Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure

Atari to Unveil Marc Ecko's Revolutionary New Videogame

**Exclusive Sneak Peek at the Ultimate Urban Culture Game at E3 2004 in Los Angeles May 12-14

NEW YORK - May 6, 2004** - Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR), a leader in interactive entertainment, and fashion pioneer Marc Ecko, creator and founder of the urban lifestyle brand Ecko Unltd. and publisher of COMPLEX magazine, are joining forces to create the first truly authentic video game based on urban culture and graffiti art. A sneak peek at Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure will be available exclusively at Atari's booth (Petree Hall #4003) at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles May 12-14. In graffiti terms, "getting up" means getting your name (or tag) out and visible.

In announcing the partnership, Bruno Bonnell, Chairman and CEO of Atari, said, "Videogames have become a huge part of the urban lifestyle but no game has yet to truly capture the look, attitude, action or sound of urban culture. We have an incredible opportunity to change that....to be the first to get it right and share the authentic experience with gamers worldwide. Marc's vision of Getting Up fuses his expert knowledge of youth culture, his talent as a graphic artist and his passion for gaming. It's nothing less than extraordinary and Atari is thrilled to be a part of it."

Marc Ecko, said, "This game will be genre-defining. Revolutionary. We will put the flag in the ground of popular culture with Getting Up. Over my seven-year journey to get this thing made, I have had the good fortune to have met and explored opportunities with many different publishers. Atari allowed me the freedom to challenge the status quo manner in how games are developed, and that is precisely why it is the ideal home for this title. This is a dream come true for me."

Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure is being developed by The Collective and is currently slated for release in June 2005. More details about the game will be released in the weeks to come.

Source:

Press release (6th May 2004)

Atari Reveals Details of Groundbreaking Project, 'Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure'

**Atari, *ecko unltd., and The Collective Unveil Collaborative Effort to Create The Ultimate Urban Culture Game

BEVERLY, Mass., Aug. 12, 2004** - Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR) today revealed some of the details behind its video game collaboration with fashion pioneer Marc Ecko. Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure will represent the culmination of seven years of story and character development by Marc Ecko, himself a graphic artist with deep ties to graffiti and urban culture. Game development and design is being executed by The Collective, with Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure slated to be published by Atari in the second half of 2005 for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system.

"Atari is thrilled to work with Marc Ecko and The Collective on this groundbreaking project," said Bruno Bonnell, Chairman and CEO of Atari. "Marc brings a completely fresh creative viewpoint and a voice that speaks directly to urban youth culture, which has rapidly emerged as one of the most influential social groups of our time."

"We have the chance to finally tell the urban narrative the right way...with soul and sincerity in the real voice of our culture," said Marc Ecko. "Atari shares my passion for this project. They understand that the video game is the ideal medium to deliver a fully immersive urban experience. Working with The Collective, we're going to shatter cliche stereotypes and create the first truly authentic urban video game experience."

Dedicated to creating a story and environment that is a true representation of graffiti culture, Mr. Ecko has enlisted 50 of the world's most elite graffiti artists to lend their best artwork and personal experiences to the game and consult with The Collective to give Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure the authentic look and feel of a real urban environment.

Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure will create its own genre of gameplay, combining combat, action, adventure and stealth. The game uses a thrilling graffiti-driven framework to tell its story of self-expression and the fight for creative freedom. A thug, an outcast, a rebel...the lead character, Trane, is all of these in Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure. He sets out to earn his street cred by getting his graffiti tag up throughout the politically oppressive city of New Radius but as events unfold, Trane becomes the unlikely leader of an urban revolution.

The story's "Get In, Get Up and Get Out" gameplay mechanic offers gamers a unique arsenal of swift stealth and street fighting abilities to GET IN restricted areas of New Radius and battle through the city's rough streets; the dexterity and agility to scale any object in order to GET UP and place graffiti tags, spreading the message of rebellion; and the ingenuity to evade, escape and GET OUT.

