With the
re-rating of
Manhunt 2 from AO to M, some people are
livid, some excited, others just want to make a tub of popcorn and watch the sparks fly -- then there are the
conspiracy theorists. GamePolitics has a rundown of their theories following people's concerns that the Halloween release date of
Manhunt 2 is just a little too perfect; many believe the game probably would have fallen underneath the radar this holiday season without its
saga of controversy. One GP commenter said, "The whole timeframe stinks to high heaven ... Its gonna sell several times the number of copies than it probably deserves."
Find the conspiracy theories after the break
The conspiracy theories laid out by GP are:
- #1: The entire situation is a conspiracy against the public. The game hasn't changed one bit, Take-Two and Rockstar created some symbiotic deal to generate buzz for the game and the ESRB gets to "placate the industry's critics" by showing the system works.
- #2: Rockstar cut-away during the most horrific parts. Either "fading to black" or some other editing trick -- think BioShock, disturbing but not gratuitous.
- #3: There was one issue the whole time which caused the AO rating and now it's gone.
- #4: And, of course, Rockstar intentionally went over-the-top in the sex and violence department, with a second cut always available once the controversy died down.
This whole issue is just sort of simmering right now. The marketing of
Manhunt 2 revolves around getting politicians and advocacy groups upset -- why spend money when they'll advertise for you? There are some people already eager to jump in the pool there -- that's a whole other story -- we're more interested in what y'all think about the conspiracies.
{ Aug 28th 2007 at 10:00AM } 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Neon Jebus @ Aug 28th 2007 10:12AM
I just don't recall that many people enjoying the first version (I must admit I did). I guess a sequal could be better than the first but I think that might be more of a chance with Killzone 2 than Manhunt 2.
brokenscope @ Aug 28th 2007 10:25AM
You seem to be under the impression that this is meant to be a fantastic game. Really, its just meant to piss of politicians and be controversial... just in time to promote a certain other rockstar title.
Neon Jebus @ Aug 28th 2007 10:41AM
Oh don't get me wrong I don't think this game will be anything special. Lord knows the first game wasn't.
Now State of Emergency...that was promised to be special. But it wasn't...it WASN'T!
jman @ Aug 28th 2007 10:44AM
well...if it means anything,,,,i enjoyed the 1st game as well
BPM @ Aug 28th 2007 2:10PM
From what I've been reading, Manhunt 2 has been getting pretty positive previews. So, it may turn out as a better game than the first.
StrangeBum @ Aug 28th 2007 2:47PM
Well the first game really didn't get that much buzz. Regardless, it was a pretty damn good game, IMO.
However, I honestly believe that it was part of Rockstar's plan to have the uber controversial version, with a mellowed out version in the background so that they could pull this off.
Rockstar seems to rely on the controversy these days to sell their games. Everything from Grand Theft Auto to Bully has had something that made it a little iffy in people's minds to be a 'suitable' game. Well, let's say that Table Tennis really doesn't count at least.
FrankTheCrank @ Aug 28th 2007 10:18AM
Wow...the hysteria over Manhunt2. As if it was going to be game of the year.
Give it a rest...it's another crap game that know one cares about. And will end up in the bargain bin 4 weeks after release.
Move along please...
Ska Oreo @ Aug 28th 2007 3:43PM
I don't know about that. People have been giving it good reviews, especially the Wii version.
OrganicShadow @ Aug 28th 2007 10:52AM
Conspiracy? Are you fucking kidding me?
THERE WAS PROBABLY ONE PART that the ESRB told them would land them a M rating if they removed. It was probably JUST over the AO line when given that rating and just needed minor adjustments. Makes sense seeing as the first one got an M rating.
Antonio @ Aug 28th 2007 10:21AM
I lean towards #4. Rockstar knows controversy equals free publicity and took a page of the Eminem book of album sales. Make the game as graphic as possible, let watchdog groups warn the whole world about the game, then scale things back a bit while consumers flock to see what the fuss is about.
