Manhunt 2: So Gruesome, It's Banned
Ouch! The week began and ended in true horror for Rockstar games, the makers of the Manhunt 2, a serial killer offering which features more hacking and slashing than "Hostel" and "Saw" combined. First, England banned the game. Then Ireland followed suit.
Says Reuters, "Manhunt 2 casts the player in the role of a psychotic man who escapes a mental institution and kills enemies with a variety of weapons and objects as he tries to find out what happened to his family."
Although the game wasn't banned on these shores, the games rating board gave Manhunt 2 an Adults Only rating. For a horror game maker, that's akin to a vampire being killed with a stake through the heart. The dreaded AO rating means that the PlayStation 2 and 3, the Nintendo Wii and even the Xbox 360 won't see versions of the game released anywhere. It also means Wal-Mart and Blockbuster won't sell the game.
So where does that leave Rockstar Games?
It means that Rockstar can probably only release the game in PC format, and not that many people buy PC games to play hack and slash horror games. They buy PC games to play role playing games and strategy games. Said Rockstar via a press release, "We continue to stand behind this extraordinary game. We believe in freedom of creative expression, as well as responsible marketing, both of which are essential to our business of making great entertainment," the company said.
Well, they're not standing behind it. They're stopping all distribution of the game as of today.
What's it all mean? The games industry is terribly frightened of controversy (much moreso than the movie industry), especially when it comes to Rockstar, which had a controversial hidden sex scene in the PC version of Grand Theft Auto San Andreas. That means the First Amendment right to freedom of speech doesn't mean much to the games poobahs if it hurts the industry as a whole. I believe that the game should have been released and the market -- folks like you and me -- should have decided whether the game was a winner or a loser.
But the content of the game was raw, really raw.
I find it strange and somewhat sad that Rockstar backed down this time and pulled distribution. Then again, it makes 'great' business sense. I think the current rating's board (ESRB) is a total crock. Much like Hollywood's MPAA, depending on what studio you are from or what your name is - that decides whether or not you get a little breathing room (Hostel Part II vs. Captivity) or slapped around because you're the new guy on the block.
By the way... Since when do we need a bunch of old hacks in a stuffy old room, wearing tacky business suits telling us what is or isn't suitable for us? What's the difference between 'Rated M' and 'Rated AO" really? One stinking year (17+/18+). And exactly how different is a 17-year-old from an 18-year-old? No difference except for the fact that the 18-year-olds can legally die from tobacco products. What ever happened to freedom of choice?
Rockstar was the last great game studio that took no crap or prisoners when it came to what they believed in... now, they too, have turned soft. Then again, maybe this was all a part of their marketing stategy. Create controversy and the games will sell themselves. Kind of makes you think if "Grand Theft Auto 4" will actually be out in stores this October because of all of this controversy surrounding "Manhunt 2".
P.S. I'm an XBOX 360 owner and the last I knew "Manhunt 2" wasn't going to be available for the 360.
I want it...
When I first scrolled down and saw the cover for Manhunt 2, I got really excited about it. Then as I read on, depression really sank in. Knowing that Rockstar Games made a sequel to one of my favorite games and I would never be able to play it is just heart breaking. The game was really intense. I mean, you had to shut the lights off so that you could see everything because the screen was so dark, but that's what they wanted you to do. It made it that much more suspenceful. I would do almost anything to get a copy of the game for PS3 but I guess I'll have to stick with the PC. It's a shame.
my guess is that rockstar will re-tool the game. so it won't be as gruesome. but it'll get by the ratings board and into the wal-marts of the world. and it'll still be fun to play. i find it really hard to believe that the company would spend millions on the game and then shelve it permanently. time will tell, though.
i think that its really messed up that this game is not gonna be out in stores caulse i was really lookin forwerd to playing it but theirs nuthing i can do just hope that rockstar makes some changes so it could make its way in stores
This is a bunch of bull****.I've waited 3-4 months now and Rockstar turned on us and banned the game.Our Rockstar is turning into Jack Thompsons before our very eyes.It's just not right!
If no one was aware it would be impossible to release Manhunt 2 in its current from because all the platforms that the game is to come out for doesn't support AO games. Rockstar is forced to concede if they want to advoid taking a hit for this video game.
dont you understand that rockstar isnt backing down. When a game is released for a console the company that produces said console, such as sony or nintendo, is the one that actually manufatures the game discs and everything. The games was rated "AO" by ESRB. That means that nintendo and sony wont manufacture the game for their consoles. So to say that rockstar is going soft is wrong. They will probably appeal the rating and if that doesn't work they will just tone the game down a little bit so it can recieve an "M" rating and then release it in a few months. they really dont have any other option. So dont go saying a buch of shit when you dont know what your talking about.