"The city of New Radius is a living character in Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure; it sets the tone and offers the thematic boundaries that oppress Trane from the opening cinematic to the dramatic conclusion," said Richard Hare, VP of Creative, The Collective. "We're honored to be entrusted with bringing Marc's vision from the written page to the small screen. Collaborating with so many creative forces is a once-in-a lifetime opportunity."

Source:

Press release (12th August 2004)

Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure

Platform: PlayStation®2

Release Date: September 2005

Developer: The Collective

Publisher: Atari

Category: Third-Person Action/Adventure

ESRB Rating: Rating Pending

Story Overview:

Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure promises to be an homage to graffiti's rich culture. Told through an alternate reality in a futuristic universe, the game represents the culmination of seven years of story and character development by fashion pioneer Marc Ecko, himself a former graffiti artist with deep ties to the urban community.

In a world where graffiti has been banned and freedom of expression has been suppressed by a tyrannical city government, an unlikely hero rises to win back his neighbourhood and become an urban legend of the city of New Radius. Play as Trane, a "toy" (beginner) graffiti artist with the street-smarts, athletic prowess and vision necessary to become an "All City King," the most reputable of all graffiti artists. The sport of graffiti flows through his veins as he risks his life navigating vertical landscapes while battling rival crews, a corrupt Mayor and the city's Civil Conduct Keepers (CCK) all in an effort to reach the sweet spots of New Radius where a well-placed tag brings respect and reputation.

In your quest to become a legendary graffiti artist, you realise that an oppressive Mayor has a stranglehold on the city of New Radius, and you must use all of your high-wire graffiti talents to expose him and set the city free.

Product Description

The story's "Get In, Get Up and Get Out" gameplay mechanic offers gamers an arsenal of swift sneak and street fighting abilities to GET IN restricted areas of New Radius and battle through the city's rough streets; the dexterity and agility needed to scale any object, GET UP and place graffiti tags, spreading the message of rebellion; and the ingenuity to evade, escape and GET OUT.

As Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure story unfolds, you'll be given specific objectives to complete for a mission victory. These include graffiti-under-pressure scenarios, navigational challenges, stealth/sneak style missions, and fast-action battle sequences. You can also explore each level to discover a series of mini-games and challenges for additional hours of gameplay.

Product Features:* World famous hip-hop artist Talib Kweli as the voice for lead-character, Trane; * A revolutionary, deep storyline written by Marc Ecko poses the question "What if graffiti could change the world?," demonstrating the struggle against authority while seeking to save a neighbourhood from an oppressive city government; * Authentic tags from more than 50 actual graffiti artists from all over the world - six of whom are characters in the game and will teach Trane their specialties to add to his arsenal of graffiti tools; * 11 distinct metropolis-style environments of New Radius with 20 levels to complete; * Revolutionary graffiti gameplay system designed to hone your skills as you get your message up. New Radius is your canvas as you tag with Aerosol, Rollers, Markers, Wheat Paste, Stickers and Stencils; * Ability to use a variety of different graffiti tags, including stencils, stickers, posters and throw-ups; * Special fighting mechanics – combine kicking, grappling and punching moves along with improvised weaponry; * Graffiti intuition system which allows Trane to locate ideal places to tag within each environment; * A digital "black book" to unlock new tags and abilities, and store pictures and tags of graffiti legends Trane encounters along the way; * Extremely responsive enemy A.I. mechanics; * Lessons in graffiti evolution – watch Trane grow from "toy" to "All City King" as his graffiti style and the state of graffiti in New Radius evolve over the course of the game. Start in a 1980's train culture scene where subways were prime targets for gaining fame and continue to an exaggerated version of the silver-train era when "Take Back the City" was the city's battle cry, and extreme use of anti-graffiti tactics was rampant.

www.gettingup.com

Source:

Press release (11th January 2005)

Atari and Marc Ecko Sign Hip-Hop Star Talib Kweli To Provide Lead Voice Over For 'Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure'

**'Student of Truth' Provides Authentic Voice for Protagonist, Trane

LONDON, UK – 11 January 2005** – Atari today announced hip-hop artist Talib Kweli will be the voice of Trane, the lead character in Atari's new video game, Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure. The video game promises to be an homage to graffiti's rich culture and represents the culmination of seven years of story and character development by fashion pioneer Marc Ecko, himself a former graffiti artist with deep ties to the urban community.

