Fashion designer Marc Ecko’s upcoming game, Getting Up: Contents Under
Pressure, has received a lot of attention for even the idea of the game: a
graffiti artist trying to become the best wall-painter in his respective
fictional city. Naturally, the idea of glorifying graffiti art has upset many
groups, including Keep America Beautiful and the National Council to Prevent
Delinquency, who fear that children will see the game and go out with spray cans
all over town. The groups are asking that the game receive the ESRB’s highest
rating, AO, for the game’s content.
Atari today responded to the criticism the best that it could: that the main
character “never [uses] guns.” Good point, since most games feature shooting of
some point, from Contra to the upcoming Shadow the Hedgehog game (and, of
course, Grand Theft Auto). Another point that Atari brings up is that Getting Up
is just a game, and that many other mediums glorify other illegal activity and
people recognize that it is wrong. I mean, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
doesn’t make me want to become a drug addict, and all Gone in 60 Seconds makes
me want to do is change the channel.