NEWS: Manhunt 2: Banned in the UK

GEEK: Manhunt 2: Banned in the UK

British gamers looking to get their virtual manslaughter on (again) have been given a short, sharp shock by the British Board of Film Classification, which announced that it is banning the upcoming Rockstar game Manhunt 2, claiming that it could cause “unjustifiable harm” if sold in the UK.

Apparently, David Cooke, the director of the BBFC, really, really doesn’t like this game:

But Dave, the BBFC allowed the first Manhunt to be sold with an 18+ certificate, so what’s up with that?

Uh, well then why don’t you just ask Rockstar to cut out the really nasty bits, or pull a Super Nintendo and make the blood look like sweat or something?

One thing that might have stacked the deck against Manhunt 2 is that the first Manhunt was part of a UK media frenzy surrounding a real life murder in 2004. Even the revelation that it was the victim and not the murderer who owned the game could not stop calls for the first Manhunt to be banned.

All is not lost for British fans of cumulative casual sadism in electronic game form, since Rockstar has six weeks to appeal the BBFC’s ruling. The BBFC’s 1997 ban on the now-kinda quaint-in-comparison Carmageddon was overturned on appeal.

Maybe Rockstar can add a scene or two that takes place in a historic British cathedral, since apparently Tony Blair just loves that kinda thing.

Manhunt 2 will (theoretically) be available for the PS2 and the Nintendo Wii on July 10th.

ahh casual sadism....no strings attached..no dating your victims.

Violent video game = no possible influence on behaviour
Thin women in magazines (plus lady flaps in pr0n) = anorexia epidemic and women rushing to have their flaps sheared?

With the apparent rise of youth crime and the inability of parents to do anything about it, I guess this isn't a surprise. I can see it now, kids wearing hoodies (with the hoods up), ASBOs pinned to their chests like medals, playing illegal copies of Manhunt 2 and saying they're going to do this specific move to that specific guy in Real Life! Oh, the humanity!

The original was pulled for quite some time so it's no surprise.
Banned games are a great marketing ploy when released anyway.

Games like this shouldn't be banned because they're violent, but judging by the first Manhunt, they should be banned because they're shit.

I know I feel safe with one less violent video game on the streets.

I won't let the special interests of those who are pro-free-speech jeopardize my safety, m i rite?

There should never be a need to ban a video game. Parents should keep a better watch on the crap they let their kids play, and stop blaming it on the "evil" video game companies. This is why I am glad I live in a country that allows freedom, whether you want to be a religious fanatic or a grumpy cynic. God bless America, see aren't you glad we left that crappy island.

I wanna strangle someone with a wiimote

Banning video games is stupid. Most of the time there is a cry for a game to be banned, the reasons stated turn out to be false. I always found that so hilarious but so fitting in regards to censorship.

There are plenty of things I can't do in your country that I can do freely in others. It's a matter of perspective. I actually feel a lot more free in most other countries, though I'm sure many Americans (perhaps most, in fact) would feel the opposite. People have different things they want to be allowed to do or prevented from doing.

i'm not disagreeing with you, im just wondering what? I spent soem time living outside of the us, and agree.

Dude, are you serious? What have the bible beating retards NOT tried to censor here? We have had debates, complaints, congressional hearings and attempted bannings on everything from so called "profane" music like Rock & Roll and Rap to supposed extreme movie violence or sexual content.

America isn't exactly the land of the free. We have bans, laws and regulations over all sorts of things that make no sense at all (or are complete bullshit all together). I am honestly tired of this zealot-like repetition of "well hey, hehuck we is the land of the free". It only gets to STAY the land of the free if you read past the rhetoric and focus on the facts that state that we as a country still have a lot to FIX, and even more to LEARN from the countries and cultures around us.

So dont shit on the Brits.

I do admit though, that this is a step backwards for the Brits in my opinion.

Look, violence is going to surround us for as long as the human race exists. I mean, even the most peaceful and helpful societies can fall into violent patterns or actions. If you are a student of history you'll see that even though with the modern news printing out statistics stating how violent the world is, we have improved much since the... lets say middle ages. Violence might SEEM like its at a high point, but I dont see bands of marauding bandits roving around the countryside killing villages of people for no reason. I dont see Vikings raiding parties killing shore-side communities.

Dont blame the video games for violence, look towards shitty parenting. Look at the idea that parents let their kids sit there and play video games of this nature for days at a time instead of engaging them in conversation.

Maybe the world would be a better place if everyones' folks would take an active, positive role in their kids lives instead of leaving the teaching to games and TV.

Well minus the mormons. Stop breeding. HEHEHE, I'm sorry I couldn't resist.

L2ThinkForYourself IMO.

oh hai, i fixed ur post.

Hi, I'm why the game was banned:

It was also given an Adults Only rating here in the States this morning.

Wow, those guys really kicked it up with the creativity.

H00RAY for publicity. Banned overseas=sold out in the states. I'm gonna need to have more rechargable batteries lined up for me Wiimote.

well great, now the weirdos are going to have to really kill people to get their sadistic kicks. thanks a lot, BBFC.

With consoles creeping up into the $600 range, individual games floating around $60, and the "HD Era" requiring a rig in the what - $2000 vicinity, between a 42" LCD and 6.1 surround speakers? - people are still considering video games to be the domain of children?

And don't talk to me about the Wii being for kids. The console just got a remake of RE4 and Mortal Kombat. Surf's Up and Hostel 2 play in the same multiplex and nobody bitches. Hustler's sold on the same rack as Teen Beat. I've given up trying to sort it out.

I demand that this game be banned. I find it offensive, and it makes me want to do horrible horrible things.

chances are it will change from AO to M.



it'll probably get pushed back because of this, as well.

I miss the time when people were allowed to decide for themselves what they wanted to view or play.

I've said this elsewhere, but I'll say it again - honestly, given the content of the first Manhunt, I would find an AO rating entirely appropriate for both. The problem is that retailers mostly don't stock AO-rated games. And I can't support it essentially being banned by default.

The first Manhunt was possibly the worst computer game i've ever played... EVER.

Boring. And depressing. And a very, very, very good argument for censorship. Which is a shame.

But mainly, just a really shit game.

People in Brittian, go to this site to get your game:

http://www.ebay.com