Manhunt 2 heading to Holland

by Ross Miller { Aug 30th 2007 at 1:10PM }

Not everyone is getting in the way of Manhunt 2. The Dutch Ministry is allowing Rockstar's controversial sequel to be released in Holland. According to a report from Eurogamer, the Ministry said that getting involved would "break the regional law which considers adults capable of making their own decisions."

The game will be prohibited for those under the age of 16. Additionally, Justice Minister Hirsch Ballin is calling for a unified EU ratings system and said that they are looking into new laws for safeguarding children.

As for the rest of Europe, it seems as though the "Banhunt" will stick.

Tags: manhunt2, rockstar, taketwo

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Atilac @ Aug 30th 2007 1:17PM

In other news: Germany announced they would go easy on gamers who/play manhunt 2. Instead of death, life in prison will be the penalty.

Word of the street. @ Aug 30th 2007 1:23PM

If it wasn't for the controversy I don't think anyone would be interested in this game at all.

I believe most of the people out there never played the original. I might rent it for the Wii tho’ and buy the Ps2 version and never open it, who knows maybe someday I would be able to sell it in ebay for an obscene amount of money.

I just want to strangle using the wiimote and the nunchuck it would be the closest thing to a Hitman game in the Wii.Thinking about it a Hitman game in the wii would be sweet.

Mr. P @ Aug 30th 2007 1:53PM

Controversy is free marketing. That's why shitty-to-mediocre games can sell more copies than neglected gems like Ico or Otogi.

Emanuele @ Aug 30th 2007 1:26PM

No problem!!! Holland have the PAL format so their version is perfect for all of us Europeans!!!

gullum @ Aug 30th 2007 1:30PM

"... which considers adults capable of making their own decisions"

wow what a messed up country that must be.

BPM @ Aug 30th 2007 1:35PM

No kidding. People thinking for themselves? What madness is this?!

Jamie @ Aug 30th 2007 2:06PM

Here in 'merica, the government thinks for us, and that's how we like it! Holland will sink into a hellmouth with its sinful values!

[/snark]

Benny @ Aug 30th 2007 3:22PM

I really really hope you're being sarcastic. It's the UK and US that are messed up for thinking that playing a video game will cause the masses to rise up and go on murderous rampages, choking all who come before their nunchuk peripheral.

Zaphod Beeblebrox @ Aug 30th 2007 1:45PM

The irony in all of this is that Holland has a lower crime-rate, and overall Amsterdam is a much, much safer place than say a typical US city. Not to mention they have far less alcoholics and teen pregnancy is almost non existant.
What a concept, allow parents to raise their children and allow adult gamers to make their own decisions.
If I do buy this game, I will definently import the Dutch version.
It just goes to show yet again, if you ban something or make it illegal, more people will engage in it than if it were not illegal. Just look at prohibition for an example.

adium @ Aug 30th 2007 1:51PM

because everyone is high. damn i want to go

mr nimblewick @ Aug 30th 2007 2:28PM

That is, it WAS a wonderland of love and low crime until Manhunt 2 hit.

Author X @ Aug 30th 2007 2:34PM

Maybe they can afford to have less stranglehold on peoples' rights because the people will use them more responsibly over there? Or maybe they allow people to make their own decisions because the lower rates of crime and alcoholism indicate they're capable of making their own decisions?

Just playing devil's advocate here - assumed causality never makes a good argument.

Linkman @ Aug 30th 2007 1:45PM

I'm pretty sure Norway said they'd let the game go through, too, citing the innate human ability people have to make their own decisions.
Norway's a PAL country, too, so importing shouldn't be a problem.

dsub @ Aug 30th 2007 1:53PM

"break the regional law which considers adults capable of making their own decisions."

Hmmm. Now there's an idea. A country in which people are allowed to make their own decisions. Not pay politicians with tax dollars to make their decisions for them.

BPM @ Aug 30th 2007 2:00PM

Oh, just noticed...
Ross, you forgot to file this under PS2 as well.

kokuryukai @ Aug 30th 2007 2:06PM

"Adults capable of making their own decisions" Wow why doesn't this concept of thinking happen in the US.