Even if the game wasn't rated AO, R* was probably counting on controversy to help push the game.
FrankTheCrank @ Aug 28th 2007 10:26AM
So your going to buy it?
It's a rental if that. And any game in which the main part of the gameplay is to sadistically kill the enemy just sounds a little FREAKY for me. They should have renamed it GITMO or ABUGRAIB.
Yeah, sure, let me slap this on the TV after dinner with the family. I'm sure my 4 year old will love it.
gullum @ Aug 28th 2007 11:21AM
All of the people who say this game is crap an no one cares about probably never played the first one. It was a solid game that pushed the stealth action genre in a more mature direction. If you are a fan of the Saw movies its kind of like that. Suspenseful and you feel like your life is in danger 100% of the time. Hell, you didn't get a gun until like the 5th level. You have to make do with plastic bags and such to dispatch seriously tough opponents.
I really enjoyed the first one and NOT just because of the graphic violence. I will be getting this one on PSP as well.
Mr Khan @ Aug 28th 2007 5:43PM
What about all the controversy/hype surrounding Bully/Canem Canis Edit, then. People were calling it "Columbine Simulator," but then it was reported here that the game's sales were disappointing to the point that it didn't warrant attention
controversy doesn't merit good sales, universally
Number Six @ Aug 28th 2007 10:32AM
I've been leaning toward #4 myself. Say R* had two versions of the game: The final product (FP) and a versions that was pornographically violent (perhaps even including necrophilia, *shudder*). Suspecting that the FP would get the AO out of the gate, they submit the porno version instead, KNOWING it'll get tagged AO. Then, a few months later--after much public hand-wringing and "We don't know if it'll ever come out" BS--they resubmit the FP and say, "Seeeee. We cut out all that weally bad stuff. We're sowwy..." The ESRB, sensing an oportunity to claim a moral victory, acquiesces and grants the much-coveted M. Both sides win! IMO, the version that got the AO was never meant to be seen by anyone outside of the dev. team. The test comes when those who've had hands-on with the game so far (the IGN guys, for example) get a reviewable copy and can tell us whether anything is really missing or not.
Sadly, this scenario could set an ugly precedent: Developers pushing the envelope of acceptable violence would now have to set the bar higher with their first submission, with the expectation that they'd have to chip away at it later.
Phranctoast @ Aug 28th 2007 10:55AM
If they did what you said, that would be some genious marketing!
Duscrom @ Aug 28th 2007 10:41AM
My money is also on #4. Sales of GTA:SA went up after the Hot Coffee scandal, and then the same happened for Bully. The First Manhunt sold, not so well, and the Sequal will sell much more, while at the same time, this whole contriversy has turned many game fans who are less then intellegent against the ESRB.
Word of the street. @ Aug 28th 2007 10:48AM
I believe is a combination of 2# and 3#,They put something in the game like explicit sex scenes maybe like "hot coffee" just to make buzz about the game then they just block it, a black screen here and there for the final touch and Voâla instant "M" Rating.
Well my 2 cents. I guess we will never know for sure because the ESBR wasn’t explicit about what was wrong with the game in the first place.
IMO probably there is a way to unlock that content via Action replay in the PS2.
hegemonyhog @ Aug 28th 2007 10:54AM
Actually, Nintendo and Rockstar conspired together - Nintendo's been withholding Wiis until this issue was resolved so that they and Rockstar could sell a million systems and games together, thereby making the Wii a legitimate third-party force and cementing Rockstar's mature reputation.
hvnlysoldr @ Aug 28th 2007 10:57AM
I know! They made the blood into gray sweat!
Word of the street. @ Aug 28th 2007 11:03AM
A,B,A,C,A,B.
kokuryukai @ Aug 28th 2007 11:05AM
I am going to buy it, not that I am really interested in the game but believe in pushing the limits and who knows if this game will last on store shelves - if anything I will have a sealed copy.
Word of the street. @ Aug 28th 2007 11:35AM
If you are doing that,take the Ps2 version,I have a feeling about it,Action replay FTW.
