Manhunt2
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Banning Manhunt 2 impossible in the Netherlands
European gamers hoping to play Manhunt 2 should call their Dutch friends, because if the game's coming out anywhere in Europe, it'll be there. This isn't because the Dutch government loves their games murdery, but because there's no legal way to prevent the game's sale. They can, however, prosecute people under 16 for buying or playing it.This doesn't mean that the Netherlands will get an uncut version of the game, or any version at all. It's up to Rockstar to decide if it's worth the trouble to release a different version of the game. At this point, with Manhunt 2 effectively banned in Germany and the UK, there's some question as to whether they'll release it anywhere in Europe in any form.[Via Game|Life]
Uncut Manhunt to be released ... in Holland
Although Manhunt 2 will be censored in the US, an uncut, unedited version of the controversial Rockstar game will appear in Holland. In a letter to Parliament, Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin said: "The current law is based on the principle that every adult is considered capable of deciding for himself which games he wants to play, unless it contains illegal material." He added that keeping a watchful eye on the content in games is "the joint responsibility of parents, the audiovisual industry and the government."While we'd love for other nations to take an equally liberal approach to games, it appears that Holland is reconsidering its laws. According to MCV, the ministry was now examining whether new laws or policies were needed "to better protect the youth."The game will be released in Holland uncensored, but there's no word on the fate of Manhunt 2 in the UK, where the game is still banned, according to Next-Gen.
Manhunt 2 heading to Holland
Not everyone is getting in the way of Manhunt 2. The Dutch Ministry is allowing Rockstar's controversial sequel to be released in Holland. According to a report from Eurogamer, the Ministry said that getting involved would "break the regional law which considers adults capable of making their own decisions."The game will be prohibited for those under the age of 16. Additionally, Justice Minister Hirsch Ballin is calling for a unified EU ratings system and said that they are looking into new laws for safeguarding children. As for the rest of Europe, it seems as though the "Banhunt" will stick.
Calif. Sen. Leland Yee favors AO rated games on consoles
Why have an AO rating if it can't be used? As Joystiq reported during the height of the first round in the Manhunt 2 controversy, AO rated games won't even be licensed for consoles. Forget retail and rental, the consoles themselves won't allow AO rated games, so there is a rating floating out there only available for PC games. Architect of the California game law, Leland Yee, is wondering what's going on there and why console manufacturers won't allow the rating and so is Georgia Tech professor Ian Bogost.GamePolitics got a statement from Senator Leland Yee's office saying, "The ESRB just refuses to use the AO rating for violence despite the descriptor calling for such a rating when there are 'graphic depictions of violence.' ... Combined with the use of the ambiguous term 'Mature,' many parents are left with a false sense of how violent an M-rated game may be." Now if Yee had been focused on forcing console makers to allow AO rated games on their systems instead of making unconstitutional game laws, that's something adult gamers could backup and go along with. Many games deserve an AO rating, how those determinations play out would still happen behind closed doors at the ESRB, but at least publishers wouldn't consider an AO the absolute kiss of death like they do now because the game would at least be able to play on the systems. It's a far deeper and more complicated issue involving educating retailers on what a new version of AO would mean, but at least this weird self-imposed censorship would fade into the distance.
ESRB responds to Manhunt 2 rerating complaints
The ESRB is moving to put out the bizarrely intense flaming body of controversy caused by rerating Manhunt 2 as M rated. The re-rating happened following review of a "modified version" of the game. Advocacy groups like CCFC and political-crusader Leland Yee have demanded US government intervention by the Federal Trade Commission. The ESRB has now released a statement (full text after break) attributed to ESRB president Patricia Vance.Vance says in the statement, "The FTC, the national PTA, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and Peter Hart Research have all found that parents are overwhelmingly satisfied with the ESRB rating system. Rather than publicly second-guessing what is unmistakably a strong warning to parents about the suitability of a particular game for children, which presumably neither Senator Yee nor CCFC have personally reviewed, we feel a more productive tack would be to join us in encouraging parents to take the ratings seriously when buying games for their children." Yee and the advocacy groups would have such a better leg to stand on if the movie industry in the US were handled in a more "transparent" way. The Motion Picture Association of America has had a secret society for decades rating movies (see This Film is Not Yet Rated for more details). It just doesn't make sense to hold the video game industry to a completely different standard than films, especially considering the prevalence of torture porn is far less in video games.[Via Press Release]
Yee wants transparency about Manhunt 2 rating change
