Rockstar's British appeal begins for Manhunt 2

by Scott Jon Siegel { Nov 26th 2007 at 12:30PM }

Official proceedings began today for Rockstar's appeal to the British Board of Film Classification, regarding their refusal to rate the Wii version of Manhunt 2, effectively barring the game from release in the UK. GamesIndustry.biz provides coverage of the appeal. Geoffrey Robertson, representing Rockstar Games, opened the proceedings with his statement, claiming that the BBFC are "ignorant of the gaming experience," and might as well be called "the British Board of Videogame Censors."

Robertston further accused the Video Appeals Committee of having never even played video games, to which one panel member reportedly responded that some of them actually had (to which we say: only some of them?). Robertson argued that the BBFC is more concerned with their own image than anything else.

Rockstar has clearly come out with fists flying for the appeal. It remains to be seen if the aggressive strategy will prove effective in allowing the lackluster Manhunt 2 to find its way to British Wii's.

Tags: bbfc, manhunt, manhunt-2, manhunt2, politics, rockstar, uk, violence, wii

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

gonk @ Nov 26th 2007 12:36PM

why are they still trying? they'd sell an extra, what, 50 copies of it over there?

Fernando Rocker @ Nov 26th 2007 12:40PM

Just let that mediocre game die.

LilCo187 @ Nov 26th 2007 12:57PM

Having never played the first one, I found the sequel to be somewhat decent in its own right.

LilCo187 @ Nov 26th 2007 12:53PM

Interesting that they only refuse to rate the WII version of the game. A true testament to the mainstream prowress of the console along with an unpresciendented revolutionary controller.

Ben Mullinger @ Nov 26th 2007 1:16PM

I don't know what all the fuss is about over this game. I have played the USA M Rated game, and its very tame. Yes the game does feature executions, but you don't see anything at all. To play the game in USA you'd need to be over 17, and in the UK over 18, and I think this is perfectly reasonable! On the same note, the BBFC rated the film Beowulf as 12A in the UK, which means that an under 12 can see this film with an adult, and in my mind this film has the wrong certificate. This film features sexual imagery, naked scenes, bloody battles, beheading, etc... Its a CGI film, but yet it gets away with loads of violence and can be viewed by any age. Yet Manhunt, which contains less violent material is not viwable by anyone in the UK, let alone th over 18's. This is the rating systems gone mad and treating video games very unfairly!!

Batzarro @ Nov 26th 2007 1:41PM

"James over here played Mario 2. Twice! Isn't that just bollocks?"

Seriously, the whole control thing has been taken WAY outta proportion. It's not like kids don't play pretend swords with stuff!

Martez @ Nov 26th 2007 1:45PM

God, screw this game. I wanted to stop playing after the first level. The graphics, AI, controls, radar, camera, story... EVERYTHING is half-assed in this game. And the revolutionary controls? Ooooh, flick one or both of your wrists in a direction to simulate killing a guy? No. The Godfather had more realistic-feeling "beat-up-a-dude" controls, and the ugly filters over everything in Manhunt 2 means you can only vaguely assume what motions you are emulating. I'll grant that some levels have a creepy atmosphere, but shoddy voice-acting and stupid story ruin it. God, that story was awful- it was like an eighth-grader wrote it and threw in a lot of violence and swearing trying to be mature and edgy.

ENOUGH. This game super-sucks.

Mr Khan @ Nov 26th 2007 3:40PM

Yeah, someone needs to send them an angry letter telling them to stop trying to shove this crap down our throats by whoring it in the media and generating idiotic controversy

Or just say, "Dear Rockstar" and spit on the page...

megaStryke @ Nov 26th 2007 1:49PM

They are trying to appeal a BBFC decision. Therefore, it is unwise to lead off the proceedings by INSULTING the people to whom you are appealing.

Sam @ Nov 26th 2007 1:55PM

I thought the same thing at first megaStryke, but now I think they don't expect to win this battle. RockStar's agenda here is probably to get in the news and maybe raise some public outcry against the BBFC.

LaughingTarget @ Nov 26th 2007 3:42PM

At least strip it of its sweeping legal powers over all forms of media. That is outright retarded. No one needs a board of anonymous people making decisions for them.

Jon @ Nov 26th 2007 4:40PM

Who cares? I am beginning to think that it was for the wider good that game isn't on the shelves. And I don't mean because of the violent content.

Fullmetal Salchemist @ Nov 26th 2007 6:46PM

Regardless of how you may feel about Penny-Arcade or its creators, they pretty much nailed Manhunt 2: http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/11/02

"We also don't know anyone who is interested in it, but then, it's been a long time since I did things just to make my parents mad, which seems to be the game's entire purpose."

Maybe there are tons of angsty pre-teens in the UK, and that's why Rockstar wants to appeal so badly.