Seeing how Bioshock is set in a the-individual-comes-first, collectivism sucks, Ayn Rand-y kind of universe, it makes total sense that capitalism would have such a strong presence in the game. Whether it’s the endless (ly ironic) ads that dot the Rapture walls, or the economic flow of cash/Adam that allows players to buy new powers, or the way that even machines can be bought out instead of hacked, this particular dystopia screams, “Express your power as a person through your purchasing power!”
Well, God damn it, I’m ready to buy things. First my review copy arrived free of charge. (I’m not actually complaining about that; my wallet thanks you muchly, 2K Games). Then the soundtrack was downloadable–legally!–online. Now the art book is free as well. Jesus, sell me something. There are so many possibilities. I would hang the poster version of any of those ads on my wall, and proudly. I would buy an adorable plush Big Daddy–named Mr. Bubbles, of course–and then I’d buy another. I’d even fork over cash for a creepy replica figurine of those Little Sister statues that flank Gatherers’ Gardens. They’re faces are so shiny…
For now I suppose we’ll have to settle for the sweet taste of “Nico-time” and “teeing off for flavor.” If nothing turns up to purchase soon though, we might all end up communists. How would like that, Ayn Rand? How would you like that?
Bonnie Ruberg is a sex, technology, and video games journalist who contributes regularly to publications like The Economist, Forbes, and The Village Voice. By day she's also a comparative literature PhD student at UC Berkeley, where she studies French, English, gender, sexuality, surrealism and perversion. You can reach her at [her first name and last name, all one big word] AT gmail DOT com.
August 28th, 2007 at 10:42 am
I couldn’t agree more. I want it all. And I want it now.
August 28th, 2007 at 11:40 am
Now little Scott, don’t get greedy. I’d settle for some of it, and sometime soon. Like a Mr. Bubbles squeaky toy. For some reason that sound oddly appealing…
August 28th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
I want a cigarette lighter shaped like an Adam needle and a real Pep Bar and some Sander Cohen original sculpture. And a keychain that looks like Spider Splicer hooks, and a great big drill to wave at my enemies, and one of those dirty little button jumpers that the Little Sisters have got.
August 28th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Apparently there are Adam needle pens, complete with red, bloody goodness–but there’s something about needing to be a member on the Bioshock site and exert actual effort instead of just forking out cash. I’m hoping the first round of fan-based craft art starts soon so I can buy it up off Etsy. Little, hank-knit Little Sister dolls? Oh yeah.
March 14th, 2010 at 7:10 pm
I reallllyyyy wish for a plushie big daddy too. I found a crochet pattern for a big daddy, but not very cuddly, neither are THOSE stupid baseball dolls. I want like the little plushies you can find on the ground in Bioshock 2. They are too cute, minus a part missing in some from a little ‘tampering’ XD
crochet pattern: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=338073.0
March 14th, 2010 at 7:12 pm
Also this: http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_query=bioshock&search_type=handmade
…but no REAL plushies =((((
May 23rd, 2010 at 1:16 pm
Very interesting article, glad i found you by mistake :)