I'm O.K – A Murder Simulator

Lore & Background

The game was released in response to 'A Modest Video Game Proposal' issued in late 2005 by activist attorney Jack Thompson, known for his opposition to sex and violence in entertainment. Thompson dared game producers to release a game following a 'script' he outlined, in which a grieving father of a child killed by a computer gamer takes vengeance by murdering many people connected with the gaming industry. Thompson promised a $10,000 donation to the charity of choice of Paul Eibeler (then-chairman of Take-Two Interactive) if such a game were released, though he later claimed the proposal was only a joke, and no charity has been designated by Eibeler. The makers of the webcomic Penny Arcade made a $10,000 donation in Thompson's name to the Entertainment Software Association (ESA).

Reader's Guide

The 'O.K' in the title refers to the initials of the protagonist, Osaki Kim (a name specifically requested by Thompson in his proposal), and together with the first part of the game's name is a play on the accusation that video game violence is being considered normal by manufacturers and gamers. The reference to a 'Murder Simulator' refers to what Thompson regularly proclaimed all violent computer games to be. The game is a side-scrolling video game with 16-bit era low-resolution graphics that shares, to a degree, the basic gameplay and somewhat lowbrow humor of the Metal Slug series. Its significance lies in being a direct satirical response to a prominent anti-video-game activist, highlighting the debate over video game violence in the mid-2000s. The game remains a notable artifact of that cultural clash, though Thompson's proposal was later disavowed as a joke.

Did You Know?

• The game was created as a satirical response to Jack Thompson's 'A Modest Video Game Proposal' from late 2005.
• Thompson promised a $10,000 donation to Paul Eibeler's chosen charity if such a game were released, but no charity has been designated.