Zaphod Beeblebrox @ Aug 30th 2007 2:34PM

Because all our constitutional rights are trample under the cloak of "protecting the children."
You want to know who is behind the erosion of your freedoms?
Here you go.
The politicians.
The Christian evangelicals.
The Parent watchdog groups.
If you don't like it. Do something about it. Write your congressman, voice your displeasure with the Christian evangelicals, and the Family focus groups.
They are the real Axis of Evil in my book.

mr mobius @ Aug 30th 2007 2:14PM

I don't care if have to play the game in dutch if it means I can play a game that the stupid government thinks I shouldn't.

Needless to say if this wasn't controversial this game wouldn't sell half as many copies.

ashyn @ Aug 30th 2007 2:22PM

Gamers in the Netherlands actually prefer their games in English and not in their native language.

tentaclesex @ Aug 30th 2007 2:20PM

Banhunt? You're killing me!

Antonio @ Aug 30th 2007 2:30PM

Wow, common sense from government officials. That's a first.

Zaphod Beeblebrox @ Aug 30th 2007 2:42PM

The Netherlands is the most open and least oppressive country on planet Earth. And it has been for a long time.
Drug abuse is looked at as a Health issue.
Prostitution is legal, all prositiutes are required to have licenses and have Govt. supplied health benefits.
Parents drink with thier kids and the direct result of this is the LOWEST teen alcholol abuse in the Western World.
Sex is NOT a bad thing. (Lowest teen pregnancy in the western world)
Where o where are the highest teen pregnancies and teen alchol abusers?
The Bible belt south where EVERYTHING that is fun is a bad thing.

Maybe someday, the US will become what the Netherlands already is, a True open democracy built on individual freedoms of choice for educated adults.

Word of the street. @ Aug 31st 2007 12:54AM

"Prostitution is legal".

The Netherlands,Best Country ever!.

kokuryukai @ Aug 30th 2007 2:41PM

I take it the game will be in PAL, if it was not region lock and in english I would import it!

Hakobus @ Aug 30th 2007 3:21PM

"As for the rest of Europe, it seems as though the "Banhunt" will stick."

This is total crap. In Europe the game is only banned in the UK and Ireland (AFAIK, they didn't even try to get a rating for Germany). It's been rated 18 in Scandinavia, and could be released if Take Two wanted to. It's anyone's guess why it isn't out everywhere else yet.

Pyjamarama @ Aug 30th 2007 3:24PM

This news makes no sense, there is unified rating system in Europe PEGI, http://www.pegi.info/en/index/ , not all countries officially adopted but Netherlands appears on the list, as well as UK but they have the extra layer of the BBFC that banned the game. PEGI doesn't have a rating of the game yet but I suspect that it wasn't submitted until a final decision was reached in the USA. I'm certain that when a decision comes it will be 18+ a normal rating for this kind of game and the highest level of the rating. Contrary to US 18+ games are allowed and and the next level is 16+ not 17. The game should be available in all of Europe in the uncut form, UK maybe different, which may lead to being the cut version distributed in other countries to avoid confusion

t_m @ Aug 31st 2007 7:37AM

I was wondering about that too... since PEGI just became standard in most countries...

However I actually prefer the BBFC system in the uk that uses the same ratings as movies.. it makes it noce and clear to adults. I wonder if they will use both, or just PEGI from now on.

PS/ I note it will be illegal to sell to uner 16s in the netherlands! Heresy! It will be the end of the world!!!

Xizer @ Aug 30th 2007 3:52PM

I think that if you research it you will find that the Netherlands and any of the Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) have far less media censorship than the rest of the world. As such, this is not a surprise. I applaud Holland for their policies on this matter. I can only hope that these countries do not become tainted by the pro-censorship attitude that is continually spreading in the United States and abroad.

borntokill @ Aug 30th 2007 3:53PM

well when drugs and hookers are a mainstream industry, videogame violence is not on their radar

ComradeTrotskii @ Aug 30th 2007 11:52PM

Maybe I've missed this somewhere but is this the 'uncut'/AO version that has been given the go ahead for release or the 'cut' version which recently passed in the US?

Dan @ Aug 31st 2007 12:55AM

I'm importing Manhunt 2 from Holland and I'm from the US. I'm not going to open it. Its going to be a collector's item.

sjenky @ Aug 31st 2007 8:41AM

I love my country :-D I can legally marry my boyfriend, have conversations with prostitutes and stoners AND I get to play Manhunt 2. What a year this will be :)
Seriously though, hookers and hash might be legal here, but they're mostly a tourist attraction, Brittish and American people mostly. The Dutch here prefere a good ol' Heineken, dutch gold.