Retail murder: ESRB rates Manhunt 2 'Adults Only'
by Christopher Grant 
{ Jun 19th 2007 at 5:25PM }
Take-Two can appeal the decision and dispute the AO rating, but something tells us this game has become a line in the sand that ratings boards, eager to prove their efficacy, won't cross. The ESRB's website hasn't been updated with the new rating just yet. More on this story is (surely) forthcoming.
Update: MTV News spoke with a representative for Rockstar who, when asked if the AO rating would result in a delay, replied, "That's the last thing we want, but it's too early to say."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
GoonieGooGoo @ Jun 19th 2007 5:31PM
What's the big hubbub......having played the 1st one....this is the correct rating for this game.
bigd7387 @ Jun 19th 2007 5:34PM
I'm 38 years old and I thought America was the greatest country in the world. Rulings like this do nothing more than to piss me off. I have a 16 year old son and if I don't want him playing it then I don't buy it. I am tired of this government telling us what we can buy and not buy, As I remember we are America not all these God-damn groups. I say Fuck'em do what you can, even if you don't like the game, to purchase it to support companies like Rockstar.
Diskoboy @ Jun 19th 2007 5:35PM
I smell a cancellation or a platform switch.
Buck @ Jun 19th 2007 5:36PM
I wasn't planning on buying it, but if it does still get released, I will just to suppose Take Two. This whole ordeal is pathetic.
Farseer @ Jun 19th 2007 5:36PM
Good. The line in the sand needed to be drawn, and I for one will certainly still buy this game. I hope that others do the same, to show that there are times an AO rating is necessary, and AO games do, in fact, have an audience.
Besides, WalMart is evil. I don't give them money anyway. :)
Kokernutz @ Jun 19th 2007 5:38PM
OK, where can I pre-order. I am definitely getting this fucker.
Mythin @ Jun 19th 2007 5:40PM
bigd7387...you're 38 years old and haven't learned that the ESRB is a private, voluntary ratings board, not a government organization?
Eric @ Jun 19th 2007 5:38PM
Calm down bigd7387,
Just because it is AO doesn't mean that you're prohibited from buying it. The government, or the ESRB, hasn't told you what you can and cannot buy in this case.
Alex @ Jun 19th 2007 5:42PM
Make horror movies NC-17 and then this rating would make more sense. Until then, seems kinda unfair to rockstar/take2. It's not that I disagree with the rating, I just think this kinda standard needs to be upheld across all forms of commercial entertainment and not just video games. The visuals in games are far less realistic than in a movie, even a 7 year old could tell you that :-P
Farseer @ Jun 19th 2007 5:41PM
Show your support - flood Amazon with preorders!!
http://www.amazon.com/Rockstar-Games-Manhunt-2/dp/B000NIJ35M/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/104-1776401-7339954?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1182289260&sr=8-2
Paul P. @ Jun 19th 2007 5:41PM
Why wouldn't stores carry it? Wal-MArt I understand, they're good christians who know the difference between right and wrong. But is there any reason EB/Gamestop wouldn't? They have a jack ton of pre-orders. The only reason no company has sold AO games before was because THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ANY!
They did pull GTA, but that's understandable because there was hidden content.
Vidikron @ Jun 19th 2007 5:43PM
Decision time for Nintendo! This could finally kill their kiddie image, but it may also ruin their "family friendly" image at the same time. So will the stand behind R* and release an AO game?
Of course, will R* even take the financial risk of releasing an AO game? I hope they do and I hope it pays off. No point in having an AO category if it isn't used. I'd like this game to be released as an AO title and be profitable to prove there is indeed a market for AO titles even if large retailer like Wal-Mart won't carry them.
That's my hope anyway... maybe it would be the road to fincial ruin for the game. It's not my $$$ on the line, so while I'd be pissed if R* backs off and censors the game, I won't really be able to blame them for doing so.
Marc @ Jun 19th 2007 5:44PM
I imagine I'll find it right next to Wario Ware or something over here in The Netherlands. Many games are rated 18+ over here (example: GTA, Gears of War), so I don't think retail will pass out on it.
Anyway, won't game-oriented retail stores like Gamestop still carry it? Is banning from a generic store like Wal-mart such a problem? I'm not sure how big Wal-mart is, we have no equivalent here.
CAL_GORE @ Jun 19th 2007 5:45PM
If this game really is AO, I am buying it based on that fact alone. I don't care if it is a steaming pile, just so long as people understand that AO games can still sell.
JonnyBoy2U @ Jun 19th 2007 5:48PM
FUCK EM
Bradley G. @ Jun 19th 2007 5:48PM
What does this game not have to make it an M rated game? If you could answer that, you should be getting upset, but you can't. This game is clearly AO rated.
JonnyBoy2U @ Jun 19th 2007 5:50PM
FUCK THE ESRB AND THEIR RETARDED RATINGS SYSTEM.
And any teen or young adult who asks me to buy this game for them WILL MOST CERTAINLY GET IT NO QUESTIONS ASKED.
