The Guardian’s games man, Nick Gillet, speaking on Phil Jupitus’ BBC6Music Breakfast show this morning, repeated last week's story about Atari being accused by the chairman of the UK's Anti-Graffiti Association (AGA) of encouraging vandalism in its plans to release Graffiti-inspired game ‘Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure’.
SPOnG sought a response from Atari on this matter today, as we feel this non-story really needs to be nipped in the bud, before it flowers into a full-on Daily Mail moral panic about the negative effects of videogames on our children.
Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure, which is due out on PC, PS2 and Xbox next month, sees players taking on the role of a young graffiti artist who must use his spray-painting skills to help overthrow a corrupt local government, spread his graffiti art to build up a bit of a reputation and gain… Respect!
SPOnG is not sure if the Respect your player gains in the game is the same as the Respect which Mr Tony Blair is so keen to shoehorn into the UK’s national political agenda, but we do find this whole storm in a teacup issue over a videogame rather alarming. SPOnG doesn't go out and grab guns or nick cars each time we play GTA, and we don't, for that matter, try to emulate the behaviour of Tom or Jerry after watching that classic cartoon. Nor do we think we are incredible flying acrobats when we go to see the Moscow State Circus each Christmas... We could, of course, go on.
American Fashion Mogul, Marc Ecko, the visionary behind several of today's most respected youth lifestyle brands, has described the game as an homage the rich graf culture which started in New York City in the late 1970s, which is widely recognised as a valid art form and is a central feature of the now widespread global Hip Hop culture. The game is also to be developed into a movie, with MTV Films holding the film rights.
In a statement released to SPOnG today, in response to the AGA’s comments last week, an Atari spokesperson said: “The game environment and narrative present a unique setting and look based on the lifestyle and legend of graffiti artists and their chosen art form. The look and feel of the game reflect many aspects of this culture, including its music, fashion, and language, giving the player the ability to "experience" the graffiti art form in a safe and legal setting. The focus of the game is on expression through art; the hero is typically equipped with only paint, and never guns.”
The spokesperson went on to add: “Atari, Inc. prides itself on providing innovative entertainment experiences like Getting Up. Atari, Inc. does not condone or encourage the commission of any criminal act, or the wrongful suppression of the freedom of artistic expression.”
This is not the first time that controversy has surrounded the game - politicians in Florida and New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg have both campaigned and made attempts to prevent Atari and Ecko from launching the game and from holding a party to promote the title. Do these politicians and campaigners for cleaner cities really think they are achieving anything through this type of activity, other than increasing the PR coverage about Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure?
Before the AGA and morally-upstanding parents across the land start player-hating on us, let us make our position clear. SPOnG is fully aware that graffiti clean-up operations costs Londoners over £100 million annually. Mindless tagging of buses, trains and public and private property makes our blood boil as much as the next commuter. It just makes our daily environment look worse and increases our already-high Council Tax bills. It is wrong and should be stopped and discouraged at every opportunity.
However, playing Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure is not going to inspire the youth of our nation to go out and deface trains and buses with a permanent black marker. We would be as bold to go so far and suggest that the main contributor towards inspiring such vandalism could be summed up in two words – poor parenting.
Please let us know your thoughts on the matter in the forum below.