The Murder of Manhunt 2

[James_xeno]

For those who haven't been paying attention to the whole debacle.

Manhunt 2 Already Banned in the UK

Politics finally pushes back against Rockstar's new slice of violence.

By Mark Whiting, 06/19/2007

Q: What do you get when an increasingly edgy games industry crashes headlong into an increasingly active political anti-violence movement?

A: Banned games.

As reported just about everywhere today, Rockstar's Manhunt 2 has officially been banned within the shores of the United Kingdom.

It's been ten years since the British government actually flat-out banned a game -- the last casualty was drive-n-kill Carmageddon back in 1997. Considering Manhunt 2 is the poster child for unrepentant and glorified violence in video games, it is perhaps inevitable this one would go down as the first potential casualty. Push that envelope of public opinion hard enough, the envelope pushes back.

1UP has contacted Rockstar Games for a statement but they were not immediately available for comment.

British Board of Film Classification Director David Cooke released a statement, explaining the decision:

An appeals process is still open to Rockstar, should they choose to oppose the decision. Such a move seems likely, considering the decision originally passed down for the UK's first banned game, Carmageddon, was overturned after a secondary review.

"A decision from the BBFC such as this demonstrates that we have a games ratings system in the UK that is effective. It shows it works and works well. Any decision the BBFC takes, it takes on the basis of its remit to rate on screen entertainment," said Paul Jackson, director of the British Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (analogous to the ESRB in North America). "The games industry is a creative phenomenon that produces all kinds of games across all kinds of genres that appeal to all kinds of people across the country, young and old, male and female. The important thing to know is that all games are rated according to age suitability, with over 70 per cent of games being available to all ages over three years."

Cooke's statement highlights a number of ways Manhunt could theoretically have spared itself this situation. Phrases like "lack of alternative pleasures" and "overall narrative context" suggest that the BBFC might have been willing to cut a deal with a graphically violent game if the content could be proven to serve a meaningful thematic or narrative purpose. At this point, however, the message is clear: killing for killing's sake -- especially in an "unremittingly bleak and callous" context -- won't cut it in England.

If the ban holds, it will no doubt serve as precedent to all parties who concern themselves with the business of legislating of games and violence. As more politicians become hip to Manhunt 2's availability (especially the Wii version -- oh boy!), expect similar reactions forthcoming in North America, Europe and Australia.

---

A short time later.

ESRB Rates Manhunt 2 Adults Only

Rockstar taking the decision 'very seriously.'

By Patrick Klepek, 06/19/2007

In the wake of the British Board of Film Classification decision to ban Manhunt 2's release this summer, the Entertainment Software Ratings Board has handed down their decision on the controversial game's rating: Adults Only.

1UP briefly spoke to Rockstar over the phone about the decision, which they are currently taking "very seriously." Rockstar, however, believes Manhunt 2 "is a great game for mature audiences" and "created for gamers who like the horror genre and is consistent with what contemporary entertainment [has to offer]."

From a financial perspective, the consequences of an AO rating are potentially severe. Large retailers like Wal-Mart flat out refuse to stock AO titles, removing a significant portion of potential sales. When Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas encountered the AO-issue, Rockstar removed the offending material -- the overblown "Hot Coffee" content -- but that isn't necessarily the next step for Manhunt 2.

"Manhunt 2 was created for mature audiences and we strongly believe it should receive an M (Mature) rating...we are exploring our options with regard to the rating of Manhunt 2," said parent company Take-Two Interactive in a statement.

->

Nintendo, Sony(, Microsoft) Policies Prohibit AO Manhunt 2

Rockstar needs a lower rating just to publish the game.

By Patrick Klepek, 06/20/2007

There have been a couple options thrown on the table for where Rockstar Games and parent company Take-Two Interactive could go next with Manhunt 2. They can either:

# Retain the AO rating and sell in the retailers that'll support it

# Modify the content and/or negotiate with ESRB to lower the rating

# Cancel the game outright

You can strike out the first option, however, unless Rockstar pushes forward with a PC-only release, as Sony Computer Entertainment America and Nintendo of America (and Microsoft) have told various publications (even mentioned on the latter's own website) their policies forbid the licensing of Adults Only-rated titles on their platforms. If the AO rating sticks, it cannot be officially licensed for Wii, PlayStation 2 or PSP, creating a ban far more restrictive than not showing up on the shelves of Wal-Mart.