Mr Khan @ Jun 19th 2007 5:51PM
Interesting:
Does this apply to all variants or the Wii version only?
SuperMario21 @ Jun 19th 2007 5:52PM
Well, looks like I'm still getting this game. I have never played an AO game before and I can't wait to try it out. And no I'm not a sadist or anything like that, I just like playing video games. Its better than playing these generic first person shooter games like Bioshock..."OOOOO...look at the water effects" PLEASE!!!
Farseer @ Jun 19th 2007 5:54PM
Thank you Bradley.
AO exists for a reason. The ESRB didn't make this an AO game out of spite, and the AO rating shouldn't stop anyone interested in it from buying it.
Hell, at least we can still buy it here, unlike the UK. I'm all about rating vs censorship. Please advise me, just don't tell me "no".
Ken @ Jun 19th 2007 5:56PM
If a game doesn't get sold at Wal-Mart 80% (probably more) will not even realize this game even exists.
Phaty000 @ Jun 19th 2007 6:00PM
Wow.
Thats fucking gay.
EihBeir @ Jun 19th 2007 6:08PM
An AO rating would give Rockstar even MORE free publicity.
Paul P. @ Jun 19th 2007 6:03PM
I imagine if you substituted the main character with Jack Bauer and made the enemy characters terrorists, the game would recieve a lower rating, maybe even a 14. It would also be awesome. Of course that does totally change the context of the violence, which is important. WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF KNIVES! CHLOE OPEN A SOCKET!
WhackMushroom @ Jun 19th 2007 6:09PM
yay ... maybe those sellouts can use some of that 50 million that they got from kissing MSs ass ... LMAO ... what goes around comes around!
mrprice @ Jun 19th 2007 6:17PM
Wal-Mart should carry this right next to the huge display for the Sopranos box-set. Hypocrites.
mirage @ Jun 19th 2007 6:19PM
This is going to be huge for the games industry whatever happens. What happens in regards to this in the next few weeks leading up to the games release will affect the game industry FOREVER!
Roger @ Jun 19th 2007 6:21PM
not gonna play it. its gonna suck.
as it says in the bible [all AO games SUXORS!111]
nitemare @ Jun 19th 2007 6:29PM
I think this is a reason for everybody to buy this game, i agree that there should be an AO rating, but that should not a reason to keep it out of some stores so that it can't be purchased.. AO is just a bit higher that M which is only supposed to be purchase by 17 and older anyway.. my feelings behind this is that an AO rating should exist solely to inform us that it is of this caliber.. we should never be denied our god given talent of making the decision ourselves on whether to buy it ... the government has to realize they are not our parents... they are not here to hold our hands, they are here to make us aware of the possibilities... well, i'm 24 so i can buy the game for myself.. and definitely will, there needs to be proof shown of a market for these games.. and plus i think this seriously works in Rockstar's favor.. thnk of all the free publicity "OMG It got rated AO!!" and think of how many "kids" will just want the game for that reason alone...
http://wiifans.tuberoar.com
nitemare @ Jun 19th 2007 6:32PM
wow, i didn't see the comment from Mr. Price... that is entirely true!! they sell movies and tv shows such as the Sopranos, and the SAW series of movies, what makes this truly different?
Everybody needs to get this game to spite the ESRB!!!
http://wiifans.tuberoar.com
jman @ Jun 19th 2007 6:31PM
@ 27 I agree with you completly...in find it riduculous that you cant buy these types of games or unedited cds at walmart...yet any kind movie/ tv series can be found there..(with the exception of porn of course)....It just plan stupid..and has always made me angry....but about the game tho still planning on def buying it regardles...
Matt B @ Jun 19th 2007 6:33PM
Hey minors, Europeans too, check ebay. I'll be buying them 5 at a time and putting them on ebay for you at $10 above cost.
I'll be the MH2 smuggler for you depraved folk.
Look for the ebay ID "esrbupyourass@BS.gov"
jman @ Jun 19th 2007 6:33PM
Opps i ment @ 26 NOT 27
fawazr @ Jun 19th 2007 6:33PM
@23
Wal-Mart would sell German scat porn to 12-year-olds as long as it had Jack Bauer shitting into the mouths of naked supine terrorists, while he was draped in an American flag, and his bare chest was smeared with apple pie.
FTM @ Jun 19th 2007 6:33PM
You should think about celebrating the "AO" rating.
1) Someone has to get the first one.
2) Having an "AO"-rated game will help remove the idea that video games are only for children. It may also open a dialogue with parents
3) It *does* give the ESRB credence when they say that they rate games appropriately. People like Jack Thompson use a failed ratings system as fuel for his fire. It will allow the ESRB to survive. If ESRB doesn't survive, the ignorant government grandstanders will get involved in rating your games.
