At the same time, this isn't a particularly "original" art direction either. Just a variation of the work pioneered by Ian Anderson at Designer's Republic in the 90s, the genius behind WipEout w/ tremendous influence in graphic design / music culture.

Bungie & art director @josephacross fucked up hardcore by letting these stolen designs pass. But...

Ian mentioned influences in Blade Runner, pop art, Japanese pop culture, Russian constructivism, concrete, consumerism, glitching, old Grafittis / weathered billboards, and obviously it inherits from Swiss graphic design & Bahaus too.

This is why I'm never been a fan of Marathon's art direction. To me, it feels like a sterile pinterest board / clothing brand trying too hard to be cool, not a original vision. Although the genius Alberto Mielgo almost makes it palpable in the cinematic he directed.

Anyway, go play some good old Wipeout again. Team Quirex here.

Hey man, I grew up in Yugoslavia, I was surrounded by the brutalist graphic design that was part of my mother tongue, so if we are going to trace origins, ask my and Fern's friend Ian Anderson (the designer's republic) how we stepped into a new neovector era. These are 60s 70s.

Marathon is like amateur, half-baked Designer's Republic; they mostly don't know how to put the spark of life in.

I agree. It doesn’t have the punch, the intensity, and genuine punk weirdness. It feels like a clothing brand.

It wasn't about art direction, it was actual 1:1 plagarized assets There were assets with her signature poorly erased.

I said the same thing. I feel like people are only just discovering graphic design and don’t realise this is a known style. Likely an age/culture gap issue.

Yes. But to excuse them, there are now many 20 years old born in 2005 who have never experienced this style first hand in any modern piece of pop culture.

I mean if you go this route, nothing is "original". Doesn't excuse the fact they ripped off her aesthetics entirely to base the visual identity of their game, to the point they used her art 1:1 shamelessly.