Interview: Marc Ecko — Responding to "Gamers Are Pissy"
Published March 15, 2006
Marc Ecko recently made some harsh comments about gamers and their relationship with his new game Getting Up. The comments drew some harsh words from the community, and in this Blogcritics interview, Marc has a chance to reply to some of the issues the interview created.
The media always finds that one comment and latches onto it. So, what were you going for with "Gamers are pissy?" Isn't that insulting the very audience that should be buying the game?
Marc Ecko replies: Pissy is too strong? Then let's say hyper-critical. But it's true. Much, much more than anything I face in my other businesses. And why shouldn't they be hyper-critical? They spend 30-50 dollars on a game to be entertained, and the game industry force-feeds them endless sequels and "me too" concepts. Consumers are our greatest critics, whether in apparel, publishing, gaming, film, whatever... their feedback is how I grow creatively.
I just want to play — and help create — some compelling games. Getting Up was eight years in the making, the last two and a half years being real development at the Collective. I had a lot of time to be critical during every step of the process...even got "pissy" from time to time. The fact is, I set out to be a part of making a game that went against the status quo, that encouraged independent thought and creative expression, and I felt that was worth fighting for. Still is.
Many of the message board postings I've seen from people responding to the game reject it based on your name being on the box. Do you feel that makes it seem like it's trying to cover up some lackluster game play? We've seen some real atrocities over the years with celebrity names on them. In the end, do you think your name on the box helps or hurts sales/attitudes from gamers?
Marc Ecko replies: It is hard to blame gamers for being skeptical of "outsiders" throwing their name on a game. If someone says, "What the hell does Marc Ecko know about making a game?" I would just say I play games like they do, but I just happen to be lucky enough to have found someone to help bring my vision for a game to life. I'm not saying I have any special technical skills that add to nuts and bolts development of a videogame, but I definitely can tell a good game from a lame one. I feel like I played a lot of roles in Getting Up — in the last few months I've been like an overpaid beta tester!
Matt Paprocki is the former reviews editor for Digital Press, a video game website with an appreciation for the retro side of the industry. The deep game collection which spans nearly 30 systems and 2,000 games line his walls for research purposes. Matt strives to bring credibility to video game journalism, and take it in a new direction to aid the industry in becoming respected with all forms entertainment media. He currently freelances for GameArgus.com and MultiPlayerGames.com.- Interview: Marc Ecko — Responding to "Gamers Are Pissy"
- Published: March 15, 2006
- Type: Interview
- Section: Gaming
- Filed Under: Gaming: Xbox, Gaming: PlayStation 2
- Writer: Matt Paprocki
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Comments on this articleComments
who is mark ecko?
never heard of him.
I don't know why gamers hate Marc Ecko's Getting Up, but I have seen some fairly strong evidence that many gamers do in fact hate the game rather intensely.
very nice, thanks Matt!
well i live in OZ, (it may as well be a mythical place the damn country is run by a dwarf....) and as soon as this game was anounced in under a week it was banned, i mean if we are going to get in to the whole 'games are evil' thing take this in to retrospect, PACMAN.... ahem (if we are going to get critical here.....) pac man is about a guy/thing that is chased by the fears and taughnts of the world (ghosts) so he turns to a life of drugs to help him cope (pac pills) he eats the pack pills and sudeenly all his problems aren't what they were before, and then as with most drug trips he gets the munchies and eats the ghosts and various other fruit and such around the level..... i'm sorry but that sounds all to much like a good friday night, and how old is that game.... mid 60's i think, and when was the hieght of drugs and so forth... mid 60's i think, hmm there is a pattern there, what i'm saying is i fix computers for a living, and as i by product i love playing games, and after having to aquire this game thru illegal means, (cos its the only way i can get it...) i have to say after seeing a preveiw video of getting up and then playing the game for about an hour or two i have to say this game is not urban and it is not just another gta, and it is not 'dumb' as most of the games are leaning towards ( and by dumb i mean you have to think about certain things that you have never thought of while playing a game before) this game is quite simply put one of the best games i have ever played and if the ban gets lifted i will go out and buy 2 copies because it is that good the gameplay is fresh and instinctive, the levels are very well planned the story and the voice acting is top notch ( take note hollywood) and the graphics are great considering the time at which the engine was started, ( if they get updated with the latest tech you will have a game to surpass all others) i belive that if this is the direction that games are going i will egarly await the next installment by mr marc ecko, yes he has a clothing label and shoes and from what i read a magazine, and god knows what else but he is on a good thing with the games mark, fresha dn innovative 20 out of 10, its about damn time
that game waz bad these haters wish they can make a game like that!!
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Nice interview Matt!
I would agree that the hard-core gamers are fussy or pissy (whatever term you want to use) but I would argue that given the propensity of the game industry to over-hype, over-promise and then ship buggy, below-standard products out, gamers generally have a reason to be pissy. Far too often they've been sold products that, due to the publisher's need to ship or to hit the stores for Christmas, that are poor quality, untested and crash frequently.
Given the reviews I've read, it does'nt sound like Urkel's (sorry, Ecko's) game is buggy or problematic. My guess is that the negative reaction is a knee-jerk response to a). yet another "name" pushing a game onto the market and b). his comments which probably got a small number of hard-core gamers backs' up...who then just couldn't resist trying to spin up some trash talk in response.