The Manhunt 2 Controversy is Over, Manhunt 2 gets a M Rating

New York, NY - August 24, 2007 - Rockstar Games today announced it will release Manhunt 2 for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, and the Wii™ home video game system from Nintendo in North America on October 31, 2007. This announcement follows the submission of a modified version of Manhunt 2 to the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), who has now rated the title “M” for Mature for ages 17 and older.

In June, Take-Two was compelled to suspend the release of the horror title when the ESRB issued an AO (Adults Only) rating.

“Manhunt 2 is important to us, and we’re glad it can finally be appreciated as a gaming experience,” said Sam Houser, founder and executive producer of Rockstar Games. “We love the horror genre. Manhunt 2 is a powerful piece of interactive story telling that is a unique video game experience. We think horror fans will love it.”

“Manhunt 2 is an extraordinary game, and we eagerly anticipate its release in North America,” added Strauss Zelnick, Chairman of Take-Two.

Manhunt 2 is the debut title from the newly formed Rockstar London studio, which is developing the game in conjunction with series creator Rockstar North. Early previews of Manhunt 2 have consistently praised the game’s original design and creative use of narrative, tone, and atmosphere to evoke an experience many consider unmatched in video games. The Wii version is being developed by Rockstar Toronto.

Video games rated Mature are for consumers ages 17 and older and are not intended for children. Along with the Mature rating, the ESRB also assigned the following content descriptors to Manhunt 2: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content and Use of Drugs.

Rockstar Games is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

Source

Rockstar to appeal the UK ban of Manhunt 2

I'm sure you all remember the big Manhunt 2 controversy and how it was banned in the UK thanks to the BBFC's decision. Well, many people figured Rockstar would appeal the ban of the game in the UK, and now it's official. When will the hearing be? We don't know, but it is happening.

Source

RUMOR: Manhunt 2 to be published with an AO rating

There's a guy that goes by Falafelkid and he has his own blog. Well, this guy is pretty reliable. He has a few sources and they usually turn out to give true information. Here is what he says:

I have contact to someone who claims to work for NOA in Redmond. That person has told me in confidence that a memo was circulated about two weeks ago about Nintendo publishing ´Manhunt 2´ despite the AO rating.

I have been seeking to verify this with my sources at Take 2 and Rockstar. Also, I have asked for the memo to be forwarded to me. I am still busy on those two fronts, so please bear with me until I get more detail and can actually write a proper post.

Let me just close by saying that I do regard the source as reasonably reliable, while I simply cannot believe that Nintendo would ever consider such a move.

I agree with Falafelkid. I just don't see this coming true. Even Sony and Microsoft won't publish an AO game, so I don't see why Nintendo would. But if they did, it would destroy the kiddy console image, that's for sure.

Source

Reggie Talks Manhunt 2 and WiiWare

N’Gai Croal did an interview with Reggie Fils-Aime and here are parts of it:

“Wii welcomes games rated E, T and M. We haven’t approved AO-rated games. I doubt we ever will. What Rockstar has right now is a game rated outside our spectrum, outside any manufacturer’s spectrum.”

(concerning Wiimote motions adding to the Adult Only rating in the Wii version) “That’s an issue for the ESRB and Rockstar to work through. And as I understand the ESRB guidelines, the Wii controls should not be an issue.”

When talking about WiiWare, he talked of the controls:

"Again, there's no filtering. We have not put any parameters on the control device or how the consumer will play the games. They can be remote-only; remote and nunchuk; classic controller; Gamecube controller. All of that is allowed."

Source

Rockstar to appeal BBFC's ban of Manhunt 2

It's not official, but sources close to Rockstar are saying that Rockstar plans to appeal the BBFC's decision to ban Manhunt 2. They have 6 weeks for the appeal and apparently they are still planning on releasing the game within those 6 weeks. I hope they can get the BBFC to change their mind and let Rockstar sell their game.

Source

Manhunt 2 temporarily suspended

“Take-Two Interactive Software has temporarily suspended plans to distribute Manhunt 2 for the Wii or PlayStation platforms while it reviews its options with regard to the recent decisions made by the British Board of Film Classification and Entertainment Software Rating Board. We continue to stand behind this extraordinary game. We believe in freedom of creative expression, as well as responsible marketing, both of which are essential to our business of making great entertainment.” - Take-Two rep

There's their statement. It sounds like they're really disappointed and are not ready to give up the fight just yet; which is exactly what I would feel and would want to do.

Source

Online Petition for Manhunt 2

Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft all have a policy that they won't sell Adult Only games. There is an online petition that you can sign for them and others to change their policies and let them sell Manhunt 2, even if it has an Adult Only rating. Here is what the petition says:

This petition submitted on June 21, 2007 is hereby presented to Nintendo of America, Sony Computer Entertainment, Microsoft Corporation, Take-Two Interactive Software, Rockstar Games, future console developers, and other software developers. We hereby petition the above organizations to reevaluate the current policy towards software titles rated by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) to be AO (Adults Only), specifically the decision in lacking endorsement to said titles in being released. The American public has the ability to decide for themselves what software they wish to buy and would like to be given the chance to do so freely in the marketplace.