Known for his evocative and compelling lyrics, Kweli has recently released the critically acclaimed The Beautiful Struggle (2004) album and has toured with renowned artists and producers such as Mos Def, Kanye West, Jay-Z and Beastie Boys. As Trane, Kweli is providing the voice for an outcast and rebel determined to establish his credibility in the politically oppressive city of New Radius, but who ultimately becomes the unlikely leader of an urban revolution.

"Because a video game has a hip-hop soundtrack doesn't automatically make it a true representation of urban life. The urban reality is about making your voice heard and with Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure we're looking to authentically capture that daily challenge in a highly engaging manner," said Marc Ecko, Executive Creative Director for Getting Up. "There is no better artist to help challenge the video game status quo and personify Trane than Talib, and we are excited to be adding his respected talent to our video game."

The story's "Get IN, Get UP and Get OUT" gameplay mechanic offers players a unique combination of skills, including the sneak and street fighting abilities needed to battle through the city's rough streets and Get IN restricted areas; the dexterity and agility to scale any object in order to Get UP graffiti tags and spread the message of rebellion; and the ingenuity to evade, escape and Get OUT.

Developed by The Collective, Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure is scheduled for release in September 2005 for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system.

www.gettingup.com

Source:

Press release (11th January 2005)

Atari And Marc Ecko Secure More Than 65 Legendary Graffiti Writers For 'Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure'

**Renowned Writers Lend Tags and Talent to Highly-Anticipated Video Game

NEW YORK, NY, May 26, 2005** – Further establishing the Getting Up1 brand as a true representation of authentic graffiti culture, Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR) and Marc Ecko, the visionary behind several of today's most respected youth lifestyle brands, today announced the involvement of over 65 well-known graffiti writers in the highly anticipated video game, Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure.

The artists will lend their signature tags and art to the urban environments, while six legendary artists – Cope 2, FUTURA, OBEY: Shepard Fairey, Seen, Smith and T-kid – will serve as in-game mentors to its protagonist, Trane, a rebel and toy2 graffiti writer. The six artists teach Trane skills and techniques such as painting burners, wheat pasting and stencils, so that he may go on to become an all-city3 king.

"In order to provide players with a true and authentic interpretation of writer's lifestyle, we have gathered some of the most acclaimed artists from all over the world to participate in this project," said Marc Ecko, Executive Creative Director for Getting Up. "Outside of being a riveting game, Getting Up chronicles the expression, creativity, and passion that drives a writer to put his life out there in the name of the most powerful art movement in recent history. As someone whose career was deeply inspired by the legends who set this global phenomenon in motion in the early 80s, I am honored to bring it full circle by working with them on this groundbreaking project."

The six graffiti artists include: Cope2 – the notorious 'Bronx bomber and destroyer' who began by tagging New York City subway cars and by 1983, was the king of the 2, 4 and 5 subway lines. Shows Trane the skills needed to successfully tag the subway system. * FUTURA – a presence since the early 1970s, FUTURA has gone on to become involved in creating a vehicle for writers to pursue careers as professional artists at Esses Studios. Introduces Trane to a graffiti artist's black book4. * OBEY – Shepard Fairey – was a student at the Rhode Island School of Design when he created the now famous sticker of Andre the Giant with the words OBEY. This experiment in phenomenology demonstrates the impact and influence a street artist can wield. Opens Trane up to the world of wheat pasting. * Seen – Bronx-born artistic prodigy well-known for painting entire subway cars from top to bottom, and one of the first artists to put his work to canvas. He is widely regarded as a leader of the school of graffiti art, and his works can be found in private collections and museums. Shows Trane how to bomb entire subway cars. * Smith – from Washington Heights, Smith was one of the most notorious writers ever and defined a new culture of graffiti by going above ground and sneaking his way into heaven spots5 to place his tag. Smith has since been commissioned to do murals for business of all types. He provides Trane with sneaking and stealth techniques. * T-kid 170* (Terrible Kid) began by writing on trains in 1974 and continues his art today by painting many murals in his hometown of the Bronx. Regarded by his peers as a highly influential master for his graffiti style and design. Teaches Trane how to paint murals.

