A Greater Manchester campaign aimed at stopping men treating their partners like a Super Mario speedrun has apparently baffled hundreds of local males, who only recently discovered that pressing emotional buttons for fun is not, in fact, a personality trait.
#IsThisOK?: It’s Not A Game, Boy has launched across Rochdale and beyond, leaving young men confused, frightened, and briefly reflective before returning to FIFA and gaslighting.
The campaign, featuring a hard-hitting film where a boyfriend steadily upgrades from “mildly controlling” to “Bond villain with a Wi-Fi password,” aims to highlight coercive and controlling behaviour,which, for the uninitiated, is not a Tinder love language but actually a criminal offence.
“It’s really opened my eyes,” said 19-year-old Jordan, who previously thought love meant “owning her location and friends list.” He added, “I just thought I was being romantic, like making sure she never leaves the house unless it’s with me. You know, like dogs.”
Referencing the 1980s Game Boy, the campaign cleverly illustrates how some men think relationships come with cheat codes, emotional save points, and optional respect.
“It’s not a game, lads,” said Mayor Andy Burnham, flanked by grim statistics and the creeping realisation that having to explain this in 2025 is deeply tragic. “Just because she’s not covered in bruises doesn’t mean you’re not the villain.”
The film has made waves across social media, with some viewers praising it for being “powerful and informative,” while others criticised it for “making men look bad”, a bold take, considering it’s largely men making themselves look bad.
Assistant Chief Constable Steph Parker confirmed that over 300 coercive control offences are reported monthly in Greater Manchester, though the real number is “somewhere between ‘deeply concerning’ and ‘we need a bigger spreadsheet.’”
Meanwhile, Deputy Mayor Kate Green urged the public to speak up: “If you see something, say something. Unless it’s your mate Darren, in which case, absolutely say nothing and laugh nervously, because that’s worked so well so far.”
The campaign, developed with help from survivors, experts, and presumably a large bottle of gin, will run until October, or until men stop behaving like dating sim villains, whichever comes first.
For help, support, or to check whether your relationship is actually a hostage situation with emojis, visit domesticabusehelpline.co.uk. For those feeling personally attacked by a campaign against abuse, consider exploring the concept of self-reflection.
