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Rockstar Forces Reconsideration of Manhunt 2 in UK

Posted by Zonk on from the giving-it-a-fair-shot dept.

boot1973 writes "Rockstar has won an appeal which forces the BBFC to look again at the ban that it issued against Manhunt 2. The BBC reports: 'The game could now go on sale, if the BBFC, which is "considering the judgement", takes no further action. In a statement, Rockstar said: "We are committed to making great interactive entertainment, while also marketing our products responsibly and supporting an effective rating system.'"

6 of 31 comments (clear)

  1. How'd that go again? by faloi · · Score: 3, Insightful

    1. Write crappy game 2. Get lots of publicity for crappy game. 3. ???? 4. Profit!

    --
    "It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education." -Albert Einstein
    1. Re:How'd that go again? by mdwh2 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      That may be, but crap or not - I say they still deserve publicity if they are willing to stand up to Government censorship.

      Even if profit is their real motive, it's a gamble - remember that this isn't about age ratings (like in every other western country where they don't have such stupid censorship laws), the current situation is that no adult can legally buy the game.

      And some MPs think things should go further - a recent proposed bill suggested allowing MPs to overrule the BBFC when it approves media for release, if they decide that the material is unsuitable for us adults to view.

  2. Odd... by n0dna · · Score: 2, Funny

    "We are committed to making great interactive entertainment"

    Yet they keep releasing GTA and Manhunt games.

    1. Re:Odd... by somersault · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I agree that Manhunt was awful (in gameplay terms), but the GTA games are pretty much the best I've ever played, doing several genres well, in a freeroaming environment, and getting better with every release. I fail to see what problems you could have with it unless you just think it is unethical

      --
      which is totally what she said
    2. Re:Odd... by HiVizDiver · · Score: 2, Funny

      I actually THOROUGHLY enjoy the GTA games. Love the sandbox playstyle, and most have a decent enough plot to go along with them. Nothing award-winning, mind you, but engaging enough.

      Manhunt, OTOH... I played through about the first hour of the first one, and uninstalled it. I wasn't grossed out, or offended, or anything like that... It was slow, plodding, and ultimately, I didn't see the point. It was, as some have pointed out, violence simply for violence's sake, with no framework to support it.

      Besides - read the quote again. "Great interactive entertainment". He didn't indicate art, or "thought-provoking media", or anything like that. The games (at least GTA) sell like hotcakes (when did hotcakes sell so well that they got that auspicious determination?) - so a lot of people like them, they are interactive, and while I guess "entertainment" could be subjective, they are sold in games stores. :)

  3. Video games rated under the same rules as movies.. by syn1kk · · Score: 2, Informative

    The ESRB rates video games not by playing them but by getting a video of important parts in the video game.

    Here is my thought experiment:
    What happens if you somehow got that same video that usually gets sent to the ESRB but instead had it sent to the movie rating group[1]? ( [1] Assuming that the movie rating group actually rates the movie and instead of ignoring it and not reviewing it. )

    My guess is that the movie rating people would not bat an eyelash at any video game like manhunt 2.