In response to the re-rating of Rockstar's Manhunt 2, California state senator Leland Yee is asking for a Federal Trade Commission investigation into the ESRB's rating process. He is (grandstanding, but also) insisting that more transparency is warranted as to how the ESRB assigns ratings."Parents can't trust a rating system that doesn't even disclose how they come to a particular rating," Yee said in a press release, which is actually a fairly apt statement. Unfortunately, he follows this reasonable statement up with a personal attack against both Rockstar and the ESRB by hinting at the involvement of money hats.We find ourselves in the uncomfortable position of agreeing with a known anti-ESRB, anti-game politician, even if we don't agree with his reasoning. We don't suspect payoffs or anything, but more information is always better. The more open the organization is about how they make their decisions, the more equipped parents are to make theirs. If they bother to read the things.[Update: fixed the erroneous information about rating details; thanks, TravestyOJ, for catching me]
Manhunt 2: conspiracy theories from AO to M
With the re-rating of Manhunt 2 from AO to M, some people are livid, some excited, others just want to make a tub of popcorn and watch the sparks fly -- then there are the conspiracy theorists. GamePolitics has a rundown of their theories following people's concerns that the Halloween release date of Manhunt 2 is just a little too perfect; many believe the game probably would have fallen underneath the radar this holiday season without its saga of controversy. One GP commenter said, "The whole timeframe stinks to high heaven ... Its gonna sell several times the number of copies than it probably deserves."Find the conspiracy theories after the break
CCFC advocacy group demands Manhunt 2 ratings review
The Campaign For a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC), the group that successfully disturbingly pulled-off getting GTA Vice City ads removed from the Boston metro system, has begun their Manhunt 2 marketing campaign. Sure one could view it as they're trying to stop the game, but these groups seem to only help generate sales, so let us call a spade a spade.As reported by GamePolitics, back in the day the CCFC demanded Manhunt 2 be rated AO just as the ESRB beat them to the punch. Then came the saga of Manhunt 2, with the latest twist coming this week that the game would be out by Halloween. The CCFC is saying, "Despite industry claims to the contrary, M-rated games continue to be marketed and sold to children under seventeen ... We call upon Rockstar Games to allow the content of Manhunt 2 to be reviewed by an independent review board with no ties to the video game industry ... We ask the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the process by which Manhunt 2's rating was downgraded from AO to M."Hmm, so the CCFC is demanding a ratings organization allow an outside group to tell them how to do their job, wonder how the MPAA would feel about that for movies? And as if the FTC didn't already have to deal with enough video game related silliness this week. Maybe the Boston-based CCFC can get the city's Mayor Tom Menino to help them out while he's trying to court the video game industry at the same time.
Friday Video: At last
It seemed like a good day for a celebratory visit to the world of Daniel Lamb. In this week's video spotlight, we have all three Manhunt 2 trailers rolled into one post -- which makes it that much more convenient to look back and compare when we see what comes out next. We wonder if any changes will be apparent in the trailers. Since that's about all we would guess some judgmental nongamers people saw, we would anticipate a difference.
Manhunt 2 trims down to Mature rating for October release
The New York Times called this one -- a slimmer, sleeker, and we can only guess happier Manhunt 2 will hit shelves, appropriately enough, on Halloween. The ESRB issued a new rating for the game, lowering the Adults Only tag to Mature, which clears the game for release. The game's fate in Europe, where it was banned in several countries, is as yet unknown, but we expect to hear some news on that front soon. The entire debacle, though cleared up, is still disheartening. With the number of adult gamers increasing all the time, and comparisons between game and film content demonstrating the vast difference in standards, we hope that someday, something in the system will change. For now, however, it seems publishers and developers, and indeed, all of us, are at the mercy of the ESRB and the standards of Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft. [Via Joystiq; image found here.]%Gallery-3148%
M-rated Manhunt 2 coming on Halloween
After temporarily suspending release of the AO-rated game back in June, Rockstar Games today announced a modified, M-rated version of Manhunt 2 will be release for the PS2, PSP and Wii on Oct. 31, 2007. "Manhunt 2 is important to us, and we're glad it can finally be appreciated as a gaming experience," Rockstar founder and president Sam Houser, said in a press release. "Manhunt 2 is a powerful piece of interactive story telling that is a unique video game experience. We think horror fans will love it." The original Adults Only rating was a kiss of death for the game, leading to self-imposed bans from console makers and rental houses. It's still unclear exactly what modifications were necessary to achieve the lower rating and what effect the modifications will have on on Manhunt 2 bans in England, Ireland and other countries.Whatever effect the controversy had on the game's content, you can bet that all the drama will have a positive effect on the game's sales. Remember, 2 Live Crew's As Nasty As They Wanna Be sold over two million copies despite being patently awful, all thanks to the magic of controversy.
Manhunt 2 gets M rating, releases Halloween
After receiving the much-feared AO rating from the ESRB, Take-Two Interactive had no choice but to delay Rockstar's Manhunt 2 and edit some of its more questionable moments. It looks like whatever they did, the ESRB is now satisfied enough to give the game a toned down, but still restrictive M rating. With an M rating, the game can now be sold in retail stores -- something the AO rating didn't allow."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."With an M rating secured, Mahunt 2 will ship to retailers this Halloween, October 31st.