To date, Rockstar hasn't announced a PC version of Manhunt 2 -- though the original did eventually show on the platform -- leaving them with limited bargaining room.

---

Finally.

The Murder of Manhunt 2: One Day Later

Rockstar fumes while the BBFC backs slowly away from political allegations.

By Mark Whiting, 06/20/2007

It's been 24 hours since the axe fell over the future of Manhunt 2. How are things shaking down in the games industry after yesterday's crippling tag team takedown?

...

Manhunt's profit forecast is now severely crippled and ultimate future uncertain. How's Rockstar taking that one? As you might expect, the company is pretty upset with the BBFC's decision overseas. Their position was clarified this morning in an official statement, which reads:

The company is certainly within their rights to be pissed at the various ratings agencies right now. Well-known industry financial analyst Michael Pachter of Wedbush Morgan believes the collective decision to cripple Manhunt 2's sales will cost parent publisher Take-Two Interactive millions. He explains his reasoning at legal blog GamePolitics.

Bad news for Take Two and Rockstar, obviously -- but how about the various ratings agencies involved? Unsurprisingly, they're backing away from any accusations their decision may have been influenced by the current anti-videogame political climate. In an interview at GamesIndustry, the BBFC's Sue Clark says "We are independent of government and independent of the industry and we reached this decision based on our guidelines and our concerns and not on any other basis at all. [...] We've rejected this game so you can't buy it legally in the UK. We have to make a decision. If we feel it's not appropriate for classification then we have to make that decision -- we can't classify it and hope nobody notices it."

The ESRB may have a slightly more difficult row to hoe in making a similar claim. After all, it's hard to deny external pressures when you have websites like the the Campaign For A Commercial-Free Childhood's well-known anti-Manhunt petition sending e-mails directly to the account of ESRB President Patricia Vance. And, hey, let's not forget the entire state of New York, a place where the entire country is watching Republicans and Democrats fight each other for the privilege of replacing your agency with a government-mandated oversight committee.

Rest assured, we haven't heard the end of this whole Manhunt fracas yet. Stay tuned to 1UP news for further updates from the exciting world of politically-charged gaming.

Now I don't really give two shits about Manhunt, but all this crap can only mean trouble for everything non-kiddy later down the road!

[LeadingMan]

Not really. I'm going to assume that there's content in there that got it rated AO. And because of that content, it's now forced to make the standard decisions many R rated films make. Clerks II was NC-17 for a period there. It's pretty standard for the movie business to scale itself back and nobody bitches then... Why should videogames be any different? People are asking for the world to treat games as a serious medium. Well congrats, you've arrived right at the spot movies have hit.

Rockstar should just reign in the horses a bit, reshoot some scenes from different angles, and blam they've got their horribly bloody horror / snuff film game back on store shelves.

This isn't about censorship. It's about rating. Nobody is snuffing out lives or telling them they can't make the game. They can make whatever they please. They just can't release it wherever they please... And really if something is rated so violent or grotesque that it can only be purchased by adults, well there's just no way this is catching rockstar by surprise. Everything in that game was purposely put in there by them... It's not like someone snuck into their offices and coded up the ability to stab people in the head with syringes while they were sleeping.

I don't see how this is a stumbling block for everything non-kiddy... I mean really, what's the point of a rating system if there isn't a point where you've gone too far for a particular rating and have moved on into another? And really, it's completely up to Nintendo Sony and MS to determine what game ratings they want on their devices. Manhunt is pretty much pure shock value anyways... This time? Too much shock. I'm sure they'll tone it down and it'll be back on the shelves in no time.

