Rockstar's Manhunt 2 rejected by UK ratings board

by Ludwig Kietzmann on Jun 19th 2007 9:30AM

It is the duty of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) to classify or rate any films or video games before they are released in the UK -- if they are indeed deemed fit for release. After spending some time strangling strangers and stabbing psychopaths in Rockstar's Manhunt 2, it seems the BBFC are none too pleased by the game's content, rejecting it for certification entirely. This means that Manhunt 2 may not be legally supplied anywhere in the UK.

MCV quotes the BBFC's director David Cooke as saying, "Rejecting a work is a very serious action and one which we do not take lightly. Where possible we try to consider cuts or, in the case of games, modifications which remove the material which contravenes the Board's published Guidelines." With the game already filled with all manner of cuts, slashes and eviscerations, the BBFC could simply not see a way around the game's "unremitting bleakness and callousness of tone" and its "sustained and cumulative casual sadism."

With Rockstar being no stranger to controversy, we half expect those quotes to show up on the back of the box. Then again, publisher Take-Two is unlikely to let an entire country of wallets just slip from its grasp, so there may yet be an appeal or a round of strict censorship. The Wii, PS2 and PSP game is still en route to America though and it shouldn't be long before we all learn whether UK gamers have been robbed... or rescued.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Manhunt 2 (Wii)

Source

Tags: BBFC, Jack Thompson, JackThompson, Manhunt, Manhunt 2, Manhunt2, PS2, PSP, Rockstar, UK, Wii

Reader Comments (89)

First speech... then everyone thing else...
Have fun living in nazi germany, england!

I thought the Wii was for families and kids...

Now I want it even more...

The BBFC do their job very, very well and are not the puritanical, religious zealots that run the US censor. In general, they pass almost everything and work hard with the creative forces behind films and games to ensure that they can be released.

I think the BBFC have done a wonderful job here. Censorship and free speech are not mutually exclusive, despite what some naive morons on the internet think.

The BBFC is an Industry Body, not part of the government :/ Obviously they have well founded reasons to believe that the game shouldn't invade our shops. Though I do wish they would start treating movies the same way, films like Hostel and Saw are just excuses to shop graphic torture

"sustained and cumulative casual sadism" would make for an interesting cover quote.

I'm looking forward to this game, I just hope the controls add to it rather than making it goofy and difficult to enjoy.

Looks like I'll be buying from amazon.fr then...

From the linked article:

“Against this background, the Board’s carefully considered view is that to issue a certificate to Manhunt 2, on either platform, would involve a range of unjustifiable harm risks, to both adults and minors, within the terms of the Video Recordings Act, and accordingly that its availability, even if statutorily confined to adults, would be unacceptable to the public.”

This is just stupid to me. "Unjustifiable harm risks"? Do they REALLY expect this game to cause riots in the streets, or to turn citizens into serial killers? I mean, come one. They are probably TV shows, books, and films in the UK with far more objectionable content than that found in Manhunt 2.

"The BBFC do their job very, very well and are not the puritanical, religious zealots that run the US censor."

What "US censor?"

Exactly which games have been banned in the US?

God its enough to make you want to strangle someone and set fire to their corpse...

Isn't is rather hypocritical to ban Manhunt 2 but allow movies like Saw and Hostel wide release?

-Geoff
http://www.alinktothefuture.com

haha free publicity

publicity that JT can't touch.

JT the lawyer, not the.. me.

LOL US censors.

Then theres the anti-censors who gave that actress bigger boobs in the US posters because Americans need to see them to decide whether or not someone is male or female.

Ah well, the first Manhunt game sucked anyway.

while there is no way in hell I'll be buying manhunt 2 (because frankly it disgusts me) to have it completely banned is absolutely ridiculous.

although I do like how it only took 6 comments before someone started off on their tired anti-US campaign. I was expecting it to be more around comment 25.

hahaha! Funny stuff. Manhunt was terribly boring, these guys did you a favour.

docR,

Yeah, I know you are probably in the "America sucks in every conceivable way" crowd. But seriously, how can you look at the games, movies, and television that passes US censorship and believe it is run by puritanical, religious zealots? Our mainstream entertainment is often vulgar, graphic, sadistic, and pornographic, but passes into movie theatres just fine by our "puritanical, religious zealots".

You must be enjoying different forms of entertainment than me. The only difference between the US and Europe is mainly nudity and vulgar language is much more taboo here than there. You are also allowed to have a religious message here more than there and can have sadistic torture here with less objection. But, it is hardly "puritanical".

You need to live in Iran for a few months and then Sweden for a few months so you can get a better feel for which side of the Puritanical / Ultra-free spectrum we fall on. We are basically just a cuss word and a boob during a 6pm commercial and some blocked violent media away from "doing a very, very good job" like the BBFC, as you put it.

