British High Court upholds Manhunt 2 ban
by Kyle Orland 
{ Jan 25th 2008 at 3:00PM }
The seemingly never-ending fight to get Manhunt 2 onto British shelves might be coming to an end. As reported by Eurogamer, the Honourable (and aptly named) Judge Justice Mitting said the Video Appeals Committee made "a clear error of law" when they decided 4-3 that Manhunt should be granted a classification by the BBFC.Rockstar, unsurprisingly, was not happy with the decision, saying in a statement that they "do not understand the court's decision to expend further public resources to censor a game that contains content well within the bounds established by the British Board of Film Classification's18-plus ratings certification."
The game's chances aren't quite dead yet. The judge gave the VAC two weeks to review their decision with an eye towards "potential harm" rather than just "actual harm," as Eurogamer put it.
For those who might not remember, the game was banned by the BBFC, appealed for by Rockstar, banned again, appealed again (successfully), and then counter-appealed up to the British high court in December.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Neebs @ Jan 25th 2008 3:02PM
And free speech takes another hit in the land where it was so renowned for in the 18th and 19th century.
Poisoned Al @ Jan 25th 2008 5:05PM
Yes becuase right-wing fuck-tards screeching on FOX propaganda network about 2 seconds of blue arse is SO much better then the BBFC banning a piece of shit becuase a load of marketing wankers thought they could get free publicity by dicking them about.
No one in the UK gives a shit about this, only Americans do. So far the BBFC has been consistent and balanced and they are trusted here. Go back to furiously clearing your firearms, because frankly you can keep your idea of "freedom."
GreyFox @ Jan 25th 2008 5:11PM
The irony of Poisoned Al's comment amuses me.
Neebs @ Jan 25th 2008 5:24PM
I never claimed my country lacked the moral degradation of society that is censorship.
If anything, I complimented your country.
NeverSage @ Jan 25th 2008 7:26PM
@Poisoned Al
I agree, stereotypes are awesome.
Ace121212 @ Jan 25th 2008 7:52PM
@Poisoned Al
Quit being ignorant.
kthxbye
License to ill @ Jan 26th 2008 12:21AM
Yeah its so much better having the choice made for you. So what happens when its a game/movie/song/art that doesn't suck ass gets banned?
NeverSage @ Jan 25th 2008 3:05PM
How can art be banned? America might not be perfect, but at least I can still buy any game I want (yunno, unless it's Adult... but that's the console makers fault.)
Trickob @ Jan 25th 2008 3:06PM
here's an idea for our brothers and sisters in the motherland: take a regular tv remote, get a friend or neighbo(u)r with a fake blood-pak, stand 5 feet (or meters or whatever) away from them like you would from the telly and pretend to smack them with the remote and they can pretend like they're getting the beating of a lifetime and break the blood-pak to make it more realistic. voila!
who needs the actual game??
Sam406 @ Jan 25th 2008 3:07PM
I like how the people that should care, the actual gamers, don't give a crap because they know the game sucks.
StarFoxA @ Jan 25th 2008 3:34PM
Yeah, it only got sevens and stuff.
tony @ Jan 25th 2008 3:32PM
hey, we don't have a constitution that says we've got free speech. it doesn't exist in the UK, no such thing.
and all judges are referred to as "Justice (surname)", it's sort of like being "Reverend" or having PhD at the end of your name...
Dnice @ Jan 25th 2008 3:39PM
Ban or not.... the game is hot vomit and a dry day.
Synner @ Jan 25th 2008 3:52PM
While I think that Manhunt 1 was easily the most boring piece of shit I ever played and thoroughly cemented rockstar in my mind as a 1 trick pony, I would like to just say "yay for all the Brits and their so much more civilized society."
I can't wait until America is just as advanced and progressively ruled. Where do I turn in my guns, rights and choices?
Mr Khan @ Jan 25th 2008 5:55PM
way to over-generalize
BananaBoat @ Jan 25th 2008 3:57PM
Manhunt is probably the worst piece of garbage that I've ever played. That said, censoring something intended for people over the age of 18 is damn ridiculous. Maybe game stores need to adopt the rental store practice of slightly segregating M rated games behind a curtain (or in an area with a big sign that says "17+ ONLY!!!") so that maybe, just maybe, parents would actually stop their little monsters from getting the games, and thus shut the critics up about how M rated games are marketed to children (which is already such bullcrap...argh)
Screw Take-Two/Rockstar for continually putting out lightning rod games that serve to do nothing but give the nutters a good example of "Dirty, Filthy, Video Games that are ruining our children" (And no, I don't count GTA. Atleast GTA has merit)
LaughingTarget @ Jan 25th 2008 4:24PM
Hey, we're talking about a culture that will arrest you and toss you in prison if you're carrying something that could conceivably used as an "offensive weapon", such as a chair you may be moving from your car to your front door or a box of steak knives you are bringing home from the store. This isn't exactly a huge surprise.
Poisoned Al @ Jan 25th 2008 5:06PM
Loves ma gun! LOVES MA GUN!
Zootittles @ Jan 25th 2008 5:21PM
Yes Al, it's true that all Americans have firearms. In fact, you have your choice of a free one when you turn 12. It's not a well-publicized fact, as it would definitely cause some form of public outcry.
Anyway, cheerio, and enjoy your crumpets!
Poisoned Al @ Jan 25th 2008 5:25PM
Loves ma gun! You make up for all my inadequates!
Mr Khan @ Jan 25th 2008 5:57PM
There's that over-generalizing again. Both sides this time
NeverSage @ Jan 25th 2008 7:34PM
See, I love guns AND crumpets
Loki @ Jan 26th 2008 12:04AM
"Loves ma gun! You make up for all my inadequates"!
