New York City in Video Games: 1986-1993 Exhibition

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Secret Levels wants to put on a first-of-its-kind exhibition that elevates the artistic merit and cultural impact of video games — but to do that, we need your help.

Stay tuned for more information about the exhibition.  In the meantime, keep reading to learn more about the upcoming exhibit.

NYC in Video Games 1986-1993

Have you ever noticed how many classic action games were originally set in — or at least heavily inspired by — the stereotypically violent streets of Manhattan? Just look at titles like Double Dragon (1987), Streets of Rage (1991), and Final Fight (1989), and you’re bound to notice some quintessential New York scenery, from underground subway stations to graffitied alleyways, and even riverside parks overlooking the Statue of Liberty.

But while video games were passing New York’s crime-ridden reputation down to a new generation, the city itself was changing. Initiatives like the 42nd Street Restoration Project and local Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), as well as increased arrest rates and other controversial policing policies, had a dramatic effect on NYC’s urban crime rate, dropping it by more than 56 percent by the end of the ‘90s.  

Inspired by the documentary Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003), “NYC in Video Games 1986-1993” will investigate the unique relationship between New York and the games that took place there, and how the city’s redevelopment coincided with the rise and fall of the “golden age” of American arcades. Our exploration will feature advertisement art and merchandise from select video games, along with a mix of photography and news articles of what was going on in New York at the time.

Throughout this exhibition, you’ll discover how early video game development and NYC history are intertwined, and how the forces of gentrification and technology aligned to create the New York that exists today — one with a thriving present-day gaming community that includes indie developers, e-sports competitors, and more.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, media outlets and city government leaders alike seem obsessed with the “bad old days” of New York. Can we learn anything about today by looking at the New York of yesterday, even through the lens of a still-young medium like video games? 

Secret Levels is a new arts organization based in New York City, with additional fiscal sponsorship provided by Fractured Atlas. Our mission is to study how video games and art intersect, and to explore the larger cultural impact of this medium.   

Armstrong, A., Gould Ellen, I., Schwartz, A. E., & Voicu, I. (2007, July). The Benefits of Business Improvement Districts: Evidence from New York City. NYU Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy. https://furmancenter.org/files/publications/FurmanCenterBIDsBrief.pdf 

Coltin, J. (2023, April 3). New York City is obsessed with the Bad Old Days. City & State New York. https://www.cityandstateny.com/personality/2023/04/new-york-city-obsessed-bad-old-days/384711/ 

The NBER Digest. (2003, January 1). What reduced crime in New York City?. National Bureau of Economic Research. https://www.nber.org/digest/jan03/what-reduced-crime-new-york-city 

Lady Liberty - in video games. Nukes and Knives™. (2017, October 17). https://nukesandknives.blogspot.com/2017/10/lady-liberty-in-video-games.html 

Gutman, D. (1989, January 13). Games are rough in the big apple. Miami Herald, p. 27. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald/95342955/m

 

For any inquiries, please contact: [email protected]

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