That's ridiculous.....but as someone else said

"looks like ill be buying from amazon.fr"

haha excellent idea, yet so simple.

And we all know that making something illegal makes it unobtainable... right.

@15 - GunForHire

The first Manhunt game only sucked if you don't like stealth games. With a name like GunForHire, I imagine you're a Halo 2 face-humper, yes?

Fuck this. People are adults, let the adults decide on what is tasteful. And if you are a parent: DO SOME FUCKING PARENTING AND LEARN TO SAY NO WHEN THEY NAG! If they do not stop, well that is what the Prozac and Riddlin is for. Fuckers.

Watch next they are going to band all soft drinks except Mr. Pib because the BBFC thinks it has better social tastes or some shit.

You know what? If they really want to stop violence in the UK, they need to fucking ban football (soccer). Because every fucking UK Football match I have seen/been too has had riots so bad that people from Rockstar are taking notes.

Rockstar: "So the Irish team is called on a Red Card and...wow that Brit fucking...wow. I had no idea you could gouge someones eyes out and rip their lower intestines via the mouth and strangle them with them. Wow, all that over a Red Card, brilliant! Lets put that in Manhunt 3. In fact, can we hire the drunkin' Brit and Scotsman for some motion capture on that one!?"

Pfft!

Must buy stocks in eBay.co.uk

Oh come off it, the US film censors cut parts of the bloody Southpark film, and the puppet sex scene in Team America. Did they pass The Idiots uncut for public viewing? Or 9 Songs?

The functioning of the film rating system in the US means that the section of the market that can watch particular films uncut is dramatically curtailed when compared to European countries (including the UK). It's just these cuts always revolve around sex, nudity, religion, homosexuality and language. Violence doesn't seem to be an issue in the US.

I've only brought this up because the very first comment on this thread decides to compare the BBFC to the Nazi party based on a totally moronic view of absolute free speech. The BBFC are lenient and anti-censorship in the vast majority of cases and a comparison to the US shows this. Oh, and as someone commented above, you're quite right, they should use the same grounds when looking at the torture porn that passes for horror movies these days.

Manhunt sucked in any kind of genre it is put in, stealth or otherwise.

I partly agree with DocR, the BBFC have totally changed over the last few years and are pretty much open to anything and pass virtually everything that comes to them.

It's actually a pretty big thing that they've banned this, as they havent ouright banned anything for a while now.

Rockstar are pretty much making these games to cause shock and have it potentially banned, if the BBFC believe it's ban worthy, then it probably is. I don't usually agree with outright bans, but under the 'new' BBFC, they must have had a pretty strong reason to reject it (these guys have actually played it, unlike most).

Just because they've banned this game doesnt mean they're going to ban everything that passes through with abit of gore, thats very unlikely.

Of course i would have prefered it being rated 18 instead of a ban - if people were really for getting it rated, they can simply petition for it to happen, I doubt anyone will care though.

Its amazing that with so many possibilities to be creative with their games Rockstar releases violent game after violent game. Oh yeah, that's right, they also released Table Tennis to make it look like they're multi-dimensional. But seriously, every time you read about a game controversy it seems to be a Rockstar game. You'd think they'd learn.

Comment #1 by Will:

The BBFC rates games for sale in the United Kingdom, which includes Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland, not just England.

@ DocR

That is what the DVD is for. We know as an audience world wide that what we see as gore in the theaters is only a part of what is going to happen on the DVD.

Do not try to compare games to movies in that regards, completely different animals.

This is about the freedom of expression and speech. You know what, I hate fish! I think fish is nasty to eat and it hurts the fishies to kill them. Hay look at this, I have a seat of power. Fuck over all the adults who like fish, I will ban it because I do not like it!

Not only that but I will have a bunch of patriotic Brits/Americans to defend my actions just because I came out of a vagina on their homeland! :D

@22

Whatever. Again, the discussion is about games. What games have been banned in the US? Also, they don't ban those things you mentioned, they just tell them they have to be cut out if they want the movie to fit into a certain rating category. That's a HUGE difference compared to actual banning.

"I think the BBFC have done a wonderful job here. Censorship and free speech are not mutually exclusive, despite what some naive morons on the internet think." - DocR

Ahh, beautiful, spoken like a true Nazi.
You're right... not everyone deserves freedom... only ones we agree with...
Hitler would be proud.

@23 - Goober

I think they have learned. They have learned very well.

All over the world (especially in the US), controversy = interest, and interest = sales.

@ Goober

Yet Red Steel comes out and all people say is "WTF were is all the blood!? No buy! Wii is full of kiddy games."

