During the last couple of weeks, homosexuality has found itself dragged into the media spotlight of the UK. It has been at the heart of recent controversy and debate, surprisingly so in a country that has arguably welcomed it as a part of society and national culture more than most.

It began when Daily Mail columnist Jan Moir made unfounded insinuations regards the death of former boy band member Stephen Gately, suggesting that there was more to the incident than had been reported despite a post-mortem stating that he “died of natural causes.” Moir somehow managed to link Gately’s death to his lifestyle as a homosexual, and then called into question the “happily-ever-after myth of civil partnerships.” Moir’s piece was widely condemned as “vile” and “hateful” by both the media and public, with over 25,000 complaints filed to the Press Complaints Commission on the day that the article was posted.

Moir’s column was then briefly discussed during an edition of political debate-based television show Question Time, a particularly controversial edition because it featured the first appearance on the show of British National Party leader Nick Griffin. When asked about Jan Moir’s piece on the show, Griffin ultimately described the concept of two men kissing as “creepy” to him, inciting boos and jeers from the audience. This alluded to the BNP’s beliefs that homosexuality should be returned “to the closet,” only tolerated as long as it’s kept private.

With all this recent controversy, I found myself wondering what Rockstar, itself a British developer, thought as they released the new downloadable episode pack for Grand Theft Auto IV: the brilliantly titled The Ballad of Gay Tony. The timing couldn’t be better or worse depending on the developer’s outlook, leaving me to wonder if Rockstar is rubbing its hands with glee or bracing itself for yet another media barrage against one of its games’ divisive themes?

The Ballad of Gay Tony isn’t ashamed of being bubbly in its presentation.

Grand Theft Auto games have never shied away from controversial topics, instead embracing them with such vigor as to leave no doubt about the developers’ intentions. In fact, the series’ success has largely been based upon the outrage lobbied towards its mature subject matter. While mainstream media and the government scorn its use of violence, drugs, prostitutes and guns in what most still consider a children’s medium, the kids themselves look up to GTA as the naughty game with all the cool stuff that you can’t find elsewhere. Of course, as the industry matures, the truth of that will become thinner and thinner, but that won’t stop the same critics from raising the roof. When it comes to video games, GTA is still the go-to title for mainstream criticism and despair.

As of right now, a few days after its retail and digital release, The Ballad of Gay Tony has seen little mention within the mainstream press. Unsurprisingly so, given that the larger outlets are always a month or so behind the gaming times, but is it possible that this game will get by without any mainstream discussion?