Slashdot Mirror
Manhunt 2 Banned In Britain
westlake writes "Rockstar's Manhunt 2 has been banned in the U.K. for what the British Board of Film Classification calls its 'unrelenting focus on stalking and brutal slaying.' 'There is sustained and cumulative casual sadism in the way in which these killings are committed, and encouraged, in the game.' The company has six weeks to submit an appeal. The last game to be refused classification was Carmageddon in 1997. That decision was later overturned via the appeals process."
Can anyone give me a valid reason why games like this should even be produced? I'm all for violence in video games as long as the violence doesn't portray actual acts. I remember when I was younger and had a intellivsion, then an atari 2600, C64, Tandy CoCo2, NES, SNES, and all the way up to my first pentium. Up till that point, it seemed games were about being fun, and exploring ones mind with a vast majority of the games. Now its just about how many people you can kill before you are gunned down yourself.
Do we really need this kind of reckless abandon in our games? Sure I understand games are not the cause, but with the great majority of people suffering more and more mental illnesses for whatever reason, do you want someone already on the edge to have this material?
Would you blame a guy for inciting another to violence? The problem with these games is that there is evidence that they negatively influence us. Further, unlike a film, which is abd enough, we are personally engaged in acting out the fantasy.
There is huge potential for danger in that. I am personally fed up of being afraid on the trains where I live, and would be happy for a lot of things to be banned to try to improve the situation.
These games may be inadvertently inciting violence and worse. It may not be the intent of the developers, but, like smoking, the game isn't necessary and the potential for hazard too great.
It isn't being banned to protect the gamer, but the gamers future victims.
>>What's next....banning books that have too much violent, sadistic content
Good. They can start with the Bible.
I'd like to announce the upcoming release of my new game "Crushing The Heads of Children."
Wait until you see the abortion minigame! Getting them before birth scores extra points! Woo hoo!
It'll be ready about a year after I decide what language to write it in.
I hope to get Rosie O'Donnel to do the voice of Ragey The Sledgehammer.