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Changing the Game: Conversations with Marc Ecko

You know his clothing line. But what business does Marc Ecko have making games? Watch our exclusive video interview and you'll soon find out. This man may be new to making games, but we think he knows his stuff.

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By Ricardo Torres, Ryan Mac Donald, and Greg Kasavin
Design by Collin Oguro

2004/reviews/920632_20040816_thumb001.jpg LAS VEGAS--Following a lively presentation at the annual D.I.C.E. Summit, at which entrepreneur and aspiring game designer Marc Ecko offered his unique insight on the state of game development, Ecko sat down with GameSpot for a chat. For those who can't quite place his name, Ecko is the self-made mogul who runs Ecko Unltd., one of the most innovative and successful fashion companies in the world. With his upcoming PS2 game, Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure, the former graffiti artist (who almost was a pharmacist) has set his sights on the gaming world. Getting Up is being developed by the Southern California-based The Collective and will mix together urban culture, graffiti, and action gameplay into what all involved are intending to be a fresh, new experience. Maybe you think that all sounds great. Or maybe you're a cynic or a skeptic and you think it all sounds like the brainchild of a bunch of suits up in marketing.

Think again. While he's a relative newcomer to the development community, Ecko's experience as an artist, businessman, and old-school gamer has provided him with a fresh, unflinchingly candid perspective. These are qualities that should serve the budding game developer well in his efforts to make his own mark on the gaming industry. But don't take our word for it...

Featured here are two excerpts from our exclusive conversation, which focused on Getting Up and his thoughts on gaming as a whole. Warning: These interviews contain some explicit language.

The segment on Getting Up reveals more on this promising game's play mechanics and story. Although some may have pigeonholed the game as a Jet Grind Radio-esque affair, Ecko is adamant that Getting Up will be a different animal from Sega's underappreciated gem. Ecko's own active involvement in the graffiti scene back in the day and his ties to it today will bring the game a perspective that he's hoping will be different and genuine. At the same time, the developers are squarely focused on delivering a polished, fun game.

As for his thoughts on the industry, Ecko offers an observant outsider's point of view, which is enriched by his business experience and love for games. On the one hand, Ecko clearly understands the bases that have to be covered in order to do business. However, as a game player, he also "gets" a player's desire for something new...something that's often impossible to describe it until you actually play it.

While he may not be a veteran of the game industry, Ecko's experience as a self-made man who managed to create an empire from nothing, and who prevailed against people who constantly told him he'd never succeed, bodes well for his endeavor in gaming. His vision for his title and the future of the industry seem like just the kind of thinking that could bring about some positive change. We'll be interested to see how it all plays out, starting when Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure ships this fall for the PlayStation 2.

So, is a guy like Marc Ecko the breath of fresh air that we need in gaming? Or is he just jumping on the bandwagon? Share your thoughts with the rest of GameSpot's community in our message boards by clicking on the link below.


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