Then a mature game comes out, "ACK! IT IS TO VIOLENT! MY EYES! I AM 30 BUT ACT LIKE I AM 8! BOHOHOHOOOO!"

Normally I'd be up in arms, but frankly I can't see who Manhunt 2 would appeal to EXCEPT sadists.

(i'd probably include the saw and hostelsequels in that statement too, though the originals of each series had some merit in terms of originality).

Who, and why, would actually WANT to play this game???

Then why was the first Manhunt released in the UK?

"Fuck this. People are adults, let the adults decide on what is tasteful. And if you are a parent: DO SOME FUCKING PARENTING AND LEARN TO SAY NO WHEN THEY NAG! If they do not stop, well that is what the Prozac and Riddlin is for. Fuckers." --Sidepocket--

Hmmm, for some reason I think banning an absurdly violent game is a better alternative than increasing drug supplies to children.

My thoughts: This isn't controversial at all and the UK has plenty of justification for making this decision. Hopefully banning games like this will help motivate Rockstar (and other devs) to use their talents in some creative ways.

The South Park movie was not censored. They could have accepted the NC-17 rating from the MPAA and left the film as-is. Instead, they backed down so that they could get an R rating.

There was no threat that the movie would ever be banned unless it was changed, as Manhunt 2 has been banned in the UK. It would have just received a more adult rating. Why isn't this an option for Manhunt 2 in the UK? Why is banning the only option?

Im sure that peoples in AXIS of EVIL countries will be free to buy this game. But they are slaves ! For free peoples someone must choose what is right !

because they were already considering it for the highest age rating (cert 18) and felt that, even with cuts, it wouldn't be suitable. Rockstar could always cut it and try again though...

The US's censorship in practice often turns out to be more draconian than the uk, because (although they'll allow things through as NC17, very few distributors will release NC17 material as it means many places won't carry it. )

On the other hand, an 18 certificate in the UK isn't a kiss of death for the product..

Post number 20, Bravo!

I'm not surprised...

Preview from IGN
"Consider for one moment that in Manhunt 2 you can, Wii remote and nunchuk in hands, use a pair of pliers to clamp onto an enemy's testicles and literally tear them from his body in a bloody display; and if that weren't enough, you'll take one of the poor victim's vertebrae along with his manhood. Or, if you'd prefer, you can use a saw blade and cut upward into a foe's groin and buttocks, motioning forward and backward with the Wii remote as you go."

Rockstar doing this on purpose anyway, let them fight for their artsit rights.

Ok, that's two people now who have claimed that Manhunt sucked without giving any specific as to why.

Being that the game was well-reviewed across the board and departed from the generic 1st/3rd person shooter genre, I want to know what you think sucked about it.

I'll be the first to say that I didn't finish it, but I played much of the way through, and totally respected the way Rockstar took a step in a different direction. People say that mini games (Wii) will kill gaming, but I think it's the generic shooters, racers, and sports titles that stagnate the industry.

/end rant

@ Stevo

Ok first of all, have you played Manhunt 2? At this point: NO ONE HAS PLAYED IT EXCEPT FOR IGN AND THE ROCKSTAR TESTERS! How do we know exactly what is consiterd horrible? There are people out there that consiter kissing to be adultery, the thing is they have a choice. This is about choice.

If I show you Manhunt 2 and Mario Kart, you have every right to say fuck off to Manhunt 2 and buy Mario Kart. This is the right you have as an adult and a consumer.

Moral? You really think that somehow Manhunt 2 is really going to make humans more corrupt than they already are? Do you think Hitler mass killings, Jim Jones mass suicide, the entire Crusades, the Spanish Inquizition, all the Soccer Riots, African American Slavery, September 11th, the London Fire Bombings, the Rape of Nanking, Jeffrey Dahmer, and every war to man was because Pac Man told them so?

You people need to learn to be Adults instead of pretending to have these "morals" and control what other grown people like to see that is not hurting anyone.

Case and point: Manhunt 2 is not real. Pac Man is not real. There is a difference between the Real and the Fantasy and if you cannot tell the difference then please check yourself to an institution now.

WOW
So Manhunt 2 has been banned in the UK, can't say I care. The first game was pure rubbish that sold on the hype it has from the media.

While I am a strong believer that games should not be targetted by people for the actions of people, since people are responsible for there own actions, I can't see any merit at what this kind of game actually gives people apart from the sad sadist minority.

Ok, that's the third post to claim suckage without attribution. Now I know how a PS3 fanboy feels...

For those who hated the game, why did it suck? Did you even play it? Was it too hard for you? I don't get it!

@22:

"Oh come off it, the US film censors cut parts of the bloody Southpark film, and the puppet sex scene in Team America."