4) Parents may actually become more aware of the ratins system in place. Think about it: How many parents actively screen what movies (and/or games) their children watch? As teenagers, were you actively stopped from watching R-rated movies? Probably not. Your parents probably watched them with you. But your parents know better than showing a teenager an NC-17 or X-rated movie... and game ratings are the same way. E, E+10, T, M... they're all fluff. AO is the equivalent of an NC-17/X rating. Of all the "confusion" parents and retailers may have over the ratings system, the AO rating - and its requirement to purchase - is beyond intuitively obvious.
The AO rating makes the ESRB more... mature.
And that's a good thing.
A very good thing.
Rockstar better suck it up. They've just done everyone a favor... even if it costs them a few million dollars.
Chris Putnam @ Jun 19th 2007 6:35PM
------
"Everybody needs to get this game to spite the ESRB!!!"
------
What did the ESRB do? Seems to me they made a good call. It's the retailers' decision what to do with it now.
AirIntake @ Jun 19th 2007 6:42PM
I have no problem with games being AO. I do however have a problem with stores not selling AO games, when they have no problem selling R rated DVDs.
mirage @ Jun 19th 2007 6:44PM
@36
Agreed. People should not buy this game to "spite" anybody. They should buy it to prove that there is a market for A/O games. It is believed that an A/O rating would be disaster for a game but this is largely an unproven myth. I hope that Rockstar has the "stones" to release this game as is with an A/O rating and see what happens next.
Chris Putnam @ Jun 19th 2007 6:49PM
Maybe what's needed is a new "X" rating for games. Something that separates ultra-violent or highly sexualized mainstream games like this from "Virtually Jenna" and other porn games. It would be just like film ratings. AO games could be sold in regular retail stores, while X games would be restricted to porn shops like AO games tend to be now.
Arno @ Jun 19th 2007 6:54PM
What's the big deal? I think it deserves that rating.
"Titles rated AO (Adults Only) have content that should only be played by persons 18 years and older. Titles in this category may include prolonged scenes of intense violence and/or graphic sexual content and nudity."
How can anyone who has played the first one disagree with that? Should kids under the age of 18 play it? I doubt it. Ultimately it is up to the parent, thought, whether they choose to buy the game for their kids. It is almost the equivalent of a movie being 'R' where anyone under the age of 17 will not be allowed to see it without a parent of guardian.
Lastly, I'd like to think that most commenters here are over the age of 18, and if so... why do you care? Nobody will stop you from buying the game when it comes out.
AirIntake @ Jun 19th 2007 7:00PM
@Arno
Yes, people will be stopping me from buying the game by not having it for sale in their stores. I shouldn't have to special order a game, or buy it in a porn store, when I can buy movies like Scarface on DVD in Wal-Mart.
dukemeiser @ Jun 19th 2007 7:05PM
This makes me want to buy it even more!
duerra @ Jun 19th 2007 7:11PM
Please, read and sign the petition that I have created, requesting that Take Two continue forward with their original vision of the game, while possibly releasing an M rated version afterwards. This will give us the opportunity to demonstrate to developers and publishers that there is indeed a market for AO-rated games.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/take-two-should-release-manhunt-2-with-two-ratings
mccomber @ Jun 19th 2007 7:12PM
This is a game that wanted to push the boundaries of what it could get away with. Guess it pushed past the one that's always kept games within the M rating. It's somewhat surprising though; is this really that much worse than the original game? Did the game change, or the did the political and social climate it's being released into shift that much?
I do think having both the M and the AO is dumb myself, just because the difference is between 17 & 18 years of age as the recommendation.
Only difference in the past is that the AO rating has pretty much guaranteed it would be hard for minors to get it.
I wonder if this game will result in retailers rethinking their stance on AO titles?
Kurt @ Jun 19th 2007 7:13PM
Jack Thompson is drinking his probably sitting somewhere drinking a cold one, or in his case, apple juice.
EBG @ Jun 19th 2007 7:14PM
"45. Jack Thompson is drinking his probably sitting somewhere drinking a cold one, or in his case, apple juice."
Whoops. I can't type.
r-deezy @ Jun 19th 2007 7:28PM
This game is gonna be awesome!!
wiiiz @ Jun 19th 2007 7:29PM
They should make the AO version available as a direct sale and the M version through retail. I would buy the AO in an instant.
Bruce Deschacht @ Jun 19th 2007 8:07PM
I may be wrong, but I think M is for 17 years+ and AO is for 18 years+.
So doesn't that mean that by not selling this game they're saying they believe that 17 year olds have more rights to play a game than 18 year olds.
And isn't the whole point of them not selling it in their store because it's AO and they don't want it be accessible to kids. (It shouldn't be anyway. Hire competent employees) And thus go against the very purpose of game ratings anyway, undermining the whole system?
Eric @ Jun 19th 2007 8:25PM
How is this controversial? If a company makes an exceedingly violent/sexual/adult game then it should only be sold to adults. Done, no need to go ape over a stealth action game with an abundance of gore.
There is nothing here to protest except maybe that retailers do not enjoy carrying adult material in stores. Of course, Manhunt Two not being available in WalMart is akin to BackDoor Sluts 9 not being available in WalMart. It is just bad for business (or at least bad for business in their eyes).