If I ever play that game It would be as a rental but I might buy one sealed version as well.Who knows maybe one day people will pay me 200$ for it.
Antonio @ Aug 28th 2007 12:07PM
Actually after the Hot Coffee incident the ESRB requires developers to report about all content on the disc, whether it's normally accessible by gamers or requires a hacking device.
pagmer12 @ Aug 28th 2007 11:09AM
This is what I've been saying all along. I mean, doesn't Take-Two sit on the board at the ESRB? If true, I mean, there's no way they couldn't have known what rating the game would have gotten initially (I mean, seriously, you pull a guy's nuts off with pliers. And that's just ONE instance...doesn't take a genius).
The original Manhunt wasn't a stellar game and its sales reflected that. The sequel wasn't really making news and was set to, at best, only do as well as the original did. Seeing that, Rockstar did what they do best.
ck @ Aug 28th 2007 11:17AM
Well, I believe somehow that #4 is true. But it's too bad that even if there was an AO version, no one will ever play it. Even if there was an amazing amount of offensive and crude material in the game, it's still a game. And maybe some would have enjoyed that version.
But even if this does set a precedent - which it won't - Devs don't have time to make an AO game then scale it down, or even make an M game and scale it down, it's too much money and resources. It's a whole lot different than making a movie - Live Free or Die Hard was basically shot as an R movie then edited down to a PG-13 rating. Shame, but that's what DVDs are for. It's too bad games couldn't take advantage of that, but like I said, that would consume too much money and resources.
DangerMouse @ Aug 28th 2007 11:36AM
Excessive violence, coarse language and big tits was all the rage in video games...when i was 13. Now being 24, i couldn't give two shits. Give me a good, fun and entertaining game with good gameplay, and it's all good.
Dan @ Aug 28th 2007 12:06PM
I'll probably never play this, but I think its important that games like this get made, and that the ridiculous stereotype of games being for kids gets demolished.
If you can make films like saw and hostel, then wth is wrong with mahunt?
Ali @ Aug 28th 2007 12:07PM
The games still going to blow what ever they release.
The first one sold on hype as will this one.
mirage @ Aug 28th 2007 1:34PM
I played the first game and I believe it is the second best game that Rockstar has made. The first of course is the GTA franchise. The game was very intense and had my heart racing many times. I look forward to this game not because of the gore but because of the gameplay and the feelings that a good stealth game can evoke.
ThornedVenom @ Aug 28th 2007 12:30PM
I just naively believe that they really screwed up and that they just found out "hey, there's actually a Halloween window we could use to catch up!".
But on the other hand, the promised violence DID seem over the top...
borntokill @ Aug 28th 2007 2:01PM
The problem with the conspiracy theory is that #1 a halloween release date is much worse than the original release date, because there was almost no competition this summer, but around halloween theres going to be heavenly, halo, mass effect, mario galaxy, etc. to compete with. So that fails. #2 Manhunt 1 was an excellent and unique game, and there was plenty of hype for it (especially on the wii) so it would have absolutely sold well (especially w/ no comp). #3 fading to black or cutting away from the violence takes away the impact and atmosphere. Its not "gratiutous", its just part of the horror experience. Guaranteed they would remove the entire segment, before they do any fading to black tricks. #4 There was not "one issue" that needed to be removed, because the UK ratings board clearly said that objectional issue was inherent to the gameplay and wasnt just a couple of quick edits. #5 Rockstar and ESRB are not in collusion, thats ridiculous. The game is banned in many other places where the ESRB has no jurisdiction. #6 Rockstar would not want this kind of crap to happen, even if it did get attention, because it sets a very bad precident. Condemned 2 is already being self censored, and probably others are too. Rockstar has no interest in implicitly promoting censorship, because they make most of their money defying "contemporary moral" bullcrap. And so creating a "conspiracy", that sets this precident would be really harmful and just plain stupid, for them, and the entire industry.
