Rockstar appealing British Manhunt 2 ban

by Ross Miller on Aug 1st 2007 12:52PM

Rockstar yesterday filed an appeal with the Video Appeals Committee (VAC) over Manhunt 2's rejection by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), according to MCV. The UK board can overturn the BBFC's ban; given that six weeks are permitted to file an appeal, the developer appears to have waited until the eleventh hour before making their dramatic request for a new decision.

Following the BBFC's decision, the "Banhunt" spread globally, with an effective banning in the US due to a AO-rating from the ESRB and word that both Australia and Germany would very likely not allow the game sold withing their respective borders.

What's unclear here is if Rockstar will appeal the decision with the current build, previously defended by the New York Times, Newsweek's N'Gai Croal and MTV News Stephen Totilo, or if they'll show off a "cleaner" version of the game.

Manhunt 2 (Wii)

Source

Tags: bbfc, esrb, manhunt2, PSP, rockstar, vat, Wii

Reader Comments (25)

It's funny, but GameStop still has the Manhunt 2 boxes on display for pre-order. Guess they haven't heard that Nintendo and Sony won't certify AO-rated games...

Either would Msoft.

I'm aware of that, but Manhunt 2 isn't coming to a Microsoft platform, so why bother mentioning it?

go Rock*! fight the power.

Here's what I got when I contacted Nintendo about Manhunt 2:

vidGuy - If the Wii is really for a wide audience like the press releases say, please accept the AO game Manhunt 2 if it is in your power to do so. You have a large adult audience who would like to be able to play such video games and would be severely upset with the banning of such material.

Nintendo - Hello,

We appreciate your sharing your comments regarding Manhunt 2. I'd like to point out that at this time the ESRB has not provided us with an official rating for
this title. However, I can confirm that Nintendo does not allow any AO-rated content on its systems, nor do we comment on independent third-party projects--including ones that have yet to receive an official rating from the ESRB.

That said, I will pass along your comments to the appropriate department for further review. As soon as we get information concerning the release of Manhunt
2, we'll be sure to post those details on our website (www.nintendo.com). Please stay tuned!

Nintendo of America Inc.
R.M. Rickets

this game requires you to waggle some morbid motions when playing it. choking, sawing, slitting throats--and shoving a chainsaw up someone's ass? no thanks, ill stick to gta. i'm all for free expression, but you can't really blame anyone for at least trying to keep this out of kids' hands.

watching f-ed up movies is one thing, but "experiencing" f-ed up things like this might be a little less benign... a lot of questions are being raised in next gen, huh.

I don't understand this. I mean, you want to "kill" in high definition and most gamers won't be happy with graphics until they are indistinguishable from real life, yet you are perfectly content to do it by pressing a plastic button?

I'm all for keeping this out of kids' (under 18) hands, just as I am for GTA and other violence-and-language-filled games, but it shouldn't be kept from adults. Treat it like porn if you have to, but make it available.

It's up to the console-makers what games are allowed on their systems, and they have the right to deny 'service' to any developer on any grounds, but it is kind of silly that Adult games aren't allowed when the growing majority of gamers are adults.

Last I heard, the latest research shows that film affects people to a much greater degree than video games do. This is a logical conclusion since movies are far more realistic and prompt much more emotion than polygons and pixels with bad voice acting ever will.

Personally I think giving this game an AO (18+) rating while all these horrid new "torture porn" movies like Hostel get R ratings is absurd. Even is Hostel got slapped with an NC-17 rating it wouldn't be on the level of AO. Now which title affects your mind the most? I could barely sit through the previews for Hostel without feeling a bit disturbed. Manhunt 2? While a little graphic, it does not go into nearly as much detail nor does it evoke such a strong emotional reaction from the viewer. In short, this AO rating is either bogus or the movie rating system is in dire need of a revision...

