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Nintendo says no to AO Manhunt 2
We take it back -- Manhunt 2 is in a more dire situation in the US than we first thought, because Nintendo will not even license or allow playback of the controversial title with an AO rating. Looks like Pachter was right: Rockstar is going to bleed money over this title, because they're either going to have to scrap the game altogether, or simply edit Manhunt 2 down until they can wrangle another rating. It's not just Nintendo, either -- Sony's taken the same hard line on Manhunt 2. Looks like poor Daniel Lamb and Leo Kaspar are at risk from more than just the Pickman Project.
Nintendo and Sony won't touch Manhunt 2 with AO rating
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Nintendo_and_Sony_won_t_touch_AO_rated_Manhunt_2'; Forget retail and renting, if Manhunt 2 maintains its AO rating it won't even be allowed licence or playback on Nintendo's Wii or Sony's PlayStation. In Nintendo's own Nintendo Buyer's Guide the company clearly states, "Please note that Nintendo does not sell or license games that carry the ESRB rating 'AO' (Adults Only)." Joystiq also spoke with Sony spokesman Dave Karraker who stated, "Currently it's SCE's policy not to allow the playback of AO rated content on our systems." Manhunt 2 won't be available on Microsoft's consoles.And that's the ballgame: Rockstar can either edit Manhunt 2 or -- given its current AO rating -- leave it as a game that can't easily be played or obtained on the PlayStation 2, PSP and Wii consoles. Given the options available to Rockstar, it looks like they'll have no choice but to edit the game or just end Manhunt 2's life and move on.We asked Microsoft to comment on their AO policy, but they had not yet responded by the time of publication.Update: Full statement from Nintendo regarding this story after the break.
The shunning begins for Manhunt 2
Our esteemed colleagues at Joystiq spoke with the excellent online rental service GameFly about their plans to carry Manhunt 2, or, more to their point, their plans not to. According to a GameFly rep, "GameFly as a general policy does not carry AO rated titles." That makes sense, since they only serve customers 18 and up and deliver games directly to said customers' homes. And to be clear, by "makes sense" we mean "doesn't make any sense at all."Blockbuster isn't going to carry it either, but that's less of a surprise. Blockbuster has a long-standing policy of not carrying NC-17 or equivalent movies.
GameFly, Blockbuster won't carry Manhunt 2 with AO rating
Joystiq spoke with game rental service GameFly and we were informed Manhunt 2, now with an AO rating, will not be carried by the company. A GameFly spokesperson said, "GameFly as a general policy does not carry AO rated titles." When asked if they have ever made an exception to the "general policy," the representive said, "Not that I know of, there's been no exceptions." GameFly also points out that you must be 18 to subscribe to their service which absolves them of any sticky issues regarding M rated titles, and that it is the credit card holder's responsibility to monitor the games rented on the service.This is the first time GameFly has been put into this position as no other title from a major publisher has ever received an AO rating right out of the gate (GTA: San Andreas ver. 1.0 received its AO rating later, GameFly also swapped all their versions for the new M rated one). Manhunt 2 is still available to queue up for rental July 11, but that may or may not change once Rockstar officially states what they plan to do. We also contacted Blockbuster corporate and they informed us, "Blockbuster does not carry adult or NC-17 movies, or AO rated games." So, it looks like not only will Manhunt 2 have trouble at retail, but the rental outlets aren't going to carry it either.