Developed by The Collective, Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure is scheduled for release in September 2005.

1-Getting up means getting your tag or graffiti piece up on a wall, high surface, or train

2-Toy is the name given to a graffiti writer starting out

3-All city is the name given to a graffiti writer who's gained a reputation for painting citywide

4-A black book is a journal graffiti artists use to keep a log of admirable art they've seen throughout their travels and to collect signatures of other writers

Source:

Press release (26th May 2005)

Atari And Marc Ecko Announce 'Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure' For Xbox® And Windows

NEW YORK, NY, July 19, 2005 – Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR) today announced that its highly anticipated video game, Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure, will be a worldwide multi-platform Fall release. Already announced for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and mobile platform by Glu Mobile, this unique action-adventure game will also be available for the Xbox® video game system from Microsoft and Windows.

Developed by The Collective, Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure is a broad-based action-adventure inspired by graffiti's historically rich and diverse culture and is the culmination of seven years of story and character development by Marc Ecko, the visionary behind several of today's most respected youth lifestyle brands.

Set in the city of New Radius, the game features a world where freedom of expression is suppressed and graffiti has been outlawed by a tyrannical government. In the game, players assume the role of Trane – voiced by hip-hop artist Talib Kweli – as they learn and master various graf skills in a journey from toy to legend. During their quest, players find themselves with an even greater burden – to use their high-wire graffiti talents to expose an oppressive mayor and rid the city of his stranglehold on New Radius.

"Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure brings an original vision and point of view to gaming," said Marc Metis, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Atari. "With the Xbox and Windows versions now joining its PlayStation 2 and mobile counterparts, we look forward to bringing this experience to an even broader audience with the product's simultaneous worldwide launch."

Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure promises a new genre of gameplay by combining urban navigation and vertical gameplay with graffiti, street combat and sneak. The game uses a thrilling graffiti-driven framework to tell its story of self-expression and the fight for creative freedom. A thug, an outcast, and a rebel, the game's protagonist, Trane, initially sets out to earn his street cred by getting his graffiti tag up throughout the politically oppressive city of New Radius only to find himself the unlikely leader of an urban revolution.

Source:

Press release (19th July 2005)

Atari And Marc Ecko Announce Star-Studded Voice Talent For 'Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure'

**Ensemble Cast of Actors, Actresses, Musicians and Graffiti ArtistsLend Voice Talent to Video Game

NEW YORK, NY, July 21, 2005** – Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR) and Marc Ecko today announced an incredible lineup of Hollywood talent providing voices for the characters featured in the video game, Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure. Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, Rosario Dawson, Brittany Murphy, George Hamilton, Giovanni Ribisi, Adam West, Andy Dick, Charlie Murphy, The RZA, and Michael "M.C. Serch" Berrin will all add their voice to the first truly authentic video game based on urban culture and graffiti art. Hip-hop artist Talib Kweli who will voice Trane – the game's lead character – was announced earlier this year.

"Because the appeal of Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure transcends all preconceived demographics, it was important for us to work with talent that would best represent the eclectic mix of characters found in New Radius," said Marc Ecko, Executive Creative Director for Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure "From the beginning, we set out to create a game that provides consumers with an unbelievable entertainment experience while opening a window into a sub-culture that has previously been ignored."

"Atari is committed to changing the way players interpret and interact with its games and Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure is an ideal example of that new direction," said Marc Metis, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Atari, Inc. "The inclusion of such a renowned mix of celebrity talent is one small element that not only enhances the story-telling aspect of the game, but underscores the commitment of both Atari and *ecko unltd. in providing a completely compelling and entertaining video game."