Just like you Brits loves your Dentist...
LaughingTarget @ Jan 26th 2008 8:11AM
Think I'm over exaggerating? Here are some people that have been arrested in the UK and what they were carrying at the time:
A man with a bicycle chain with lock.
A man with a cane after he beat off a couple of thugs trying to strangle him. He actually needed to use it for physical mobility.
An old lady with knitting needles.
Really, is it over exaggerating when I tell you that the UK will willy nilly arrest anyone carrying something that can be remotely thought of as an offensive weapon? The sad thing is the UK authorities are more concerned that people are forced to use everyday objects to protect themselves than the people trying to kill or rob them. Have fun arguing out of this one, Poisoned Conscious.
Keiichi @ Jan 25th 2008 4:32PM
I look forward to the non-classification of any more films in the Saw and Hostel series, for surely the BBFC and the High Court realise we need to be both consistent and non-biased in this.
NPJ @ Jan 25th 2008 10:28PM
Rockstar are still pushing this? Nobody here wants it, surely rockstar are wasting time and money that isn't going to be worth the 12 gamers who will buy this shit.
The UK is pretty good for ratings, but you have to see why they might not want to release "Murder Porn: The Game". I agree it's stupid since its an 18 so only adults would be able to play it and its fascism, but at the same time its nice to see rockstar's controversy bandwagon hit a wall, you can imagine their shocked little faces as they keep trying, more and more apologetically to get it through.
Jesus everybody is tired of your shit, all you people complaining about how the BBFC are nazis and anti-freedom. Is this a game you'd want to play? Is this a game you even like the idea of? Murder Porn Extravaganza, now featuring strip clubs?
License to ill @ Jan 26th 2008 12:34AM
Is this a game you'd want to play? Is this a game you even like the idea of? Murder Porn Extravaganza, now featuring strip clubs?
No as a informed consumer I never had any intension's of buying/renting this turd of a game. But it sure is nice having that choice.
Funny when this game was announced a lot of wii fans jumped all over it like they really believed it was going to be a good game...Haha.
Trickob @ Jan 26th 2008 4:29AM
that's america for you: (note: "they" = government)
"if they take our guns away, 'bad guys' will kill us!"
"if they make us wear seat-belts, they'll put more restrictions on driving!"
"if they legalize gay marriage, they'll legalize beastiallity!"
"if they outlaw video game sex/violence, game quality will go down the tubes!"
personally, i'm in favor of legalizing gay marriage and against video game censorship but the point i'm making is that most u.s.americans feel that if you give the lawmakers an inch (centimeter), then they'll take a mile (kilometer)
Synner @ Jan 26th 2008 8:03AM
That's because in America, when you do give a lawmaker an inch they take a mile. There is no such thing as a temporary law either, they just start out that way.
Synner @ Jan 26th 2008 8:03AM
That's because in America, when you do give a lawmaker an inch they take a mile. There is no such thing as a temporary law either, they just start out that way.
ThornedVenom @ Jan 26th 2008 2:02AM
They're just playing it safe because they don't want to be bothered with knowing who's right and who's wrong.
hvnlysoldr @ Jan 26th 2008 2:23AM
Oh please won't someone please think of the children! When we're over-run with Zombies/Ninjas/Pirates/Aliens/Nazis/Robots/Communists/ETC. our soldiers won't have enough experience. We have to train them in recognizing the enemy and hit weak points for massive damage. Otherwise we're letting the Zombies/Ninjas/Pirates/Aliens/Nazis/Robots/Communists become our overlords. And though I welcome many I wouldn't welcome them.
NeverSage @ Jan 26th 2008 3:44AM
Zombie communists... that idea made my day
Trickob @ Jan 26th 2008 4:17AM
didn't the simpsons do that already? maybe i'm thinking of the soviet nazis...
KS Rees @ Jan 26th 2008 5:26AM
I'm British and really not at all bothered by this. The BBFC have been rating games for a number of years now and I've already agreed with their ratings and admired their ability to avoid sensationalism.
There are a great number of Americans on here moaning about "Free Speech". I'm afraid that before a US citizen starts criticising the free speech of another country they should actually look at their own chequered history. I think any objective observer will find that in the UK far more things are tolerated and accepted, far more allowed to be said, than in the US.
Any American's grandstanding about "Free Speech", "Rights" and "Justice" amounts to little more than a joke when juxtaposed with the US' actual record on rights, free speech and law.
A Swansea Blog
ssuk @ Jan 26th 2008 8:34AM
Fantastic, now the media are going to have a bloody field day while they spout out more of their nonsensical "GAMES ARE EVIL, ALL OF THEM" crap.
What annoys me most is that although the BBFC has probably re-reviewed the content in Manhunt 2 and thought "It's iffy" so it didn't change it's banned status, this game probably didn't even grace the court in forms of footage or anything else for that matter, which means that it was down to a 50-year-old, upper class, daily mail reader to judge if a game should be re-re-evaluated for sale.
With the Prime Minister scape-goating video games, the media screaming all the evils of video games, with everyone left-right-and-centre screaming about how video games are to blame for knife attacks (which there have been a fair few of over the last few months), it's unsurprising that this judge gave the decision he did.
Personally, I couldn't give a shit for Manhunt 2, I thought the first game was a crock of shit and it's sequel will probably be as equally terrible. However, I disagree with how this game was banned and wasn't reconsidered when the ESRB has decided to lower the certificate to a M due to censoring the game. But there's no use crying over spilt milk, if people really want the game, they'll import it or download it. It's easy enough to get soft mods for the PS2 now-a-day.
Mifta Khudin @ Apr 14th 2008 1:19AM
Good morning
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