Barack Obama talks 'GTA IV'

Barack Obama has claimed that video games such as Grand Theft Auto IV are "raising our kids".

The US presidential candidate referred to the new release during a speech in Indiana.

GamePolitics quotes him as saying: “I was just catching the news this morning about Grand Theft Auto, this video game, which is gonna break all records and make goo-gobs of money for whoever designed it.

"Now, this isn’t intended for kids, although I promise you there are kids who are playing it, but these video games are raising our kids.

“Across the board, middle-class, upper-class, working-class kids, they’re spending a huge amount of their time not on their studies, but on entertainment."

He urged Americans to encourage their children to turn off the TV and focus on doing well in school.

Grand Theft Auto IV was released on Tuesday for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.