Blazur @ Aug 28th 2007 2:04PM
Don't forget Hellgate:London which also will be released on Halloweeen. That's sure to capture the attention of many gamers.
cybereality @ Aug 28th 2007 2:11PM
Knowing Rockstar they will probably just send the AO build to the duplicators anyhow.
tom @ Aug 28th 2007 2:19PM
It's just too bad that I've been waiting for this game forever and would have bought it on day 1 anyway... now I have to be persecuted as someone who bought into the hype? Bullshit.
t_m @ Aug 28th 2007 2:32PM
#3 doesn't make sense. The UK ban stated something along the lines of "it wasn't one simple problem, it was something inherent in the game".
The UK ratings board usually works with producers to achieve a lower cut if thats what they want.. they didn't offer that option for manhunt2.
#1 doesn't make much sense either, for similar reasons. the world isn't just the USA you know.. they got the same reactions in loads of other countries.. unless it was a conspiricy to make the ESRB, the UKRB, the AUSRB, etc.. ALL look good?
anyway.. i don't really care. either way it'll be fun.
*opens popcorn*
Hashbrown_Hunter @ Aug 28th 2007 4:36PM
I'm sure Rockstar loves to be controversial, but that's what makes them one of the standout game developers in the field today. They push the limits of a certain genre as much as they can. Manhunt 2 getting an AO rating proves that to me. They actually give a shit about their games.
Plus getting an AO rating isn't all that rare. Sure it hasn't happened in a while but I doubt it was for anything serious. The ESRB testers were probably scared from the atmosphere of the game so much, they felt it was too disturbing for the public.
But if movies like Hostel can get an unrated release on DVD, why should there be such a harsh limit on games?
Stitched @ Aug 28th 2007 6:37PM
"Don't hate the game...hate the playah!"
Or something like that.
Oooh. They manipulated the media to sell more copies of their game. How DARE they use tricks that have been used for books and film for oh so many years now!
blooh @ Aug 28th 2007 8:28PM
the weirdest thing is that it isnt for ps3/360
BoBungle @ Sep 2nd 2007 8:29AM
Manhunt is probably my favorite game, and the best released on the PS2. I fully expect the sequel to rule just as hard.
xlostx1x @ Sep 3rd 2007 8:28PM
Dude, I don't care about a so called "contriversy" over a release date. I just want to play the game. If it blows, then people can return it, if it rocks, then we're safe.
matt @ Sep 2nd 2007 12:55PM
first off, this game should have what ever rockstar and take-two disre to put in. it's their work of art. they are creating images to shock, disturbed, and entertain our immaginations.
2.
politicians needs to back off and stop complaing how violent video games "tend to lead young kids into harming other" which is bull s&*^. they have rating, the rating states that you have be a certain age to lay and to purchase this game.
i have played manhunt i loved it and my opinion to man hunt 2, it should be AO because by havin that rating it means its goin to be more crazier and more f%$# up. and by them changing it to the rating M, it means they toned it down.
im sorry
just my opinion
JOKER @ Sep 3rd 2007 7:42PM
what the hell is the big deal? I mean, this is just another GTA (grand theft auto) where the world thinks that kids will immitate this game. Ive never played manhunt one, but it looks interesting and it might be cool to find out how my "sadistic mindset" (don't ask) likes it. is manhunt for gamecube? anyway, it doesn't matter what the rating of the game is. Most parents dn't care anyway, and its not like these kind of ttles are going to pop up at Toys R Us... (but they should) so ummm... can someone let me know how cool manhunt is? email/im me at Jokes4ftbl@aim.com thanks
trevman @ Sep 2nd 2007 11:58PM
in regards to FrankTheCranks comment. it is not meant be a game for a 4 year old to watch, hence it has a mature rating. Its is for pll who are of age and want a good suspenseful game. i played the first one and i liked it but i wouldn't suggest anyone let a four year old watch you use a paper bag to strangle someone. And to everyone else ITS A GAME! Play it if you want. Its not like any one is forced to play this.