AO Titles are treated like porn, but since Target and Walmart don't stock porn, then the game is dead in the water.

didn't know that spartacus, but interesting info. i wonder what the effects are?

on the other hand, a movie is a passive experience. like in hostel, you are scared, freaked out (it was gross when that asian girl had her eyeball burned--ugh), but fundamentally outside of the action. this game is rewarding you for making a conscious decision to kill in gruesome fashion--and you literally, physically act out that experience.

vid game graphics vs. movie realism is one argument, but i would argue that playing star fox on my snes made me feel like i was flying a jet. top gear made me feel like i was driving a car. top gun and days of thunder didnt (ah the early 90s..).

anyway, this is a game, and like most games, deserves to be played. im just saying it might not be healthy for pre-adolescents and adolescents to get themselves involved in this sort of experience.

I read a review of any early build that actually said that the motions were distracting from the violence because you had to pay more attention to the onscreen control prompts than the murder that ensude. Taking that one step further I would say that you actually get to see less violence becuase you are off working while the game is showing etremely violent moments.

On a personal note, I do want to play the game but more violence doesn't make a game any better.

True, but on the flipside, a movie can be percieved as reality much easier than a video game could due to NOT having the interactiveness.

Movie- Passive participation. You are watching someone else's version of reality. It could real (a documentary) or totally fictitious. It could also be a depiction of a real event (as many moves are "based" on true stories).

Video Game- Due to YOU controlling the character, it is obviously NOT real. Your mind realizes this is a game, a toy. The level of graphical prowess does not change this basic understanding, it simply looks more appealing and natural to the scrutinous human eye.

i just checked on my preorder for this game at gamestop the other day and they said that it was to be released like mid-late oct or maybe it was november i forget...can anybody confirm this?? or have any of u heard anything simaliar???

Those are just placeholders. You can always tell a placeholder if it is the 1 or 15 of the month and DOESN'T land on a Monday (ship day) or Tuesday (shelf day).

This game it dead in the water until it can make it through the ratings appeals worldwide or be edited down, get a proper rating, and make it through the pressing or printing and redistribution. I wouldn't hold my breath for this to be out this year.

hmm well that really sucks but thanxs for the clarification...at least there are other games to keep me busy until then

Rockstar is doomed.

Don't you mean...
Rockstar am doomed?

If they changed the game it might get a 18+ cert

Good for RockStar.

Honestly, I'm really saddened by the stance of console manufacturers regarding the AO rating. If Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony want to be taken seriously and move away from the "video games are for kids" mentality that society has attached to their products, then they need to re-evaluate their stance on AO. Sure, Wal-Mart and Target won't sell the titles, but at least let the adults who order them online or from a specialty shop play them.

I really hope this gets released somewhere in the AO state, anywhere

me too, i wanna play it. goddamn pussy stores won't take responsibility to just sell ao games to people over 18

Actually, I'm kinda hoping it stays banned. I've seen footage of MH2 and it looks like shit! I really do hope this attempt to hype a sub-par game with controversy blows up in their faces.

I really hope they stick to their guns on this. I am tired of needless censorship in gaming. This is not a medium solely for children. It NEVER has been. Video gaming was started by adults, for adults. Check your history. FAR more gamers now are over 18 than under, it's seriously time the public and the press realizied that.

wait so we are now all saying that the Wii's control ARE realistic??? and not tacked on? wow so ONE game got it right>?

The ESRB is the best media rating system that America has, comparing it to an clandestine, bigoted industry front as the MPAA is an insult; Nintendo and Sony are at fault, not them. This should be released with controls to ensure that it does not fall into the wrong hands. Of course, the Housers damn well know that this will not sell if they take that path. Sony and Nintendo shouldn't shun this, but they don't have to associate themselves with this either and should use this as an opportunity to ensure that adult entertainment is only available for adults. They should develop a policy for AO-titles (manufacturer's can only directly sell titles online with controls).

Rockstar appealing British Manhunt 2 ban

Manhunt 2 (Wii)

Reader Comments (25)

Posted: Aug 1st 2007 12:58PM BPMOmega XBL PSN Steam said

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Posted: Aug 1st 2007 1:12PM BPMOmega XBL PSN Steam said

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Posted: Aug 1st 2007 1:05PM vidguy said

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Posted: Aug 1st 2007 3:03PM BPMOmega XBL PSN Steam said

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