The chilling effect of the AO rating
Game|Life's Chris Kohler has written a feature for Wired about the effects of the Adults Only rating on not only Manhunt 2, but the development and marketing of all mature-oriented games. He contends (accurately) that because the AO rating reduces to near zero the ability of a company to sell games, and because more attention has been paid to adult content in games since "Hot Coffee," publishers are trimming back the adult content of their games out of fear of the AO. This, of course, means that the rating that was nominally put in place to remove any need for censorship is instead creating that need.The most shocking example is the Leisure Suit Larry Collection for the PC, which is incomplete because of concerns that Leisure Suit Larry 7: Love for Sail!, which contains a single scene of brief nudity, would push the collection into AO territory, despite the fact that the game had already been given an M rating in 1996. Well, that's not the only omission. The collection also doesn't include the original EGA version of the first Larry game, nor does it appear to include The Laffer Utilities or Leisure Suit Larry's Casino, but we chalk that up less to censorship and more to Vivendi just being lazy.
Proof (mostly) of the existence of Samba de Amigo for the Wii
Thanks to RMC of GoNintendo, we can now see the presence of Samba de Amigo for the Wii on a GameStop release list with our own eyes! Some of the other titles that turn up on this list are worth noting as well -- particularly Manhunt 2. Have things been worked out on this one, or was it simply never removed from release lists? It raises some interesting questions. Head past the break to see the lists for yourself, and don't forget to tell us what excites you here. There are a lot of games we didn't expect to be seeing quite this soon, frankly. Our wallets are gonna be crying by the end of the year ... and then there's a whole new year of game-buying pain to anticipate. Oh, the sweet, sweet horror.
London Review of Books weighs in on Manhunt 2
British novelist and journalist John Lanchester has penned a piece for the London Review of Books discussing the Manhunt 2 ban. While not taking sides, Lanchester does opine that the BBFC's decision will help the industry if it gets developers to focus more on pushing video games as a form of art.The article gets some important facts right, specifically when it comes to how the public and news outlets can unfairly blame video games for acts of violence. However, others facts presented seem based on a lot of FUD, particularly with Rockstar's history. Lanchester wrote that the infamous sex sequence was "unlockable," implying it could be done in-game without modifications (not true). He also talks about Bully (or Canis Canem Edit in the UK) in a manner to imply public outcry was justified, when anyone who did play the game realized it actually punished bullying and rewarded you for being a good student.[Thanks, amit]
Take Two chairman speaks about Manhunt 2 and Wii at E3
Take Two's Strauss Zelnick sat down with Dean Takahashi recently, where his new role as company CEO was discussed. Of course, Dean also finds time to grill him on hot topic Manhunt 2. Then the discussion moves along to companies he admires, as well as the Wii and E3. As far as interviews go, it tackles a lot of ground.Zelnick has some interesting things to say based on the ESRB ratings, though, especially when it comes to the subject of self-censorship. Zelnick thinks that, in regards to the AO rating, "I'm not sure it is good for consumers either. The AO rating was not intended when it was developed to mean a non-rating. That wasn't the point. If you can't market it because you aren't allowed by the licensors or the retailers won't carry it, then the rating doesn't have any meaning." [Via Go Nintendo]
Rockstar appeals British Manhunt 2 ban
Take-Two Interactive has filed an official plea for an appeal of the BBFC's ban of Manhunt 2. The ban was originally announced on June 19th, at which point it was stipulated that the company had six weeks to file an appeal.The Video Appeals Committee will now hold a hearing in which both Take-Two and the BBFC will present arguments, and a demonstration of the game will be shown. They should be a lot more successful now that they've implemented those graphical changes, right? We wish them the best in being allowed to release their game.
Rockstar appealing British Manhunt 2 ban
Rockstar yesterday filed an appeal with the Video Appeals Committee (VAC) over Manhunt 2's rejection by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), according to MCV. The UK board can overturn the BBFC's ban; given that six weeks are permitted to file an appeal, the developer appears to have waited until the eleventh hour before making their dramatic request for a new decision.Following the BBFC's decision, the "Banhunt" spread globally, with an effective banning in the US due to a AO-rating from the ESRB and word that both Australia and Germany would very likely not allow the game sold withing their respective borders.What's unclear here is if Rockstar will appeal the decision with the current build, previously defended by the New York Times, Newsweek's N'Gai Croal and MTV News Stephen Totilo, or if they'll show off a "cleaner" version of the game.%Gallery-3533%
Wii Warm Up: Keeping those fingers crossed
So what game -- Nintendo or third party title -- do you hope to see the most of of at this year's E3? Or rather, read the most news about, considering the new format. What game does it for you? Are you hoping for all the details on the new Metroid that are fit to print? Is it Boogie that gets you excited? Are you hoping Take-Two will reveal their plans for Manhunt 2 after the ESRB debacle? Are you crossing your fingers for some sign of Super Mario Galaxy? Or is it something else that gets you going? Let us know what game you hope shows up in the news this week.
Manhunt 2 looks a lot more fun since the ESRB incident
It appears that rather than attempting to appeal the ESRB's AO rating, Rockstar has decided to lose some of the violent content from Manhunt 2. In fact, they've gotten it all the way down to E. In our opinion, the changes seem to be for the better. We play games about killing dudes all the time. But when was the last time you played a game where, using the Nintendo Wii's innovative motion controller, you held someone down and forced them to take an adorable puppy? Never, that's when. This is the kind of thing we want to play-- creepily-intense-niceness simulators. Put us down for one copy.... yeah, we know. [Via Level Up]