The following celebrities will lend their considerable voice talents to the game:* Sean "P. Diddy" Combs - a pop culture icon, composer, producer director and actor, P. Diddy lends his voice to DIP, a member of Trane's rival crew, Vandals of New Radius; * Rosario Dawson - famous for her roles in Sin City and Men in Black II, she plays the voice of Tina, the girlfriend of Gabe, the leader of the Vandals of New Radius crew; * Brittany Murphy - has appeared in 8 Mile and Little Black Book, she will voice the aggressive and ambitious television reporter, Karen Light; * George Hamilton - known for his roles in The Godfather: Part III and Hollywood Ending, he will voice Mayor Sung, a cagey politician who's risen to the top slot in the city of New Radius; * Giovanni Ribisi - featured in films such as Boiler Room, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, and Cold Mountain, Ribisi will voice KRY1, a member of Trane's Still Free Crew; * Adam West - the original Batman from the television series lends his voice to the Chief William Hunt character; * Andy Dick - comedian who appeared in Zoolander and Old School, Dick plays the voice of Aunt Beth, a ruthless female boss of the Vandal Squad; * Charlie Murphy - best known for his appearances on "Chappelle's Show," Murphy is the voice of White Mike, another member of Trane's Still Free Crew; * The RZA – The founding member of hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan now known for composing the music of films such as Kill Bill: Volume 1 and Kill Bill: Volume 2, he will voice the character Stake, leader of the Wrong-Way Assassins; * Michael "M.C. Serch" Berrin - previously part of the hip-hop duo 3rd Bass and featured in the film Bamboozled, he will voice one of the main characters, Gabe, leader of the Vandals of New Radius crew.

A broad-based action-adventure game inspired by graffiti's historically rich and diverse culture, Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure is the culmination of seven years of story and character development by Marc Ecko, the visionary behind several of today's most respected youth lifestyle brands.

Developed by The Collective, Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure is slated to release this fall for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Windows and mobile platform by Glu Mobile.

Source:

Press release (21st July 2005)

What if graffiti could change the world?

Urban lifestyle guru Marc Ecko has teamed up with Atari to deliver a realistic slice of urban culture and graffiti art in this 3D action adventure.

The game follows the trials, tribulations and talent of Trane (voiced by hip-hop artist Talib Kweli), an upcoming artist getting up his tag. In a world where freedom of expression is banned by a tyrannical government, Trane finds a voice through his art.

Contents Under Pressure features a fresh hip-hop soundtrack that emphasises Trane's struggle and emergence as an unlikely leader of urban revolution.

• Explore 11 neighbourhoods of New Radius, the city that is your canvas
• Highly flexible graffiti styles including stencils, stickers, posters and throw-ups, plus real world tags from more than 50 artists
• Special fighting mechanics featuring improvised weaponry and extremely responsive AI foes

Source:

www.playstation.com

Play as Trane, a "toy" graffiti artist with the street smarts, athletic prowess and vision to become an "All City King" - the most reputable of all graffiti artists. Along your quest, uncover the mayor's deep, dark secret and use your fighting talents and high-wire graffiti to expose the city's leader as a corrupt tyrant. As you struggle to save a neighborhood from an oppressive government, one question stands out: What if graffiti could change the world? Risk your life battling city authorities and rival graf gangs - mere obstacles in your attempt to get your tag up. And in this city, not just any tag will do. You have to "Get IN, Get UP and Get OUT".

▪ Combat: master a unique fighting technique and use improvised weapons

▪ Graffiti: create tags in pressure situations, using multiple skills and styles

▪ Intuition: follow your sixth sense to find the best spots to tag

▪ Sneak mode: infiltrate areas and avoid capture as you creep silently through the city

▪ Navigation: utilize a unique guidance system to "get up" and tag

Source:

Steam store description - Windows (English)