[noodle]

*plays katamari*

[Arcane]

This isn't about censorship. It's about rating. Nobody is snuffing out lives or telling them they can't make the game. They can make whatever they please. They just can't release it wherever they please... And really if something is rated so violent or grotesque that it can only be purchased by adults, well there's just no way this is catching rockstar by surprise. Everything in that game was purposely put in there by them... It's not like someone snuck into their offices and coded up the ability to stab people in the head with syringes while they were sleeping.

This is about censorship. Ratings are just a fancy form of censorship, but instead of actively censoring the material they scare the creators into censoring it themselves. Rockstar now has to either lose millions of dollars by completely scrapping the game or go back and rework the game to fit a bunch of politician's standards of what they think is good for us. I can decide what is good for myself, I don't need a bunch of assholes telling me what I can and cannot watch or play.

And as of today, the game has also been banned outright in Ireland as well.

[Gundampilotspaz]

Ah fuck I just pre-ordered this when I picked up RE4!

Censorship bullshit! I can't believe that that an AO rating can carry this much weight! M is 17+ and AO is 18+

It's ONE FUCKING YEAR DIFFERENCE!

I don't understand how rating systems can have such an impact on any form of media, and it disgusts me to think about it.

[LeadingMan]

This is about censorship. Ratings are just a fancy form of censorship, but instead of actively censoring the material they scare the creators into censoring it themselves. Rockstar now has to either lose millions of dollars by completely scrapping the game or go back and rework the game to fit a bunch of politician's standards of what they think is good for us. I can decide what is good for myself, I don't need a bunch of assholes telling me what I can and cannot watch or play.

And as of today, the game has also been banned outright in Ireland as well.

Well, to be honest the control of the censorship is in the hands of the retailers and the console manufacturers more than anyone else. An AO rating means exactly crap, except for the fact that Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony all have policies stating they will not have AO games on their systems. The game can still be made as is on the PC with no changes.

This is the price you pay for trying to put a game on a console. Consoles have extremely specific qualifications that must be adhered to.

Censorship is when someone tells you that you can't create something. Not when someone tells you that they won't sell it or don't want it.

There is still a fully active channel they can port the game to if they don't want to make any changes and you can then "decide for yourself." If we're debating any issue here it should be how much control the corporations have over their consoles. But really, that's what you sign on for when you buy a Sony PS2 or a Nintendo Wii. You're not buying an Arcane Wii, so you don't get to decide what is or is not up to snuff.

(Btw, I'm specifically speaking of America. Fuck what other countries want to ban.)

[Galkar]

I think Leading Man has it exactly right here.

[Galkar]

For computers.

[Adam]

For computers.

People don't need PC games to see nudity and blood. There's a thing called the internet.

[noodle]

People don't need PC games to see nudity and blood. There's a thing called the internet.

okaaaaay.

anyway lets be honest here, most of manhunts appeal comes from shock value. im sure they can rework some scenes or mechanics of the game to make it available to people with out compromising any "story elements".

and also they kinda had this coming. they are in the business and they know the rules. they knew exactly what they were doing. i agree with the leading man here and it isn't very different from movies.

Tarintino had to change that scene in kill bill to accommodate the ratings and i really don't see why this should be any different.

[Galkar]

Which scene did he change?

[thebornotaku]

Wait, the UK banned Carmageddon? That's bullshit. Carmageddon didn't promote violence, it promoted pedestrians getting the fuck out of your way or else. That's not violence.

:awesome:

[Arcane]

Manhunt 2 has been temporarily shelved.

Note: I don't even have any desire to actually play this game, I just think this whole situation is really lame.

[Galkar]

Really I don't see how Rockstar could be surprised that something like this is happening (in the U.S. I mean, what other countries do is stupid and none of my business). If they keep trying to push the envelope with these games, which is exactly what they're doing, then sooner or later the ESRB is going to rate one of their games AO, and if they didn't know that AO games wouldn't be published on consoles then that's entirely their fault.

[noodle]

Which scene did he change?

the black and white scene vs. the crazy 88's or whatever they're called. the dudes in the suites and the retarded masks. he ended up liking it better, but the point is he still had to change it.