Uh what? I'm pretty sure the "US film censors" did nothing of the sort. The ratings board was going to give them NC-17 ratings, and the actual film-edity-maker-people-dealies made the edits to get an R rating. THAT'S RIGHT, FILM-EDITY-MAKER-PEOPLE-DEALIES.

Only in the US could you regard porn and torture as free speech. That's not speech, it's tourettic babbling. Speech has purpose and intent. When babbling on about your consitution you seem to forget that it's based on the rights enshrined in the Magna Carta and the philosophies of the British Enlightenment. We have free speech, we just understand that free speech and society must engage in a bit of give and take on occasion.

Make no bones about this, the BBFC would easily have passed this game as an 18 if they had felt there were any artistically or morally redeeming qualities to it. For instance, if it undermined the violent ideas it was portraying (could be why they let the first game pass).

What kind of wierdo gets their kicks playing this kind of game?

Oh Will, look up Godwin's law.

"On the other hand, an 18 certificate in the UK isn't a kiss of death for the product.."

Since there is no higher rating, it is the kiss of death if a product can't meet the requirements for that rating. Hence why Manhunt was banned. There is no choice for the publisher. Alter your content or it won't be published in this country. If there was a more mature rating, it could have been published, unaltered. By banning it outright, and not providing a more mature rating, they are saying that there are some games that are not fit for consumption by ANY age group.

Incidentally, why on earth do they feel that an 18 year old isn't mature enough to play this game? According to them, someone born in 1989 isn't old enough to play this game. I'm 33, and this kind of game doesn't exactly appeal to me, and never has. But an 18 year old is old enough to get shot at and shoot an enemy soldier. To say that they aren't old enough to play a video game, ANY video game, is just stupid.

Yes, an NC-17 rating in the US means that a lot of distributors won't carry the film. However, for a movie as big as South Park, I don't think that would have been an issue. I'd have more respect for Trey and Matt if they stuck to their guns, took the hit, and accepted the NC-17. They caved, though, for their wallets' sake. "Blame Canada!"

From the BBC News Site "The original Manhunt game caused huge controversy and was blamed for the murder of Stefan Pakeerah.

The boy was stabbed and beaten to death in Leicester in February 2004.

Stefan Pakeerah
Stefan Pakeerah was murdered in 2004

His parents believe the killer, Warren LeBlanc, 17, was inspired by the game. "

They didn't point out that the 17 year old was playing a 18 Certificate game... The Parents are the problem here...

Damn shame, I hope the rest of the world doesnt jump on this bandwagon and ban it, that would be a tragedy.

I wonder how many of these fucks who want the game banned because it "offers satisfaction to a small sadist minority" are the same people who wanna band homosexuality because it "offers satisfaction to a small anus obsess minority."

They both have one thing in common, they do whatever they do in the privacy of your own home. Nobody is forcing you to buy Manhunt 2 in the same way no gay couple is breaking into your house and ass fucking right on your bed.

Farseer, I have never played it, but people might just think it sucks because they don't like senseless violence, and do not see any redeeming qualities in having the ability to say "use a pair of pliers to clamp onto an enemy's testicles and literally tear them from his body in a bloody display"

never played manhunt, i'm just sayin. (i'm also not saying it sucks or doesnt suck, just that it's not for me because i find the premise disgusting)

| 1 | 2 | Most Recent | Next 50 Comments

Rockstar's Manhunt 2 rejected by UK ratings board

Manhunt 2 (Wii)

Reader Comments (89)

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 9:45AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 9:46AM Stevorino said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 9:52AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 9:53AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 9:54AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 9:54AM vidguy said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 9:55AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:00AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:00AM ShapeGSX said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:03AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:03AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:05AM WiNGSPANTT from TopTierTacticsco said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:07AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:07AM mophie said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:08AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 12:23PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:12AM sand0789 said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:21AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:23AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:25AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:28AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:36AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:38AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:47AM lowey said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:42AM Scatter said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:43AM Joanna D said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:45AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:46AM Vidikron said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:46AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:46AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:48AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:48AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:48AM JoshMilewski said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:50AM Stevorino said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:50AM ShapeGSX said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:54AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:55AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:56AM Gronar said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:59AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 10:57AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 11:01AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 11:02AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 11:05AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 11:05AM Macroy said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 11:11AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 11:12AM ShapeGSX said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 11:14AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 11:15AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 11:14AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 19th 2007 11:17AM (Unverified) said

Info

Description

MSRP

Release Date

Genre

Developer

Publisher

Rating

Breaking News

WB conjures up Harry Potter for Kinect this fall

Featured Stories

Editorial: 38 Studios and the Dunkin delusions

Our own Alexander Sliwinski talks 38 Studios with Fox 25 News

The politics of making games: Disconnect between 38 Studios and Rhode Island in quotes

Engadget

TUAW

Massively

WoW