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AO Rating Basically Bans Manhunt 2 From Release
Yesterday we discussed Manhunt 2's AO rating, and what it meant for the game's retail outlook. Gamespot points out that effectively an AO rating means that the game will never be released in the first place. "Both [Nintendo and Sony] forbid licensed third-party publishers from releasing games rated AO for Adults Only on their various hardware platforms. Though Manhunt 2 isn't slated for any of Microsoft's systems, the company has also confirmed that it does not allow AO-rated titles on the Xbox or Xbox 360. The sole exception to this rule was in 2005 when the already released Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was retroactively rated AO, at which point retailers pulled it from shelves and Take-Two suspended production of the game."
The consoles make all their money from licensing. So, in order to develop for a console you have to get a license to do so (and then split your profits with the console maker). They can refuse to license anything they want to, so there is effectively no legal way to release content for a console that the manufacturer doesn't want released.
ad logicam Claiming a proposition is false because it was presented as the conclusion of a fallacious argument.
The distribution model is only relevant when big store like Walmart refuse to sell such titles. The main problem here is that console manufacturers refuse to even *licensed* those AO titles. You still need to go through Nintendo/Sony/MS in order to have your game published, online or not.
There are only 23 games with an AO rating. They can be seen here