Sign the Petition Here!

Source

It's not longer a rumor: Quite possibly the worst news yet for Manhunt 2

Earlier today, I posted a rumor saying that since Manhunt 2 is an Adult Only game, Nintendo will not publish it since that's their policy. Well, we now have confirmation from a Nintendo rep. If the rating stays as AO, Nintendo won't publish it. That gives Rockstar three options: Change the game to get a Mature rating, abandon the game all together, or argue the AO rating with the ESRB. I think they'll either argue or change it because they wouldn't want to lose all of their money spent on developing the game. Here is the Nintendo Rep's response:

“Games made for Nintendo systems enjoy a broad variety of styles, genres and ratings. These are some of the reasons our Wii and Nintendo DS systems appeal to such a broad range of people. But as with books, television and movies, different content is meant for different audiences. That’s why the ESRB provides ratings to help consumers understand the content of a game before they purchase it. As stated on Nintendo.com, Nintendo does not allow any AO-rated content on its systems.” - Nintendo representative

Source

The bad news for Manhunt 2 continues

Since Manhunt 2 has an AO rating, some stores, like Walmart, Target, and GameStop/EB Games won't be selling it. Well, both Blockbuster and GameFly won't be renting out the game because of its rating. So, it's up to Rockstar now. They can change the content in the game so it can get a M rating and be sold in all of those stores, or they don't have to change it and most stores won't sell it. They're in a tough situation.

Source

RUMOR: Manhunt 2 Not Coming in the US either?

JOELCOOL of the NSider forums found this from the Nintendo Wii site: "Parental controls for the Wii and Virtual Console games are based on the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) game ratings categories. Please note that Nintendo does not sell or license games that carry the ESRB rating Adults Only."

If Manhunt 2 gets a final rating of AO, could it not even be released here? The plot thickens...

Source

The Manhunt 2 Banning Continues in Ireland

This is just wrong. Just when Wii gets a game for an older audience, the banning begins. Here is the press release:

A prohibition order has been made by IFCO (Irish Film Censor’s Office) in relation to the video game Manhunt 2. The Order was made on 18th June 2007 under Sec 7 (1) (b) of the Video Recordings Act 1989 which refers to ‘acts of gross violence or cruelty (including mutilation and torture)’.

IFCO recognizes that in certain films, DVDs and video games, strong graphic violence may be a justifiable element within the overall context of the work. However, in the case of Manhunt 2, IFCO believes that there is no such context, and the level of gross, unrelenting and gratuitous violence is unacceptable.

Source

Manhunt 2 gets an Adult Only rating!

LOTS and LOTS of Manhunt 2 news today. For many of you that don't know already, I'll summarize what has happened so far. Manhunt 2 has been banned from sale in the UK because of its violence and other things. Then, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) called out to the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) of the US to give Manhunt 2 an Adult Only rating. Rockstar then commented and said they were disappointed at the ban of the sale of the game and wished that it could have been rated, which I perfectly agree with. And now, we have word from the ESRB that Manhunt 2 is getting an Adult Only rating. Here's the press release:

The ESRB has issued an initial rating of AO (Adults Only) for Manhunt 2.

We believe the process of rating videogames is to help people make informed entertainment choices and not to limit them.

Manhunt 2 was created for mature audiences and we strongly believe it should receive an M (Mature) rating, aligning it with similar content created in other forms of media. We are exploring our options with regard to the rating of Manhunt 2.

Sounds like the rating isn't final, which I'm glad about. Hopefully they'll change it to Mature or something, but at least we're even getting the game.

Source

Rockstar's Comment to the UK Ban on Manhunt 2

“We are disappointed with the recent decision by the British Board of Film Classification to refuse classification of Manhunt 2. While we respect the authority of the classification board and will abide by the rules, we emphatically disagree with this particular decision.

“Manhunt 2 is an entertainment experience for fans of psychological thrillers and horror. The subject matter of this game is in line with other mainstream entertainment choices for adult consumers.

“We respect those who have different opinions about the horror genre and video games as a whole, but we hope they will also consider the opinions of the adult gamers for whom this product is intended. We believe all products should be rated to allow the public to make informed choices about the media and art they wish to consume. The stories in modern video games are as diverse as the stories in books, film and television. The adult consumers who would play this game fully understand that it is fictional interactive entertainment and nothing more.”

Source

CCFC wants ESRB to give Manhunt 2 an Adult Only rating

I, for one, am for and against this move. I would rather have this than have it banned in the US, but with an Adult Only rating, my parents would never let me buy it.

BOSTON - Citing concerns that harmful effects of ultra-violent video games on children will be magnified by playing them on the interactive Nintendo Wii system, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) is demanding that Manhunt 2 – the most violent game available on Wii to date – be given an Adults Only rating by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). The game will be released by Take Two Entertainment/Rock Star Games on July 10, 2007.