Pachter: Manhunt 2 is going to cost Take Two millions
The name Pachter should be familiar to anyone who follows the gaming news scene. If not, well he's Wedbush-Morgan's resident Nostradamus and he's saying the latest news involving Take Two and the country across the pond might've cost the company millions. Before this whole mess, he was predicting that Manhunt 2 would've generated $25 million this quarter, along with another $15 million in reorders. According to him, either Take Two can edit the game to become more in line with UK morals and the ESRB's M rating or ship it the way it is. Or, they could do something that much more crazy and cancel the game. Either way, Take Two is going to be out some dough over this whole debacle. If they take the time to edit the game, it'll cost them more and if they ship it the way it is, they'll be cutting themselves out of a lot of potential revenue. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't, we suppose ...See also: Florida Attorney General concerned about Manhunt 2 on Wii
Pachter poses Manhunt 2 costing Take-Two millions
Industry fortune teller, Wedbush-Morgan's Michael Pachter, says Manhunt 2's freedom of expression will cost publisher Take-Two millions -- good thing Take-Two may have gotten that GTA IV advance money! Pachter believes the game would have generated $25 million in revenues this quarter, along with another $15 million in reorders. He sees three options for Take-Two at this point: Ship the game the way it is. Edit the game, bringing it in line with UK morals and the ESRB's M rating criteria. Cancel the game. Pachter believes canceling isn't a reasonable outcome. The other two options leave Take-Two with either lower sales because of the AO rating and the banning, or increased development costs due to the edit. Pachter guesses that either option costs the company half their potential revenue. He also goes on to say that this incident hurts the longevity of the franchise, which is funny for those who feel Manhunt 2 came out of left field anyway. Take-Two can probably cut their marketing budget by half, look at all this yummy free advertising. We already know FOX News has a story locked and loaded for public consumption closer to the Manhunt 2's July release.
Manhunt 2 gets AO rating from ESRB
After being rejected by the BBFC in the UK, Rockstar's Manhunt 2 is seemingly getting banned in America as well. According to Game Politics, the "murder simulator" is getting an AO (Adults Only) rating, which effectively bans it from all major video game retailers.Take Two games will certainly fight this decision as fiercely as possible in the coming days. Remember, the game's release is supposed to be only a few weeks away ...[Via Joystiq]
Manhunt 2 rated AO by ESRB
Manhunt 2 isn't in as dire a situation in the US as it is in the UK, but it's close. The ESRB has labeled Rockstar's controversial game with an AO "Adults Only" rating. If the game ships with this rating, most retailers will refuse to carry it, cutting sales massively. The only other console game to have an AO rating in stores? Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which was re-rated following the Hot Coffee scandal, and quickly re-released in an edited form.Rockstar has the option to appeal the rating, or they can edit the game and resubmit it. We doubt they'll release the game at AO, because they like selling their products.[Via Joystiq]
Retail murder: ESRB rates Manhunt 2 'Adults Only'
GamePolitics is reporting that Take-Two, publisher of Rockstar's controversial Manhunt 2 (which was rejected by the UK's BBFC today) has confirmed that the game has received the retail kiss-of-death from the ESRB: an Adults Only rating. What does this mean for Take-Two? An AO rating ensures the title will not be carried in many mainstream family-friendly retail establishments (think Wal-Mart), reducing possible sales and making the path to profitability even more burdensome.Take-Two can appeal the decision and dispute the AO rating, but something tells us this game has become a line in the sand that ratings boards, eager to prove their efficacy, won't cross. The ESRB's website hasn't been updated with the new rating just yet. More on this story is (surely) forthcoming.Update: MTV News spoke with a representative for Rockstar who, when asked if the AO rating would result in a delay, replied, "That's the last thing we want, but it's too early to say."
Rockstar: We 'emphatically disagree' with UK's Manhunt 2 ban
Rockstar has issued a statement in response to the BBFC's earlier decision to reject Manhunt 2 for classification and thus prohibit it from being sold in the UK. "We are disappointed with the recent decision by the British Board of Film Classification to refuse classification of Manhunt 2, said the Grand Theft Auto creator. "While we respect the authority of the classification board and will abide by the rules, we emphatically disagree with this particular decision."Rockstar goes on to defend Manhunt 2 by pointing out that its subject matter is no different than that of "other mainstream entertainment choices for adult consumers," noting that "adult consumers who would play this game fully understand that it is fictional interactive entertainment and nothing more." A rational defense, no doubt, but perhaps one better suited to a world where only "adult consumers" would be in a position to play the game. ELSPA earlier declared that the ban "demonstrates that we have a games ratings system in the UK that is effective," when it really seems to imply the opposite. Had game ratings been truly effective, the BBFC could have simply slapped the appropriate rating on the box and trusted adults and parents to judge the game's content accordingly. In the real world, however, the sloppy enforcement of ratings and general apathy towards content descriptors have prompted the certification body to add an extra barrier of entry, underlining a clear lack of faith in the effectiveness of its own warning labels. The ratings system should be powerful and heeded enough to handle any video game, no matter how violent it may be.
