Just when you thought video game violence had already pushed the limits of acceptability and good taste…now Rockstar Games is taking it retro.
Rockstar Games announced today it is adapting the 1979 cult film The Warriors as a game for Sony’s Playstation Portable (PSP) system.
Never mind that many PSP owners weren’t even born when the movie hit theaters.
Originally adapted from the 1965 novel by Sol Yurick, Walter Hill’s 1979 film follows the story of the street gang the Warriors as they fight their way across New York City to get back to their own turf, after having been framed for the murder of underground leader Cyrus who sought to unify all New York City’s gangs. The film, starring Michael Beck, James Remar, Mercedes Ruehl, David Patrick Kelly, and Lynne Thigpen, the film’s subject matter and outright brutality was implicated in a handful of murders and numerous incidents of teen violence. Some theater owners hired additional security and suffered vandalism; many refused to show it altogether. The film’s distributor, Paramount, bowed to public pressure and pulled all print advertisements for the film. However, the film nonetheless achieved a cult status, and was widely shown in theaters around the United States for years. It is currently being remade by director Tony Scott in Los Angeles, eyeing a 2008 release.
Rockstar Games, however, wants to get in on the action a little early, and expect to ship The Warriors for PSP in time for the 2006 holiday season. “We set out to create a highly sophisticated portable game that delivers a visceral experience previously unseen on the PSP system,” stated Sam Houser, Rockstar Games’ Founder and Executive Producer, in a statement. “We are looking forward to setting the definitive bar for the brawler genre on the PSP system by delivering an extremely stylish and exceptionally deep experience.”
In the game, players must fight their way across 20 miles of New York City, overcoming of avoiding thousands of other gang members who believe the Warriors killed Cyrus. The game is rated “M” for Mature by the ESRB; it shipped last year for the Playstation 2 and Xbox platforms.
