New BBC drama tells story of GTA, 'one of the greatest British coding success stories'

BBC Two is set to air a special 90-minute drama about the conception, creation and fallout from Grand Theft Auto, which it describes as "the greatest British coding success story since Bletchley Park" — the story of the key codebreaker who shortened WWII by two years.

The drama is part of the BBC Make it Digital initiative, UK-wide movement designed to inspire a new generation to get creative with coding, programming and digital technology.

As part of the initiative, BBC Make it Digital will include a season of themed-content across television, radio and online, some of which will be new and some based on beloved brands. All of the shows will run in the lead up to a "big moment in September," according to the BBC.

The Grand Theft Auto drama will tell the story of how the game was conceived and created and the subsequent fallout as some groups objected to its violent gameplay.

Here's the full official description:

Grand Theft Auto (BBC Two)
This special 90-minute drama will tell the story of arguably the greatest British coding success story since Bletchley Park — the triumph of the computer game Grand Theft Auto.

Unlike many coding success stories, Grant Theft Auto was not created in Silicon Valley - it was the brainchild of a bunch of British gaming geniuses who had known each other since their school days. In autumn 2013 its latest iteration — GTA:V — earned $1bn in its first three days, becoming the fastest selling entertainment product in history.

GTA offered gamers the chance to step into a fantasy world where they could behave like criminals, gun down rival gangsters and cops, hijack cars and venture deeper into an imaginary American gangland underworld.

But the violent gameplay coupled with its outstanding success led to fierce opposition: from parents worried about children immersing themselves in such a violent world; from politicians, alarmed at the values it encourages; and above all from moral-campaigners, who have fought passionately to stop it.
Grand Theft Auto tells the story of how the game was conceived and created and the subsequent fallout as various groups objected to its violent gameplay.

Other shows in the lead up to September include Doctor Who, Eastenders and a new show called Girls Can Code, which is described as a talent show with a difference. You can check out the full run-down right here.

We've reached out to the BBC and Rockstar for more details and will update this story when they reply.