Manhunt 2 under fire, watchdog demands AO rating for Wii version
When it rains, it pours for Take Two Interactive and Rockstar. Most likely inspired by the UK's rejection of the game, the Center for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) released a press release this morning, calling for the ESRB to give the Wii version of Manhunt 2 an Adults-Only rating.Game Politics reports that the press release was sent at the same time as a letter to ESRB president Patricia Vance. Both the letter and the press release call out the Wii version of the ultra-violent sequel for allowing players to act out forms of brutality using the Wii remote. The AO rating guarantees failure for any video game, as many mainstream retail stores refuse to carry titles bearing the Adults-Only symbol.It's also worth noting that the PS2 and PSP versions of Manhunt 2 were not brought up by the CCFC, so it can be assumed that the standard control methods of these versions do not warrant a similar rating, by the CCFC's logic.
Manhunt 2 banned by UK ratings board
Rockstar Games' Manhunt 2 is now illegal to supply, according to the British Board of Film Classification due to its extreme violent content. David Cooke, the BBFC's director, said that they were unable to suggest changes that would make the game sufficient for release. "There is sustained and cumulative casual sadism in the way in which these killings are committed, and encouraged, in the game," he said.Paul Jackson of the Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association said that this decision "demonstrates that we have a games ratings system in the UK that is effective." To editorialize a bit, we couldn't disagree more; ratings systems are designed to prevent censorship by ensuring that material goes to the proper age groups only.
Rockstar's Manhunt 2 rejected by UK ratings board
It is the duty of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) to classify or rate any films or video games before they are released in the UK -- if they are indeed deemed fit for release. After spending some time strangling strangers and stabbing psychopaths in Rockstar's Manhunt 2, it seems the BBFC are none too pleased by the game's content, rejecting it for certification entirely. This means that Manhunt 2 may not be legally supplied anywhere in the UK.MCV quotes the BBFC's director David Cooke as saying, "Rejecting a work is a very serious action and one which we do not take lightly. Where possible we try to consider cuts or, in the case of games, modifications which remove the material which contravenes the Board's published Guidelines." With the game already filled with all manner of cuts, slashes and eviscerations, the BBFC could simply not see a way around the game's "unremitting bleakness and callousness of tone" and its "sustained and cumulative casual sadism." With Rockstar being no stranger to controversy, we half expect those quotes to show up on the back of the box. Then again, publisher Take-Two is unlikely to let an entire country of wallets just slip from its grasp, so there may yet be an appeal or a round of strict censorship. The Wii, PS2 and PSP game is still en route to America though and it shouldn't be long before we all learn whether UK gamers have been robbed... or rescued.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]%Gallery-3533%
Manhunt 2 rejected in UK
The hotly anticipated Manhunt 2 may not see release in the UK, due to its rejection from the BBFC ratings board. David Cooke, Director of the BBFC said: "Manhunt 2 is distinguishable from recent high-end video games by its unremitting bleakness and callousness of tone in an overall game context which constantly encourages visceral killing with exceptionally little alleviation or distancing. There is sustained and cumulative casual sadism in the way in which these killings are committed, and encouraged, in the game.""Against this background, the Board's carefully considered view is that to issue a certificate to Manhunt 2, on either platform, would involve a range of unjustifiable harm risks, to both adults and minors, within the terms of the Video Recordings Act, and accordingly that its availability, even if statutorily confined to adults, would be unacceptable to the public."The Video Recordings Act allows game distributors to appeal the decision, which we're certain Rockstar will want to take advantage of. This is a monumental decision in the games industry; the last video game to be refused a classification was Carmageddon in 1997 (which was later overturned by an appeal).%Gallery-3966%[Via press release]
Jack Thompson and Take-Two have secret meeting
GamePolitics is reporting that Take-Two Chairman Strauss Zelnick and Jack Thompson recently had a rendezvous in New York. There are very few details on what actually occurred at the meeting. All that GP knows is Zelnick asked for the meeting and Thompson acknowledged that it occurred. If you're just joining us, let's just say that Take-Two and Thompson have history.Was Zelnick trying to bury the hatchet? Did he try to pay Jack off? Or were they conspiring to create their next brilliant marketing scheme to sell millions of extra copies of Manhunt 2 and GTA IV? Only their waiter and maybe the bartender at The Palm, Sardi's, and later in the evening, Splash, know for sure. GP thinks Zelnick was getting a feel for "'Take Two's most abiding critic' ... who has vowed to bring the company down." All we can hope is that one of the guys was wearing a wire, because that's one conversation we'd really like to hear with no real lawyers present.
