I'd rather potential murders play their murder simulator to get off rather than go out and actually murder people. So in that way I'm glad this game exists and maybe there's a slim chance it'll do some good in the world

For me however. I would probably feel sick and dirty to play it or watch it being played. But to each their own I suppose..