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Manhunt 2's big ban bonanza continues: High Court quashes appeal photo

It's certainly been a rollercoaster for Manhunt 2 in the UK. Banned by the BBFC, edited by Rockstar, still banned by the BBFC, appealed for a reclassification, and now STILL banned by the BBFC, it really seems like a lot of effort for a game franchise that screams sub-par, but this is about censorship, damn it! When we last left off, Rockstar had successfully appealed for a chance to get Manhunt 2 released, but the BBFC cares so much about nannying the entire country (or is just working off bruised pride), it went to the High Court which has now kicked down the appeal.

The High Court has sent Manhunt 2 back for re-evaluation with the VAC and yet another appeal, siding with the BBFC's frankly ludicrous claim that the game will have a "devastating effect on society." Wasn't that game released in the USA several months ago? I've yet to see its devastating effect over there, unless of course you're counting the poor people who wasted their money on the thing. 

Rockstar, naturally, has questioned the decision, being unable to understand the choice to spend further public money on censoring material that conforms to the guidelines required for release:

"We believe the Video Appeals Committee decision was correct and do not understand the court's decision to expend further public resources to censor a game that contains content well within the bounds established by the British Board of Film Classification's 18-plus ratings certification,"

The ridiculous saga continues and, like Rockstar says, more time and money will be sunk into something that should never have been an issue in the first place. I, for one, would like to know more details about the supposed harm that is going to come to Britain should people we don't know give us permission to spend our money on it.


Continue: More United Kingdom stories





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12 comments | showing # 1 to 12

Fading Star's Avatar
Fading Star at 01/25/2008 09:59
This sucks.....

:(.
loki d20's Avatar
loki d20 at 01/25/2008 10:15
I think Rockstar is just sticking with it based on principle. Letting this go now is just a slippery slope to other games that might come along that are worth the price, including their own,
JonDarkwood's Avatar
JonDarkwood at 01/25/2008 10:18
You guys should leave the UK and found a new country where you will be free of persecution.

Wait, that won't work anymore, there's nowhere left to go. Dammit.
wonky360's Avatar
wonky360 at 01/25/2008 10:18
The bigger issue is a rating system for Games that parents take seriously, They see mario on the shelves and think everything is ok. At the vary least the retailers should keep the 18's on higher shelves etc or in their own area much like dvd rentals. As for Manhunt 2, the stabby up Wii version just seems wrong to me, the other platforms dont offend me at all.
Putthebottledown's Avatar
Putthebottledown at 01/25/2008 11:04
The game sucks anyway... it should be banned
Dastardly007's Avatar
Dastardly007 at 01/25/2008 12:10
I'm not at all for censorship but at the same time I couldn't give a toss that this game is banned. Rockstar seem to set out to deliberately piss people off with these games and this time they've wasted their time and money. Theres enough crap said about videogames by clueless morons as it is without giving them further ammunition. If it were a perfect world then yeah an 18 rating should mean they can put whatever they want into the game, but we all know the reality and how the general public view games as little more than toys. Rockstar should stop acting like dicks and stop relying on shock to sell their games and try producing something original for a change.

I hope it stays banned. Might make them try something new.
MechaMonkey's Avatar
MechaMonkey at 01/25/2008 13:26
I'm pretty certain that game stores can still stock it. They just won't, because the BBFC is holding their children captive. Perhaps an agreeable local non-corporate game shop could snag it for you Brits?
LeonSK's Avatar
LeonSK at 01/25/2008 13:48
I just saw it at my local Play n Trade. The game sucks anyway. All controversy aside, it controls like balls, the enemy AI borders on mental retardation, and the stealth kills look like someone just put a shitty photoshop filter over everything. The game is not win is what I'm trying to get at. Bully, on the other hand, I thought was fun. Rockstar can get it right if they try, but I'm starting to lose faith.
Big Z's Avatar
Big Z at 01/25/2008 14:12
Eh, was it ever really about the game in the first place? It was put out for shock value and now we're just trying to defend ourselves from mindless censorship. Personally I think even if this whole fiasco brings us a step forward it's already put us two steps back.
Nogarda's Avatar
Nogarda at 01/25/2008 18:27
I still remember the absolute ruckus on the BBC when Manhunt 2 was announced and how some kid who was underage for the game played the original and killed someone, and naturally the victims parents kicked up a fuss because it had been collecting dust on someones shelf.

Annoyingly they [BBFC] are banning it because of the under 18's ... Funny that, the people who shouldn't be playing it in the first place are the reason its banned.

The BBFC's decision to ban manhunt 2 for the 18's and over is bordering on the same amount of idiocy as that woman from fox who got dissed by geoff keighley.

UK Gamers need to buy this game if it ever comes out, not for the game itself, but as a sales statistic to protest against censorship.

Why couldn't they have banned Lair instead.
Cowboy TTop's Avatar
Cowboy TTop at 01/25/2008 19:40
I'm with you Nogarda. The same way that EA stood up for unfair criticism of Mass Effect, Rockstar too I respect for sticking to their guns on this one for Manhunt 2. For too long we've watched as games get ill treatment for next to no reason and this is another case of it.

Sure, the game might be not that great, but its the pure principle of the thing, along with this kind of persecution of games. Rockstar could easily argue that Manhunt 2 is an adult game, aimed at adults, like any adult film or book. Problem is the scaremonger powers that be have such fear of anything they don't know or don't understand.

And yes, perhaps Manhunt 2 is pushing it a bit, but that's kind of irrelevant, when we can buy other adult media in a similar vein. I've seen much worse stuff in films.

Rockstar should take this one all the way to the european court if they need to, because we all know this is a clear case of double standard at work, laced in fear and hear say. Perhaps Rockstar should also point out that Manhunt 2 has been on sale in Holland for a while, and we are yet to hear of any mass child serial killers on the loose.
Necros's Avatar
Necros at 01/25/2008 21:23
Urgh. Man, Europe sounds so awesome, what with censorship, banning, and game delays.
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