Florida Attorney General concerned about Manhunt 2 on Wii
Bill McCollum is his name and concern for violent games is his, um ... game. At least, that's what we're hearing, as his concerns over the Wii port of Rockstar's second installment in the "murder simulator" franchise were made clear during an interview (has not aired as of yet) with Fox News reporter Orlando Salinas. His beef? The motion controls, as it's a safe bet the game will demand players perform the stabbing and slashing motions. The on-air interview was slated to run last night, but was pulled in favor of airing it closer to the Manhunt 2 July release date.%Gallery-3148%[Via Joystiq]
PSP Fanboy Theatre: Volume 22
PSP Fanboy offers the latest and greatest movie and game trailers, formatted for the PSP in this new weekly feature. Check it out every Saturday. PSP owners can download files wirelessly via m.pspfanboy.com.Instructions: Save all movie and thumbnail files to the VIDEO folder. These high resolution 480x272 videos require firmware 3.30 or above. (Note: OE custom firmware will also play these videos.)New for PSP: Get selected videos delivered automatically to your PSP via our new RSS feed. The Darkness [PS3, 360]Download MP4 (6.54MB) | Download JPG The following videos are featured after the break: Manhunt 2, Rise: Blood Hunter, Evening, and the feature length film "Night of the Living Dead."
Becoming the perfect weapon in Manhunt 2
For our late-night readers, get a taste of Rockstar's upcoming Manhunt 2. We don't know much about the game except that it will be crazy. And there will be lots and lots of killing. We're not sure what system is shown in the trailer (Wii, PS2 or PSP), but we're confident that all three versions of this title will look pretty much the same.The ominous narrator at the end reminds us that the title is not yet rated ... but we're going to take a gander and assume it'll get an Mature rating.
Manhunt 2 in all its gory glory
IGN has put up a fresh new preview for a certain lawyer's most hated game, Manhunt 2. This new preview also puts to bed, rather violently we might add, all those rumblings that the game will somehow be watered down on the Wii. From images and the preview's contents itself, Manhunt 2 is looking to be comprised of several buckets, each of with is overflowing with precious life's blood. Seriously, this game is going to be gory.But, that's not all the exciting and fun news, as we're happy to bring forth fresh new screens and box art for the game, which you can find tucked away for your convenience in the gallery below. %Gallery-3148%
First Manhunt 2 screens depict Wiimote-enabled depravity
When Rockstar announced the controversy-prone Manhunt sequel would be arriving on Nintendo's family friendly Wii, in addition to the PS2 and PSP platforms, first we gasped. Would the physical interactivity of Manhunt 2 on the Wii provide critics of the industry a potent example of a "murder simulator"? Undoubtedly ...With that out of the way, we were free to imagine the depraved control concepts of the game's designers and, as the first screens of the Wii release illustrate, they even borrowed one of ours: choking (with nunchuk assist). The first one's on us, guys, but you gotta pay up if you want to use purple nurpling. %Gallery-3533%
