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Manhunt 2 banned in England; ESRB bestows AO rating in US
Posted June 19, 2007 by TrevorIf you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Well, it had to happen sooner or later. Because of its violent content and (ostensibly) its Wii-specific interactivity, Manhunt 2 has been banned in England. Hot on the heels of this decision, the ERSB slapped the game with an AO rating here in the States.
In a statement released to the press, Rockstar said:
We are disappointed with the recent decision by the British Board of Film Classification to refuse classification of Manhunt 2. While we respect the authority of the classification board and will abide by the rules, we emphatically disagree with this particular decision…Manhunt 2 was created for mature audiences and we strongly believe it should receive an M (Mature) rating…we are exploring our options with regard to the rating of Manhunt 2.
Now, I never played the first Manhunt, so can only guess what kinds of things Rockstar is doing to “improve” in the sequel. Apparently, though, the other versions for the PS2 and PSP weren’t even brought up. I guess the ESRB and BBFC think that since the Wii version is more interactive, that makes the game worse. And let’s not forget that rating the game Adults Only is pretty much the kiss of death as far as sales go. In all honesty, this game probably wouldn’t have sold that well in the first place, but now that it won’t be sold in more family-friendly stores like Wal-Mart or Target (perhaps you’ve heard of them), it won’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of any commercial success.
What really irks me is that these ratings boards are patting themselves on the back for a job well done, saying that this proves their system works splendidly. One of Joystiq’s many articles today on this whole mess make this point loud and clear:
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.
Is this really where the industry is headed?
Comments
Guerrs Says:To be honest, I just don’t want to play with a character who wears eye glasses. I have to deal with lackluster vision in real life, why would I want to play a murderous version of myself in a game? It thought this was escapism!
Kevin Says:In regards to Manhunt 2, and specifically the Wii controls, this is one instance where I actually agree with the ESRB. The game is basically like playing through a snuff film, and when the Wii has you acting out the murders, I think a line needs to be drawn somewhere.
I don’t think video games can forever hide behind the “It’s just a game” smokescreen forever. At some point, there has to be accountability as to what kind of content is actually in a “game”.
Wouldn’t it be a bitch when they release wii Sex.
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