The British Board of Film Classification banned the game in the United Kingdom today.

In Manhunt 2, players can saw their enemies’ skulls in half; mutilate them with an axe; castrate them with a pair of pliers; and kill them by bashing their heads into an electrical box, where it is blown apart by a power surge. On Wii, players will not merely punch buttons or wield a joy stick, but will actually act out this violence. A reviewer for the gaming website IGN describes using a saw blade to “cut upward into a foe’s groin and buttocks, motioning forward and backward with the Wii remote as you go.” The same reviewer calls Manhunt 2 the goriest and most violent game he’s ever seen.

“If ever there was a time for the ESRB’s strongest and most unambiguous rating, it is now,” said CCFC’s co-founder, Dr. Susan Linn. “An Adults Only rating is the only way to limit children’s exposure to this unique combination of horrific violence and interactivity.” Today, CCFC sent a letter to ESRB president Patricia Vance urging her to give Manhunt 2 an AO rating and launched a letter-writing campaign so that parents and advocates for children could share their concerns.

The ESRB typically assigns the most violent video games a Mature (M) rating, which is supposed to mean “content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older.” Yet despite industry claims to the contrary, M-rated games continue to be marketed to children. A recent report by the Federal Trade Commission found that 42% of unaccompanied 13- to 16-year-olds were able to purchase M-rated games. The FTC also found that the video game industry continues to advertise M-rated games on television programs and in magazines popular with younger teens. On the Internet, the FTC found that the industry repeatedly violated its own “very limited standard.”

At the 2006 Summit on Video Games, Youth and Public Policy, academic, medical and health experts signed a statement saying: “Behavioral science research demonstrates that playing violent video games can increase the likelihood of aggressive behavior in children and youth.”

“The most recent studies employing state-of-the-art neuro-imaging techniques support the behavioral research,” said psychiatrist Alvin F. Poussaint, of the Judge Baker Children’s Center and Harvard Medical School. “There is evidence that violent video games can engender more aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors; and decrease empathetic, helpful behaviors with peers.”

“Video games are among the most powerful educational tools yet developed.” said Dr. Michael Rich, Director of the Center on Media and Child Health at Children’s Hospital Boston. “By creating a virtual reality and allowing players to act out, rather than simply witness, fictional narratives in virtual worlds, players experience and learn the game’s skills, whether they be based in strategy, logic, or violence. The content of Manhunt 2 and the unique physical interaction with the Wii control combine to take this simulation a level closer to reality - we can expect that the effects of this experience will be even greater.”

The ESRB’s AO rating is given to games that “have content that should only be played by persons 18 years and older.” Among the criteria that can earn a game this rating are “prolonged scenes of intense violence.” Of the more than 13,000 games rated by the ESRB, only 23 have been given an AO rating – and only once was an AO rating given for violent content.

“An “M” rating is more like a wink and a nod than an effective safeguard,” said Dr. Linn. “The industry appears to be going through its paces, but as the FTC’s most recent data show, these games are still being marketed to children.”

Source

Manhunt 2 Banned in the UK

I'm shocked by this actually. How could they ban the sale of Manhunt 2 in the UK? That's just wrong! Here is the press release:

The BBFC has rejected the video game Manhunt 2. This means that it cannot be legally supplied anywhere in the UK. The game was submitted in both a PS2 and a Nintendo Wii version. The decision was taken by the Director and the Presidential Team of Sir Quentin Thomas, Lord Taylor of Warwick and Janet Lewis-Jones.

David Cooke, Director of the BBFC said:

“Rejecting a work is a very serious action and one which we do not take lightly. Where possible we try to consider cuts or, in the case of games, modifications which remove the material which contravenes the Board’s published Guidelines. In the case of Manhunt 2 this has not been possible. Manhunt 2 is distinguishable from recent high-end video games by its unremitting bleakness and callousness of tone in an overall game context which constantly encourages visceral killing with exceptionally little alleviation or distancing. There is sustained and cumulative casual sadism in the way in which these killings are committed, and encouraged, in the game.

“Although the difference should not be exaggerated the fact of the game’s unrelenting focus on stalking and brutal slaying and the sheer lack of alternative pleasures on offer to the gamer, together with the different overall narrative context, contribute towards differentiating this submission from the original Manhunt game. That work was classified ‘18’ in 2003, before the BBFC’s recent games research had been undertaken, but was already at the very top end of what the Board judged to be acceptable at that category.”

“Against this background, the Board’s carefully considered view is that to issue a certificate to Manhunt 2, on either platform, would involve a range of unjustifiable harm risks, to both adults and minors, within the terms of the Video Recordings Act, and accordingly that its availability, even if statutorily confined to adults, would be unacceptable to the public.”
Under the terms of the Video Recordings Act distributors have the right to appeal the Board’s decision.

Source